Hubbry Logo
EduroamEduroamMain
Open search
Eduroam
Community hub
Eduroam
logo
7 pages, 0 posts
0 subscribers
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Be the first to start a discussion here.
Eduroam
Eduroam
Eduroam
View on Wikipedia
from Wikipedia

eduroam (education roaming) is an international Wi-Fi internet access roaming service for users in research, higher education and further education. It provides researchers, teachers, and students network access when visiting an institution other than their own. Users are authenticated with credentials from their home institution, regardless of the location of the eduroam access point. Authorization to access the Internet and other resources are handled by the visited institution. Users do not have to pay to use eduroam.

Key Information

In some countries, Internet access via eduroam is also available at other locations than the participating institutions, e.g. in libraries, public buildings, railway stations, city centres and airports.[1][2] It is also available at many primary and secondary education institutions in Brazil and the US.[3]

History

[edit]
Klaas Wierenga, 2019

The eduroam initiative started in 2002 when during the preparations for the creation of TERENA's task force TF-Mobility, Klaas Wierenga of SURFnet shared the idea of combining a RADIUS-based infrastructure with IEEE 802.1X technology to provide roaming network access across research and education networks.[4] Initially, the service was joined by institutions in the Netherlands, Germany, Finland, Portugal, Croatia and the United Kingdom.[5] Later, other NRENs in Europe embraced the idea and started joining the infrastructure, which was then called eduroam.[6] Since 2004, the European Union co-funded further research and development work related to the eduroam service through the GN2[7] and GN3[8] projects.[9] From September 2007, the European Union also funded through these projects the continued operation and maintenance of the eduroam service at the European level.[10]

The first non-European country to join eduroam was Australia, in December 2004.[11] In Canada, eduroam started as an initiative of the University of British Columbia, which was later taken over by CANARIE as a service of its Canadian Access Federation.[12] In the United States, eduroam was initially a pilot project between the National Science Foundation and the University of Tennessee (UTK). In 2012, Internet2 announced the addition of eduroam to its NET+ service offerings.[13] AnyRoam LLC, a private company, was formed by former UTK staff to serve as an Internet2 active corporate member administering the US top-level servers. In 2021, Internet2 assumed direct management of the eduroam service for US-based organizations.[14]

Technology

[edit]

The eduroam service uses IEEE 802.1X as the authentication method and a hierarchical system of RADIUS servers.[15] The hierarchy typically consists of RADIUS servers at the participating institutions, national RADIUS servers run by the National Roaming Operators, and regional top-level RADIUS servers for individual world regions. In some cases, institutions contact each other directly via DNS lookups ([16])

When a user visits a remote institution, the user's device presents their credentials to the local RADIUS server. That RADIUS server discovers that it is not responsible for the realm of the user's home institution and proxies the access request to another RADIUS server, typically the national RADIUS server. If the visited institution is in a different country than the home institution, the request is in turn proxied to the regional top-level RADIUS server, and then to the national RADIUS server of the user's home country. That national server forwards the credentials to the home institution, where they are verified. The RADIUS response travels back over the proxy-hierarchy to the visited institution and the user is granted access.

In eduroam, the user credentials are always presented in the form of an EAP method ([17]). The EAP method is responsible for ensuring that the users credentials are secure, and private. The users credentials can then travel via a number of intermediate servers, not under the control of the home institution of the user. This requirement limits the types of EAP methods that can be used. EAP methods which do not provide for security or privacy of user credentials cannot be used in eduroam.

The most commonly used EAP methods in eduroam are EAP-TLS, PEAP, and EAP-TTLS. The methods used generally fall into two broad categories: those that use credentials in the form of some public-key mechanism with certificates and those that use so-called tunnelled authentication with "inner" passwords or other credentials. Most institutions use a tunnelled authentication method that requires a server certificate. These server certificates are used to set up a secure tunnel between the mobile device and the authentication server, through which the user credentials (e.g. name and password) are securely transported.

