Eapconnect

Launched in July 2015, the EU-funded Eastern Partnership Connect project aims to create a regional high-capacity internet network dedicated to research and education (R&E) in Eastern Europe and the Southern Caucasus. This will interconnect the national R&E networks in the Eastern Partnership countries and integrate them into the pan-European GÉANT network, enabling scientists and academics to collaborate and engage in innovative, data-intensive international projects. The partner countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. A joint initiative between the European Union and its six Eastern neighbours, the Eastern Partnership aims to bring its partners closer to the EU. Recognising the importance of e-Infrastructures in fostering digital inclusion, social cohesion and economic progress, EaPConnect is a key part of the digital agenda of the Eastern Partnership. The overall objective of EaPConnect is to- decrease the digital divide- improve intra-regional connectivity- facilitate participation of local scientists, students and academics in global R&E collaborations- deploy eduroam and stimulate integration towards GÉANT services. The European Commission's Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargements Negotiations (DG NEAR) is contributing 95%(€13m) towards the cost of the EaPConnect project, under EU Grant Agreement 2015-356353. The remaining 5% is co-funded by the six beneficiary countries. The project was officially inaugurated at the 1st Eastern Partnership Ministerial Meeting on the Digital Economy in June 2015 in Luxembourg and is expected to have a duration of 5 years. EaPConnect is managed by networking organisation GÉANT in collaboration with the R&E networks in the six partner countries.