Central Asia

R&E networks help save lives by powering interactive remote training of endoscopists on novel techniques for early stomach cancer diagnosis and treatment.

R&E networks make hydro-meteorological monitoring data accessible to scientists and local authorities for informed water supply assessment and management in Central Asia

Minimising the brain drain and equipping the right people with the right skills is central to the efforts to re-shape the future of Afghanistan after years of turmoil. The Asi@Connect project contributes to these efforts by supporting capacity building of network engineers at universities across the country to help them ensure the smooth running of the educational process 'behind the scenes' and to consolidate the emerging AfgREN NREN.

On 19 April 2017 the 'Rock' asteroid made an uncomfortably close pass to Earth - the closest in 400 years. The first step to protecting against such hazards is to monitor them to calculate their precise orbits; this requires fast, reliable internet connections so that the huge volumes of observation data involved can be sent speedily and reliably to researchers around the world for analysis.

Developing alternative, greener energy sources is a key priority across the world but many countries don’t have the infrastructure and skills needed to create renewable energy industries from scratch. Technology, and in particular research networks, can help develop these skills, transferring knowledge to build the industry.

Helina Emeru is chief technology officer of Ethiopian research and education network EthERnet. In October 2016, she joined 9 colleagues from around the world at the NORDUnet conference as part of a new Knowledge Exchange Fellowship program.

Understanding how the environment is altering through ongoing monitoring is key to coping with the effects of climate change. Working with European partners, the Central Asian Institute of Applied Geosciences (CAIAG) in Kyrgyzstan is able to monitor melting glaciers and mitigate the risks to the local population.

Central Asia is under constant threat from its vulnerability to earthquakes. The region sits on the junction of two tectonic plates that have been colliding for millions of years, building mountains and causing earthquakes. CAREN – the Central Asia Research and Education Network – underpins international scientific efforts in the region to protect lives and to safeguard economic growth from the consequences.