A complication arises if the user's home institution does not use a two-letter country-code top-level domain as part of its realm, but a generic top-level domain such as .edu or .org. By inspection of such realms, it is not possible to determine which national RADIUS server the request should be routed to. Such domains will thus, by default, fail to work in international roaming. The workaround for this problem involves the creation of exceptions in the international RADIUS request routing tables; however, this workaround does not scale as the number of exception entries grows. Several solutions have been proposed to eliminate this workaround in the future, the most promising of which is RADIUS over TLS with Dynamic Discovery, which does not rely on static routing tables inside a RADIUS server configuration to route requests to their proper destination.[18] Instead, the participating institution adds one NAPTR DNS resource record to its own domain's DNS zone, which states by which server eduroam authentication for the domain is handled.[19]

Governance

[edit]

GÉANT has established a lightweight global governance structure.[20] Recognising the large variety in the organisation and funding of research and education (networking) in different countries and regions, rules imposed on the operations of eduroam are limited to technical and administrative requirements that are necessary to ensure the smooth and secure operations of eduroam worldwide. Moreover, the eduroam operators have the leading role in creating and maintaining the rules of the global eduroam governance.

The Global eduroam Governance Committee (GeGC) has the central role in the global eduroam governance structure. While its structure has evolved over time, it presently has three representatives from each of five regions — mirroring those used by the Regional Internet registries — serving a two-year term. In addition, GÉANT may appoint one or more experts as non-voting members of the GeGC.[21]

Geographical deployment

[edit]

eduroam is available at selected locations in countries with a National Roaming Operator that has signed the eduroam Compliance Statement.[22] Those sixty-seven countries are listed below. In addition, there may be pilot deployments in countries that are in the process of joining eduroam.

Middle East

[edit]

eduroam is deployed in:

Europe

[edit]

The NRENs that are members of the consortium of the GN3 project[8] have joined the European eduroam confederation by signing the confederation's policy[23] that requires its members to comply with a set of technical and organisational requirements, which are more specific than those in the global eduroam Compliance Statement.

As a consequence, eduroam is deployed in the following countries:

In addition, three NRENs that are associate members of the consortium of the GN3 project without voting rights joined the European eduroam confederation; they represent Belarus (UIIP), Moldova (RENAM) and Russia (Joint Supercomputer Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences).

Finally, five NRENs not involved in the GN3 project joined the European eduroam confederation on a voluntary basis, enabling the deployment of the service in:

The European top-level RADIUS servers are operated by SURFnet and Forskningsnettet.

Asia-Pacific

[edit]

eduroam is deployed in the following countries and economies:

The Asia-Pacific top-level RADIUS servers are operated by AARNet and by the University of Hong Kong.

North America

[edit]

eduroam is deployed in:

Latin America

[edit]

eduroam is deployed in:

Africa

[edit]

eduroam is deployed in:

The inter-African RADIUS servers are operated by West-African research and education network WACREN, the UbuntuNet Alliance and TENET.

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Eduroam

View on Grokipedia
from Grokipedia
Eduroam, short for education roaming, is a secure, worldwide access service for networks developed specifically for the international research and education community. It allows users from participating academic and research institutions—such as students, faculty, researchers, and staff—to connect automatically to eduroam-enabled hotspots using their home institution's username and password, without needing to register anew at each location. The service provides seamless, encrypted across more than 10,000 hotspots in over 100 countries and territories, emphasizing simplicity, , and by avoiding insecure web-based login forms. Initiated in 2003 as a pilot project by the TF-Mobility under TERENA (now part of the GÉANT Association), eduroam began with six European and rapidly expanded due to its utility for mobile academics. By 2016, it had grown to serve users in dozens of regions, and as of 2020, it encompassed 106 territories from to ; as of 2024, it supports millions of users globally through a network of national roaming operators (NROs), with over 8.4 billion authentications recorded that year and recent expansions into K-12 sectors. Overall governance is provided by the Global eduroam Governance Committee (GeGC), comprising senior representatives from roaming operators, with coordination and support from the GÉANT Association to establish technical and organizational standards. At its core, eduroam operates using the standard for port-based network access control and a hierarchical system of (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) proxy servers. When a user attempts to connect at a visited , the local access point forwards the authentication request through a chain of RADIUS proxies to the user's home 's server for verification, ensuring that sensitive credentials never leave the secure path and are not visible to the roaming site. This architecture supports WPA2-Enterprise or WPA3 security protocols, protecting against and unauthorized access while maintaining user privacy. Participating institutions must deploy compatible RADIUS infrastructure and agree to eduroam policies, often facilitated by tools like the eduroam Configuration Assistant Tool (CAT) for device setup. The service's key benefits include convenience, enabling global mobility for and without administrative overhead for temporary access, and integration with broader initiatives like OpenRoaming for potential expansion beyond academia. It addresses the needs of mobile users by providing reliable connectivity at campuses, conferences, libraries, and other hotspots, fostering international collaboration while adhering to strict data protection standards.

