NRENs in South Asia and PERN2 (Sharing knowledge and expertise across the borders)

Knowledge sharing by imparting the expertise across the country or across the border, always remained the foremost objective of the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan.  Though this was a first experience to share the project experience with international forum however first international workshop on SERENE (South-South Exchange of Research & Education Network Experience) is successfully conducted by PERN (Pakistan Educational Research Network) IT Division. The workshop was conducted with the joint interest of Higher Education Commission and Global Distance Learning Network, South Asia Region by the World Bank. The core objective of the workshop was to cope up the technocrat of some of the developing SAARC countries of South Asia consisting on Afghanistan, Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Workshop was designed to enhance their knowledge for deploying the National Research Educational Network (NREN), like PERN in Pakistan and the applications that are running over it. Transformation of PC-1 theory in reality is detailed to the forum by sharing the practical knowledge of experts.

SERENE is an action-learning program of virtual dialogues, visits, and a workshop, for ministry and university management staff and network managers in the target countries.

Agenda of this revealing workshop was to train beneficiary country participants (Afghanistan, Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan) so that they can produce better planning innovations for the establishment of an NREN in their country in view of PERN2 Network Plan. The technical people involved in NREN development in these countries learnt more about the issues and approaches which may help them to design their project plan effectively by minimum project risk factor.

Dr. Sohail H. Naqvi Executive Director HEC inaugurated the workshop by briefing the forum with the investiture thinking against the improvisation in IT infrastructure across the country and objective to uplift the educational standards by utilizing the technology at verge. Director General IT Mr. Anwar Amjad bestowed the technical cum managerial thinking behind the NREN by commission whereas Mr. Abdullah Fayyaz Chattha Country Coordinator/Regional Manager for PERN, along with his team members Mr. Naveed Tahir, Mr. Jawad Raza and Mr. Itrat Rasool Qadri flavored the session with practical milestones of the project. Not only this but also several applications which are launched successfully by HEC over the PERN, likely to name Video Conferencing a multimodal tool of communication effectively deployed by HEC across the country at 70 sites was discussed with Director Nazeer Hussain, Syed Ali Raza and Noman Saeed. Establishment of National Data Centre was another topic of interest to share with its efficiency towards the modern data centers. Similarly another important application is also presented by Syeda Tamkanat Digital Library Officer about its usability over PERN Giga Bit network as well as she emphasized over the centralized approach for the accessing of research resources due to varying condition of finances. These 10 young technocrats not only loaded with excessive knowledge but also manifested with the scenic hilly points.

This 3 days’ workshop ended with thankful notes of Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed Member O & P and awarded the forum along with the speakers with shields and certificates. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed welcomed the forum in future and considered the initiation of new relation with the SAARC country and expected the series of same activities in future.  . “I am not only taking back the knowledge shared by the HCE regarding the setup of PREN, but also taking the kindness, the love, the support and the determination that you all have provided to us during our stay here in HEC.”  Dawa Tshering from Royal University of Bhutan Says.

“Thanks to everyone for their knowledge sharing having confidence in us and providing an opportunity to be of service to the global REN community” Nimal Ratnayake Team leader Says.

Also visit:

http://www.pern.edu.pk

http://serene.learn.ac.lk/events/pernws