The 24-month GN5-1 project is the latest phase of the long-running and highly successful GÉANT Project that, in close collaboration with the European Commission, has supported Europe’s research and education communities for over 20 years.

As one of the first in a series of projects planned under the GN5 FPA, the Framework Partnership Agreement signed between the European Commission and the NREN GEANT partners,, the aim of GN5-1 is to develop faster, more resilient and secure connectivity infrastructure and collaboration services for the pan-European research and academic network in order to provide scientists, researchers, and students secure access to the world’s most advanced connectivity and collaboration services, enabling effective and secure collaboration within virtual research communities around the world.

Vast research initiatives often involving hundreds of participants across multiple countries utilising advanced computing facilities, continue to rely on the infrastructure provided by GÉANT and its NREN partners, in areas as diverse as climate change, medicine, and energy research.

The project aims to provide more network capacity than requested, and access for National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) much higher than 100 Gbps with Terabit connectivity where needed.

The results of the project will bring multiple benefits:

• It will ensure access for researchers and students to services needed for Open Science, dissemination of learning and training and community building
• It will Implement a range of new online services, providing a new infrastructure in Trust and Identity (T&I) services, which are a key enabler for research, education and collaboration within Europe.
• It will provide trusted access to data sources and services, as well as authentication and authorisation infrastructure services, such as eIDAS
• It will extend the users of NRENs beyond the traditional scientific and research communities, allowing networking and access to common European data spaces
• It will contribute to addressing Horizon Europe's priorities in areas such as data security and access control, innovation and environmental impact reduction

Within the GEANT community, the knowledge and experience shared between partners to continuously improve the quality of its services makes it an integral part of the ERA (European Research Area).  The GEANT community is a fundamental element of the European e-Infrastructure landscape for ERA and an important factor enabling scientific excellence, research, education and innovation. Extending and securing the global reach of the pan-European GÉANT network and a highly reliable, unrestricted access to computing, analysis, storage, as well as applications and other resources, ensures that Europe remains at the forefront of research worldwide and protects European sovereignty with appropriate data security standards.

The role of GRNET in the project is related to the following objectives:

• The creation of prototype pilots and procurement of new web services, with the aim of operating and continuously enhancing T&I services and the underlying infrastructure so that students and researchers can maintain their privacy
• To promote, provide and support a secure, pan-European infrastructure of network connectivity and related services, capable of supporting scientific, research and educational requirements and connecting European researchers, staff and students anywhere in the world to a wider European digital infrastructure
• Enabling researchers, students and staff to collaborate and exchange data with their peers through interoperable and secure connectivity infrastructures and services

The project will be implemented under the Horizon Framework Programme, and the project budget allocated to GRNET is 406.643,75 euros (80% EU, 20% own resources)

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