History

Origins and Early Development

The concept of eduroam originated in 2002 amid growing demands for secure, seamless wireless access across European educational and institutions, driven by the need to facilitate user mobility without complex guest account management. At SURFnet, the Dutch (NREN), an internal pilot addressed local frustrations, laying the groundwork for a broader solution that would enable using home credentials at visiting networks. This initiative aligned with discussions in the Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association (TERENA, now GÉANT) Task Force on Mobility, where experts like Klaas Wierenga identified inter-NREN as essential for the community. In 2003, eduroam launched as a collaborative inter-NREN project involving six European countries: the Netherlands (SURFnet), Germany (DFN), Finland (Funet), Portugal (FCCN), Croatia (CARNET), and the United Kingdom (Janet). The initial pilot tested connectivity among institutions in all six of these nations, demonstrating the feasibility of cross-border Wi-Fi access for students and researchers. This phase marked eduroam's transition from a national experiment to a pan-European service, quickly gaining adoption under GÉANT's umbrella. The service's technical foundation relied on the standard for port-based and a hierarchical (Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service) proxy system to route authentication requests securely across networks. Developed by the TERENA Task Force, this architecture supported encrypted tunneling methods like EAP-TTLS and PEAP, ensuring privacy without requiring changes to users' home credentials. Switzerland's SWITCH also contributed early insights through VPN-based testing, influencing the hybrid approaches evaluated. Early development faced challenges in achieving , as founding networks employed diverse setups—including 802.1X/ in the , VPN in and , and other variations—necessitating rigorous testing to resolve compatibility issues with legacy hardware and protocols. These pilots highlighted the importance of standardized policies and monitoring to scale the service securely, paving the way for broader European rollout.

International Expansion

Eduroam's expansion beyond began in the late 2000s, building on its initial European pilots to establish a global footprint through collaborations with national research and education networks (NRENs). The service arrived in in 2009 through a partnership with , which facilitated initial testing and integration with U.S. higher education institutions. By 2012, had enabled a full rollout across the , incorporating eduroam into its NET+ services and allowing seamless access for American researchers and students at international hotspots. This marked a significant step in transatlantic connectivity, with early adopters including major universities that expanded the network's utility for cross-border academic mobility. In the mid-2010s, eduroam extended to the and via strategic alliances with regional NRENs. The Asia-Pacific Advanced Network (APAN) played a pivotal role in deploying the service across the region starting around 2014, enabling secure roaming for institutions in countries like , , and through coordinated infrastructure development. Similarly, RedCLARA, the pan-Latin American network, partnered with eduroam in the same period to roll out the service in nations including , , and , focusing on integrating it with existing research infrastructures to support collaborative projects. These expansions emphasized eduroam's role in fostering regional research collaborations by providing reliable, credential-based access across diverse geographies. African adoption commenced around 2010, coordinated by the UbuntuNet Alliance, which supported NRENs in eastern and to implement eduroam for off-campus connectivity. By 2023, this effort had reached several countries in the region, including , , and , benefiting millions of users through deployments that bridged digital divides in research settings. In the , entry occurred in the late 2000s, with subsequent growth driven by the Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN), which integrated eduroam into networks across countries like and to enhance scientific exchange. By 2017, eduroam had achieved a key milestone, operating in 85 countries worldwide and supporting billions of authentications annually. This growth continued, surpassing 100 countries by 2023, reflecting its evolution into a truly global service for the research and education community.

