Asia-Europe Research Collaboration Attracts Potential New Members
Press Release
New applications and development of high speed TEIN2 network
showcased at prominent ASEM 6 Summit
Helsinki, 9 September 2006: Citizens across Asia and Europe are now benefiting from closer research collaboration between the two regions delivered by the high speed TEIN2 network. The first large-scale research and education network for Asia
Pacific, TEIN2, links ten countries and more than 30 million users in the region, enabling them to work together on vital research, including disaster warning systems and telemedicine. The network, which is being formally launched today at the ASEM 6 Summit in Helsinki, has already attracted interest from potential new members across Asia. Discussions are on-going with several new partners, including Brunei, Hong Kong, Laos and Cambodia. The European Commission funds TEIN2 with €10 million.
TEIN2 enables faster global collaboration by deploying direct links to Europe’s GÉANT2, the world’s most advanced international research and education network. It operates at speeds of up to 1 Gbps. Deployed in January 2006 and scheduled to run until 2008, TEIN2 enables Asia to become part of the Global Information Society. It currently links national networks in 9 ASEM countries, namely China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and it also connects Australia. “Collaboration between Europe and Asia is increasingly critical to solving global issues, such as climate change and health threats such as avian influenza and HIV/AIDS,” commented Mrs Ferrero-Waldner, the European Union's Commissioner for External Relations.
“TEIN2 and GÉANT2 are a real demonstration of the power of collaboration in action, together supporting a community of over 60 million users. TEIN2 is bridging the digital divide within Asia-Pacific, and it is already delivering opportunities and benefits to the citizens of both regions. We expect this success to continue as it expands.”
Online Press Kit: www.tein2.net/media
His Excellency, Mr Rho Jun-hyong, Korean Minister for Information and Communication added: “TEIN2 represents a substantial ASEM effort that we are proud to have been involved with since its inception at the ASEM 3 Summit in Seoul in 2000. The network has clearly demonstrated the positive benefits it brings to the region. Extending it further across Asia can only be a good thing, and I look forward to collaborating with additional countries using TEIN2 and GÉANT2.”
The success of TEIN2 will be celebrated at the ASEM 6 Summit in Finland, which marks the tenth anniversary of ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) co-operation, "10 Years of ASEM: Global Challenges - Joint Responses". The event will reflect both the joint objectives and global developments in that time, and will be attended by 38 leaders from both regions. At the event the latest TEIN2 applications will be showcased and prospects for new developments will be announced.
TEIN2 is managed by research networking organisation DANTE, which is involved in projects across the globe to improve research collaboration. By using its experience and working in partnership with the region’s national research networks DANTE has brought TEIN2 into service quickly and cost-effectively. “Asia is a region where cooperation really works” said Dai Davies, General Manager, DANTE. “The spirit of cooperation among the TEIN2 partners has been a key factor behind delivering the network.”
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About TEIN2:
TEIN2 (Trans-Eurasia Information Network) – creates the first large-scale research and education network for the Asia-Pacific region. It connects regional researchers with their counterparts in Europe via GÉANT2, the world’s most advanced international research and education network, providing the Asia-Pacific countries with a gateway for global research collaboration. Initiated in 2004 and running until 2008, TEIN2 contributes to the further development of the Trans-Eurasia Information Network (TEIN) initiative, which was an outcome of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to improve research networking between Europe and Asia-Pacific. Through TEIN, the first Europe-Asia link dedicated for research and education was established bilaterally between RENATER in France and KISDI in South Korea, with the installation of a connection in December 2001.
As well as funding from the EU, additional support for TEIN2 has been provided by Japan, Korea, Singapore and Australia. TEIN2’s three network hubs in Beijing, Singapore and Hong Kong are benefiting from Internet routing equipment sponsored by Juniper Networks. Working in collaboration with DANTE on TEIN2 are RENATER, SURFnet and UKERNA, the National Research and Education Networks of France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, respectively. The Asian partners are China, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam; Australia and TransPAC2 are also actively participating. For more information please visit www.tein2.net
Online Press Kit: www.tein2.net/media
About DANTE:
DANTE is a non-profit organisation whose primary mission is to plan, build and manage research and education networks. Established in 1993, DANTE has been fundamental to the success of pan-European research and education networking. DANTE has built and operates GÉANT2, the most advanced research and education network in the world. GÉANT2 provides the data communications infrastructure essential to the success of many research projects in Europe.
DANTE is involved in worldwide initiatives to interconnect countries in other regions to one another and to GÉANT2. DANTE currently manages initiatives focused on the Mediterranean, Latin American and Asia-Pacific regions through the EUMEDCONNECT, ALICE-RedCLARA and TEIN2 (Trans-Eurasia Information Network) projects respectively. For more information, please visit www.dante.net
Editorial contacts:
Paul Allen/Clodagh Boyle
Rainier PR (on behalf of DANTE)
+44(0)20 7494 6570
dante@rainierpr.co.uk
