The meeting was inaugurated by Ankabut CEO Mr. Fahm Al-Nuaimi who highly commended efforts exerted by ASREN and by its Chairman HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh on the Arab world level stressing Ankabut’s support to the Network’s work and goals related to building a high framework research and education network that connects all Arab universities and research institutions

AL AIN, UAE --- October 30, 2012 --- Under the Patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, the United Arab Emirates' Advanced Research and Education Network - Ankabut’s Users’ Meeting was held at United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, in conjunction with the meeting of the Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN), and EUROMED.

The meeting was inaugurated by Ankabut CEO Mr. Fahem Al-Nuaimi who highly commended efforts exerted by ASREN and by its Chairman HE Dr. Talal Abu-Ghazaleh on the Arab world level stressing Ankabut’s support to the Network’s work and goals related to building a high framework research and education network that connects all Arab universities and research institutions.

Mr. Al-Nuaimi underlined the necessity to crystallize practical steps that contribute to mobilizing joint scientific research and develop technical link on the level of the Arab region, regardless of the enormous challenges that still encounter higher education in general and scientific research in particular.

“This also requires uniting all our efforts to confront these challenges and upgrade scientific research through developing scientific and technological capacities, lifting up scientific research institutions, providing the required financial funding in addition to providing the infrastructure represented by high framework research and education networks and connected to their counterparts in the developed world.

On behalf of ASREN Chairman, Dr. Salem Alagtash, Managing Director of the Network in his keynote presentation tackled scientific research challenges and the significance of the research and education networks and technical links to mobilize joint research and become updated about the technological resources, cloud computing and its applications on a world level.

Alagtash expressed ASREN’s appreciation to the European Union’s support for a number of strategic projects relating to EUMED CONNECT and applications in research and education. He pointed out that ASREN will start technical linkage with a number of Arab research networks including the UAE’s Advanced Research and Education Network – Ankabut.

From his part, Project Manager David West at DANTE which currently manages the EUMEDCONNECT2 program stressed on the importance of integrated linkage in the Arab region and the support provided by the EU in its endeavor to contribute to the technical and scientific development on the level of some Arab countries.

With the participation of Arab and international research and education representatives, the meeting reached to a number of conclusions that focused on establishing and enhancing technical linkage on the Arab region level. The main recommendations are:

- Joint cooperation to mobilize scientific research at the UAE through benefiting from experiences and best practices at the global advanced universities.

- Working to connect the UAE’s Research and Education Network with ASREN through the EUMEDCONNECT2 project so that the UAE universities become part of ASREN not only on the level of the connected Arab countries but also on the level of the European and American universities and other global universities.

- Enhancing communication and cooperation between researchers at the Arab universities and working on research issues related to the region.


The Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN), non-profit organization, is the association of the Arab region National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) and strategic partners, that aim to implement, manage and extend sustainable Pan-Arab e-Infrastructures dedicated for the Research and Education communities and to boost scientific research and cooperation in member countries through the provision of world-class e-Infrastructures and E-services.

www.asrenorg.net