The importance to Moldovan research and education of international collaboration and of research and education networks – in particular RENAM and GÉANT – was highlighted in recent high-level meetings in Chisinau.
Dr. Léonie Schäfer, Senior Manager Global Liason at the German research and education network DFN, represented GÉANT and the Eastern Partnership Connect (EaPConnect) project in meetings with significant Moldovan stakeholders. These discussions highlighted interest for research and education networks and agreed plans for the 3rd Eastern Partnership E-infrastructures Conference, EaPEC 2018.
In discussion with Dr. Elena Belei, the State Secretary for Research at the Ministry for Education, Culture and Research, Dr. Schäfer emphasised the opportunity that hosting the EaPEC conference will bring for Moldovan research and education to strengthen ties with peers from other countries in the Eastern Partnership and in the EU.
We look forward to participating in the EaPEC 2018 conference. We are very pleased that this international event is coming to Chisinau because it supports a closer relationship between researchers in different countries and is a small step that helps to bring Moldova closer to Europe.”
For RENAM it is already proving beneficial to host EaPEC 2018, as a partner in the EaPConnect project and in GÉANT. These meetings have helped to strengthen our relationships with the Academy of Sciences and with the Ministry for Education, Culture and Research, and we look forward to developing further ties through discussions with them and other participants at the EaPEC conference later this year.”
Peter Bogatencov, Vice-Director Executive of RENAM, the research and educational networking association of Moldova, is responsible for RENAM’s development and international projects. He joined Dr. Schäfer on 20 February in a meeting with RENAM’s Managing Board Chairman, Dr. Grigore Secrieru and with President of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM), Prof., acad. Gheorghe Duca, and ASM first vice-president, Prof., acad. Ion Tighineanu.
President Duca of ASM expressed appreciation for the interest shown by the European Union towards the scientific community in Moldova. He noted a growing need to access and process large amounts of information, which cannot be managed without the use of modern communication and computing tools and which has contributed to the creation and use of specialised infrastructures and resources such as GÉANT and the national research and education networks.
The meeting at ASM included discussion about the creation of an optical channel for a direct connection between RENAM and GÉANT within the EaPConnect project. It also achieved the goal of agreeing plans for EaPEC 2018, which will be hosted by RENAM in Chisinau in autumn 2018 – details to be announced very soon.
Further information
Within DFN, Leonie Schäfer is responsible for fostering collaboration with GÉANT members and international partners. She became involved with the EaPConnect project in its early days and is the project’s co-chair of EaPEC 2018. A profile of her work featured in issue 26 of GÉANT CONNECT magazine.
News about this visit was published by the Academy of Sciences of Moldova and by RENAM.
EaPEC 2018 will bring together decision makers and officials from ministries, academics and educational representatives from the Eastern Partnership countries, as well as international institutions responsible for promoting e-infrastructures, private companies and foundations.
