AARNet and Monash University automate collaboration for the research and education community

Melbourne, AUSTRALIA – 22 May 2009 – AARNet, Australia's Academic and Research Network will join forces with Monash University to host an event for the Australian research and education community to showcase Monash University’s new, next-generation collaboration suites.

To be held on May 25 with sponsorship from AARNet, Integrated Vision and Cisco Systems, the event is designed to demonstrate to members of the education and research community around Australia, the benefits and advantages that can be gained by implementing high-definition videoconferencing on the AARNet high speed network.

Located on the Monash Clayton campus, four new automated collaboration suites can be activated by users with a touch panel.  Events are managed centrally by a Tandberg Management Suite and a Codian Bridge.

Alan McMeekin, CIO for Monash University said, “We have built new collaboration suites in response to the demand from our staff for high-quality videoconferencing facilities.  Videoconferencing is a tool that is growing in popularity with researchers and academics, because it allows for productive, cost effective and timely collaboration to take place on projects.

“We don’t have to be concerned with network issues when running a videoconference on the AARNet network because its reliability, high speed and low latency always ensures our users will have a positive collaboration experience.  It also means that we are able to invest our resources in next-generation technology to provide users with the best possible videoconferencing experience.”

This event is the first of its kind being held by AARNet in conjunction with leading universities within Victoria to showcase how visual communications technologies can be used in research and education communities.

James Sankar, Director of Applications and Services at AARNet said that through AARNet’s partnership with Monash for this event, AARNet hopes to foster greater confidence in the research and academic network capability by demonstrating the speed and strength of the AARNet backbone for high-definition multi-user events.

“Monash University is a prime example of how educational institutions around Australia can implement and gain significant benefit from true, collaborative technologies and we look forward to sharing this experience with other universities that can gain similar benefits,” James Sankar said.

Over 60 representatives from other universities are expected at the event.

The next AARNet Visual Communications event is expected to be held at Deakin University in late 2009 and will focus on the use of video conferencing for the delivery of teaching and learning services.

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About AARNet

AARNet Pty Ltd (APL) is the company that operates Australia's Academic and Research Network (AARNet). It is a not-for-profit company limited by shares. The shareholders are 37 Australian universities and the CSIRO. AARNet provides high-capacity leading edge Internet services for the tertiary education and research sector communities and their research partners. AARNet serves more than one million end users who access the network through local area networks at member institutions. For further information, please visit: www.aarnet.edu.au.

For further information, please contact:

Rachel York

Max Australia

(02) 9954 3492

rachel.york@maxaustralia.com.au