Milestones and Recent Updates

In 2024, eduroam achieved a record-breaking 8.4 billion authentications worldwide, marking a 12% increase from the previous year's 7.5 billion and underscoring its growing scale across more than 100 countries and over 38,000 service providers. This surge reflects the service's expanding role in supporting seamless connectivity for the global research and community. By early 2025, eduroam expanded significantly into K-12 in the United States, with implementations in states including , , , , , Washington, and , aimed at bridging digital divides by providing secure access to students in schools, libraries, and museums. In November 2025, and joined this effort through MOREnet and WiscNet, further extending access. These initiatives, led by Internet2's eduroam Support Organizations program, enable K-12 users to connect using institutional credentials, fostering equitable access to educational resources beyond traditional higher education settings. Off-campus access has also grown rapidly, with Metro eduroam deployments in urban areas expanding from 20 institutions in December 2020 to 256 by April 2025, enhancing connectivity in city-wide hotspots for researchers and students. Complementing this, eduroam has expanded to multiple airports globally, including in and , by 2025, facilitating international for academic users. The accelerated this trend post-2020, driving adoption of remote and extended access solutions as institutions adapted to hybrid learning and work environments. Reflections on eduroam's 20-year milestone in 2023 highlighted its evolution from a European pilot to a cornerstone of global academic networking, with ongoing institutional celebrations such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill marking its 10-year eduroam implementation in October 2025.

Technology

Core Standards and Protocols

Eduroam relies on the IEEE 802.1X standard for port-based network access control, which provides a framework for authenticating and authorizing devices before granting access to a local area network (LAN). This standard enables service providers (SPs) to enforce secure authentication at the network port level, ensuring that only authorized users can connect to the wireless infrastructure. Centralized in eduroam is facilitated by the Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service () protocol, which serves as the core trust fabric for requests across federated networks. supports eduroam's -based mechanism, where user identities are formatted as username@institution., allowing proxies to direct requests to the appropriate home institution's (IdP) based on the portion of the identity. The infrastructure employs a hierarchical model to manage scalability and efficient routing. Local servers at visiting institutions forward requests to national roaming operators (NROs), which in turn proxy them to regional or global top-level proxies if necessary, ultimately reaching the user's home IdP for verification; this multi-tiered approach minimizes direct interconnections between all participants while maintaining security through over TLS (RadSec) using certificates between proxies. For secure transmission of credentials, eduroam utilizes the (EAP) within the 802.1X framework, supporting methods that provide and encryption. Commonly deployed EAP methods include Protected EAP (PEAP) with version 2 (PEAP-MSCHAPv2) for username/password-based tunneled over TLS, and EAP-Tunneled TLS (EAP-TTLS), which similarly encapsulates inner authentication protocols within a TLS tunnel to protect against and man-in-the-middle attacks.

Authentication Process

When a user attempts to connect to an eduroam network at a visited , they select the eduroam SSID on their 802.1X-capable device, which initiates the authentication process by prompting for credentials. The user enters their username in the format (e.g., username@.edu) and password, where the realm portion identifies their home institution's domain. This format enables the system to route the request appropriately without requiring the user to know the backend hierarchy. The device's supplicant sends an access request to the local access point at the visited institution's (SP), which forwards it to the SP's server. This server examines the and proxies the request through a hierarchical chain of servers: from the institutional level to the national roaming operator (NRO) proxy, and potentially to a confederation-level top proxy if needed. The chain ensures the request reaches the user's home (IdP) for verification, maintaining security by not exposing credentials along the path. In international roaming scenarios, such as a European user connecting in North America, the proxy chain extends across confederations. For instance, the request from a European SP routes via the European NRO to the GÉANT root proxy, which forwards it to the Internet2 root proxy in the US, then to the US NRO and finally the home IdP. This full-mesh interconnection among top-level proxies enables seamless global routing based on the realm. Upon receiving the request, the home IdP's RADIUS server authenticates the credentials against its local identity system. If successful, it sends an Access-Accept response back through the same proxy chain to the visited SP, which grants network access, such as assigning the user to an appropriate VLAN. If authentication fails, an Access-Reject is returned similarly, denying access without disclosing the credentials; logs at each proxy level record the attempt for troubleshooting purposes, attributing issues to the relevant institution or operator. Users are advised to contact their home institution for resolution in case of failure.

