TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM hosted representatives of the GÉANT community, which brings together Europe's research and education networks, in Istanbul in the second week of November. The meetings, held at Boğaziçi University Albert Long Hall Cultural Center, were completed with an intensive program aimed at strengthening regional collaborations, addressing strategic issues and increasing interaction between research networks.
NRENs Security Camp: Strengthening Regional Cybersecurity Capacity
On the first day of the event, GÉANT Security Boot Camp was organized for national research and education networks (NRENs). The training on "Security Structure and Governance", "Personal Data Protection and Privacy", "CSIRT Formation" and "Crisis Management" provided practical information that can be directly adapted to the internal processes of the participating organizations thanks to its hands-on approach. The program made a significant contribution to the goal of jointly developing regional security capabilities.
SEE Directors' Forum: Strategic Dialogue and Regional Cohesion
SEE (South East Europe) Directors' Forum was held with the participation of GÉANT CEO Lise Fuhr. During the forum, the current status of NRENs in the SEE region, GÉANT Compendium data and the role of regional networks in the new GÉANT Strategy were discussed.
Participants emphasized the need for flexible financing models, the importance of stronger regional cooperation under the coordination of GÉANT, and continued investment in network capacity building. GÉANT's close working structure with the European Commission and its presence in Brussels was considered as an important advantage for the alignment of institutions in the region towards common goals.
At the end of the forum, the region's participation in the new "AI Factory Antennas" initiative and preparations for TNC26 were discussed.
Visit to TÜBİTAK ULAKBIM by GÉANT CEO
On the second day of the program, GÉANT CEO Lise Fuhr met with TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM Director Mehmet Mirat Satoğlu and received comprehensive information about the activities of the institution. During the meeting, the activities of TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM as a national research and education network, the services it offers to libraries, researchers and the wider academic community, and international collaborations were discussed.
During the visit, Satoğlu expressed the need for the representation of research networks of non-EU countries and stated that TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM is ready to contribute to strengthening regional cooperation and creating a more inclusive structure in the European research network ecosystem.
Emphasizing the importance of GÉANT's mission to connect national networks, there was an exchange of views on bridging regional differences, increasing mutual understanding and improving coordination towards common goals.
Current Developments in Services and Technologies
On the third day of the event, GÉANT's regular Services and Technology Forum (STF) meeting was held. Highlights included EuroHPC's new HyperConnectivity service, work on the Square Kilometer Array (SKA) network and optical trials on the next generation Nokia router platform.
Acknowledgment from GÉANT to TUBITAK ULAKBIM
In its evaluation published after the week of events, GÉANT thanked TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM for its hosting, collaboration and strong support to the community. Meetings throughout the intensive program further strengthened the collaboration between regional and international research networks.
As TÜBİTAK ULAKBİM, we would like to thank Boğaziçi University for allocating the Albert Long Hall Cultural Center, which is one of the symbols of the university with its historical texture and inspiring atmosphere, and for their support in the successful realization of our event.
