Monday 1 December 2014

Growing an eduroamed Zambia


Eduroam is the secure, world-wide roaming access service developed for the international research and education community. According to the eduroam website, eduroam allows students, researchers and staff from participating institutions to obtain Internet connectivity across campus and when visiting other participating institutions by simply opening their laptop.

Eduroam is one of the services that some of the Zambia Research and Education Network (ZAMREN) members pride in. ZAMREN has connected 38 institutions, that range from universities to cancer research centres at major hospitals, to its high speed backbone network.

A recent study on eduroam usage in Zambia has revealed that eduroam has enabled Zambian academicians and scholars to enjoy freedom and free of access to research and education resources.

The study was conducted by Christopher Chembe et al and presented at UbuntuNet-Connect 2014 in Lusaka Zambia on 13 November 2014.

Eduroam is available at five sites in Zambia. The study also showed that most users use the service resources everywhere.

However, Chembe cites the need for harmonisation of ICT policies as being among the major challenges in maximising the benefits of eduroam in Zambia.
“Eduroam is a very beneficial service to education. We need to look at the challenges to promote freedom and free access,” says Chembe.

Zambia is one of 4 countries in Africa that have implemented eduroam. The others are South Africa, Kenya and Algeria.