Implementation Requirements

Institutions seeking to participate in eduroam as Service Providers (SPs) must deploy wireless infrastructure capable of supporting authentication with interfaces on access points, ensuring compatibility with WPA2-Enterprise (AES-CCMP encryption) as a minimum standard, while WPA3-Enterprise is recommended for enhanced security. Access points are required to broadcast the "eduroam" SSID consistently and forward EAP messages unmodified to upstream servers, prohibiting the use of open networks or any interception that could compromise user privacy. As Identity Providers (IdPs), institutions integrate eduroam with existing identity management systems, typically using servers backed by protocols such as LDAP for credential verification or other secure backends to handle user authentication via EAP methods like PEAP or TTLS that support and . While SAML-based systems like are common for broader federation, eduroam specifically requires integration, often achieved through gateways that bridge identity providers to the eduroam infrastructure. To facilitate secure device connections, institutions utilize the eduroam Configuration Assistant Tool (CAT), which allows IdPs to create customized installer profiles for various platforms, automating device configuration, server certificate installation, and protection against rogue hotspots by validating credentials securely without exposing them. This tool ensures users can connect seamlessly by downloading institution-specific profiles from the CAT portal, reducing configuration errors and enhancing overall adoption. Security implementation mandates comprehensive logging policies for both IdPs and SPs, recording details such as timestamps, outer and inner identities, MAC addresses, information, and outcomes, with logs retained for at least three months (or six months in some guidelines) to support auditing and incident response. Compliance is verified through testing with tools like the eduroam Test Server or eapol_test , which simulate requests to confirm proper proxying and response handling before full integration. Ongoing maintenance involves regular updates to servers for security patches and protocol compliance. The eduroam services target at least 98.9% availability, with scheduled downtimes announced at least seven days in advance and unscheduled incidents reported promptly. Institutions are encouraged to participate in global eduroam testing events and monitoring via the eduroam Operations Tool (OT) to ensure continuous interoperability and rapid resolution of issues, such as within two working hours for critical incidents.

Governance

Global Oversight

The Global eduroam Governance Committee (GeGC) was established in November 2010 to provide centralized oversight for the service's international operations. It consists of 15 voting members, with three representatives appointed from each of the five major regions: , , , , and . These members are senior officials from regional roaming operators, nominated by their respective confederations and formally appointed by the eduroam Secretariat for two-year terms, ensuring balanced global representation in decision-making. The GeGC holds primary responsibility for maintaining eduroam's consistency and integrity worldwide. This includes formulating and revising the eduroam Compliance Statement, which sets mandatory technical and operational standards that all roaming operators must adhere to, as well as collecting signed compliance agreements from operators to verify adherence. Additionally, the GeGC coordinates international testing and by investigating complaints of compliance violations—particularly those affecting or —and recommending the or of roaming operators based on remediation efforts. The GeGC operates under a that emphasizes core principles of , , and to support eduroam's expansion as a reliable global service. This document, finalized by the GÉANT Association, requires decisions by consensus or majority vote and allows for non-voting expert advisors to provide technical input. The also addresses and legal support through a designated host entity to ensure long-term viability. Eduroam's has evolved from its origins under TERENA, which initially coordinated the service starting in and facilitated the GeGC's formation, to leadership by the GÉANT Association following TERENA's merger with DANTE in 2014. GÉANT now provides operational support, including secretariat services and strategic alignment with broader research and education networking initiatives, enabling the GeGC to focus on policy and standardization.

