As National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) across Africa face new headwinds and tailwinds in their operating environment, it is imperative that they change their modus operandi to glide on the winds. This calls for new thinking and new ways of doing things.
In this regard, WACREN has enhanced the capabilities of NRENs through the NREN CEOs Academy, supported by the AfricaConnect3 project. The intent is to make them competitive and future-proof. This year’s iteration focused on business model innovation and service portfolio expansion. NRENs need to understand cutting-edge business models and value propositions to effectively deliver and market the unique benefits their services offer to their communities.
By mastering these concepts, NRENs can strategically develop, manage, and market their value, attract funding, and build stronger relationships with stakeholders, ultimately enhancing their ability to support and advance research and education within their communities.
In this year’s activity, NREN CEOs collaborated to explore the Business Model Canvas, a strategic management tool that provides a structured framework for developing, visualising, and discussing business models. Through hands-on exercises and group discussions, NREN representatives collectively crafted customised business models tailored to their unique contexts and challenges, fostering shared understanding and unity.
NREN managers gained knowledge on the rudiments of Value Proposition Canvas. This newfound skill ensures that they can effectively market the value of their offerings to their communities and stakeholders, empowering them to drive the success of their NRENs and deliver impactful solutions to their users. The NRENs also received training on implementing and managing identity federations and open science. The CEOs learned how to build a culture and inculcate open science into the fabric of their communities’ services.
The CEOs were immersed in WACREN’s efforts to advance scholarly communication in the region by deploying new services and collaborations that leveraged NREN’s infrastructure and capabilities.
Throughout the two-day event co-facilitated by WACREN and DFN, the German NREN, the emphasis was on practical application and strategic thinking. The WACREN NREN Academy was a dynamic, interactive experience that equipped NREN representatives with the tools and knowledge to drive innovation and growth in their respective networks.