The Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, mandated that the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network (CKLN) be established as an inter-governmental agency of CARICOM with responsibility for the development and management of a high capacity, broadband fiber optic network called C@ribNET, connecting all CARICOM member states. 

What is C@ribNET ?

C@ribNET is a broadband fiber optic Network, configured to connect tertiary institutions, hospitals, schools, and CARICOM and other institutions engaged in knowledge development and research, within the Caribbean, and then to connect these institutions to research and education institutions in the rest of the world. 

Aim of C@ribNET

The aim of C@ribNET is to bridge the digital divide in the region and achieve social cohesion of Caribbean people through digital inclusion.  The Caribbean is one of the few regions of the world, including sub-Saharan Africa, without a regional research and education network.

C@ribNET is intended to support the Caribbean integration process by providing an enabling environment through connectivity, in support of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) and strengthen functional cooperation among Caribbean member states in areas such as security, disaster management and culture amongst others.

Why is C@ribNET necessary in the Caribbean?

Education, cutting edge research, science and technology are considered key ingredients of sustainable social and economic development, stability and regional integration. Caribbean political and business leaders acknowledge that the region requires a skilled and adaptable workforce to remain competitive, and must address the increasing demand and cost for tertiary education. C@ribNET is envisioned as a vehicle that allows citizens, communities, governments, public officials, entrepreneurs and students to communicate, collaborate, form partnerships and harmonise activities across the region. 

There are several indicators, which suggest the Caribbean has experienced a reduction in its competitiveness over the last decade. In a 2005 World Bank report, it was proposed that the development of an Information Society holds promises and possibilities for developing countries to leverage the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in making significant indirect impact on their economies. Academic and research networking is now comparable to roads, water and energy services due to its impact on general economic development and social cohesion. 

Who/where will use C@ribNET? 

A population of approximately twenty-six (26) million in twenty-one (21) Caribbean countries can benefit from cost-effective access to high quality e-learning content and other knowledge resources from the region and around the world through the development of C@ribNET. 

How will countries use C@ribNET?

In order for individual member states to benefit from the use of C@ribNET, they are required to develop what is now commonly referred to as national research and education networks, NRENs. Developing the demand at the national and regional levels, therefore, is critical if the operations of the C@ribNET are to be sustainable.

What are research & education networks and why are they so important?

National Research and Education Networks, NRENs are primarily a) human networks and the accompanying organisational structures and b) the supporting infrastructure that interconnect universities and research centers separately from the commercial Internet, providing uncongested, high-speed advanced communications capabilities.

NRENs are increasingly viewed as the vital and core component of modern teaching, research and learning. About 100 countries around the world have adopted NRENs as the centerpiece of their information and communication technology (ICT) plan for tertiary education. The Caribbean is one of the few regions of the world without a regional research and education network.

Scale is the primary motivation for creating NRENs. The more the number of universities and other institutions that participate in the NREN, the better the sustainability, the lower the cost per institution and the higher the negotiating strength of participating institutions. 

E.g. The Academic and Research Network of Slovenia, ARNES, connects universities, institutes, research laboratories, museums, schools, databases and digital libraries in the country. The network connects over 1000 Slovenian organisations and makes ARNES’ services available to nearly 200,000 people.

CKLN is working with different sets of stakeholders, especially tertiary educational institutions around the Caribbean, to act as a catalyst for the development of NRENs. NREN’s are the operating principle for the development of communities of interest that foster collaboration in the development and delivery of distance and online education.

Who uses R&E networks?

Educational institutions, hospitals and other health related facilities, CARICOM institutions, libraries, research institutions, museums, government ministries, science and technology institutions, as well as those involved in culture, tourism and agricultural are all potential users. Any developmental group that represents a “community of interest” can use NRENs.

How are R&E networks organised?

NRENs generally comprise two major elements:

1. The institutional and governance framework that binds the universities together and

2. The underlying physical connectivity

NREN governance provides the human networking elements, while the infrastructure provides dedicated high-performance network capabilities, not only within a country, but also between research and education institutions located around the world. The fiber optic cables are rented or purchased from various telecommunication providers.

Who provides R&E networks?

NRENs are usually not-for-profit organisations supported wholly or in part by public expenditure in each country.

Because the Caribbean region has lagged behind the global development of such networks, the Caribbean Knowledge and Learning Network, CKLN, has been supporting the development of NRENs at national levels and the establishment of a Caribbean Research and Education Network called C@ribNET that connects the Caribbean institutions to each other and to other international networks such as Internet 2 (USA), redCLARA (Latin America) and Géante (Europe)

What are the benefits for R&E networks to users?

The NREN provides a platform for accessing digital resources, instrumentation, supercomputing essential for international collaborative research and learning between researchers in the Caribbean and around the world.

NRENs will also serve as a springboard for innovation with spin-offs to industry, education, healthcare, e-government. They play a key role in the region’s effort to integrate ICT at all levels, contributing to a knowledge based and educated society.

C@ribNET is expected to cost US$20-million to implement. The European Union (EU) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) are sponsoring this project.