Regional and National Operators

National Roaming Operators (NROs) are designated entities in each participating country responsible for managing the local implementation of the eduroam service. They operate national RADIUS proxy servers to facilitate authentication traffic routing, onboard participating institutions as Identity Providers (IdPs) and Service Providers (SPs), and provide ongoing technical and operational support to ensure seamless connectivity for users. For instance, in the United Kingdom, JANET serves as the NRO, coordinating eduroam access for over 450 IdPs and 500 SPs across thousands of service locations. Similarly, in France, RENATER acts as the NRO, supporting more than 300 institutions and enabling eduroam in over 1,000 hotspots nationwide. At the regional level, confederations coordinate NRO activities to align with global standards while addressing area-specific needs. In , GÉANT oversees NROs through the European eduroam Confederation, ensuring policy compliance and technical interoperability among members. In , Internet2 and InCommon manage regional operations, supporting NROs in expanding eduroam to over 3,800 U.S. locations. The Asia-Pacific region relies on APAN for coordination, fostering collaboration among NRENs to extend coverage in diverse economies. RedCLARA handles Latin American efforts, integrating NROs across the continent for secure roaming. In , UbuntuNet Alliance and WACREN jointly support NROs, operating regional proxies to bridge connectivity gaps in research and education. Institutions seeking to join eduroam must sign participation agreements with their national NRO, which outline reciprocal obligations for providing IdP and SP services. The NRO conducts compliance checks to verify adherence to technical standards, such as RADIUS server configurations and security protocols, before approving integration. Once verified, institutions are registered in the eduroam Operations Database, a central repository that tracks NRO contacts, IdP/SP details, and realm configurations to enable global routing. NROs fulfill key responsibilities beyond , including maintaining user support mechanisms like dedicated hotlines and resources to assist with connectivity issues. They also adapt global eduroam policies to local regulations, such as data laws, ensuring the service remains compliant while promoting adoption— for example, by offering training and monitoring tools tailored to national contexts.

Global Deployment

Europe

eduroam was pioneered and is primarily led by GÉANT, the pan-European research and education network association, which coordinates its development and deployment across the continent. Since its inception in 2003, nearly all European National Research and Education Networks (NRENs) have participated, forming a robust federation that enables seamless connectivity for millions of users. GÉANT holds the registered trademark for eduroam in and facilitates collaboration with NRENs, which co-fund the service alongside the , ensuring sustained infrastructure and policy alignment. The service boasts extensive coverage with over 20,000 service locations spanning more than 40 European countries, reflecting its foundational role and high-density implementations in urban centers such as and . In the Netherlands, for instance, SURFnet coordinates widespread access points in public and academic spaces, while in the , supports dense deployments across universities and city sites in . This network density stems from early adoption, promoting high through standardized protocols and integration with national identity management (IdM) systems, such as the UK's UK Access Management Federation and Germany's DFN-AAI. As of 2025, eduroam in accounts for a substantial portion of the global total, contributing to the service's record 8.4 billion authentications in 2024, with ongoing growth projected. Expansions have extended beyond campuses to public venues, including libraries and community centers, enhancing accessibility for researchers and students; for example, Ireland's eduroam Everywhere project added nearly 500 off-campus hotspots in libraries and transport hubs by 2022, a trend continuing across the region. These developments underscore eduroam's role in fostering a connected European .

North America

In , eduroam is managed by and InCommon in the United States, CANARIE in Canada, and CUDI in . These organizations coordinate with the global eduroam service, seamless access for researchers, students, and staff across participating institutions. The deployment provides coverage at approximately 5,000 service locations spanning more than 2,000 institutions, including a robust network in higher education settings such as the at Chapel Hill and . A key focus in has been expanding eduroam to support K-12 and community access. In 2025, state networks MOREnet in and WiscNet in joined the eduroam Support Organizations program, increasing the number of participating U.S. states to 11 and deploying over 1,400 additional hotspots, with more than 1,100 dedicated to K-12 schools. This expansion enables secure access for over 1 million additional K-12 students in these states, allowing them to connect using their school credentials at participating locations. North American implementations uniquely emphasize off-campus roaming to bridge digital divides, integrating eduroam with public libraries, museums, and community centers as part of broader federal digital equity initiatives. This approach supports continuous learning beyond school grounds, such as completing assignments at local hotspots or collaborating across districts, while aligning with U.S. programs like the Education Connections Initiative to promote equitable .

Asia-Pacific

In the Asia-Pacific region, eduroam deployment is coordinated through the Asia-Pacific Advanced Network (APAN), which facilitates collaboration among national research and education networks (NRENs) to ensure seamless roaming. National operators such as in , ERNET , and TANet in serve as key roaming operators, managing local infrastructure, authentication proxies, and compliance with global standards. AARNet, for instance, has operated eduroam services in since 2004 and co-hosts the APAN Regional Roaming Operator with the to support cross-border connectivity. The service spans over 20 countries and economies, including Australia, China, India, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, and others, with approximately 6,000 service locations providing access at universities, research institutes, and public venues. Strong growth has been observed in China via CSTNET and CERNET, Japan through NACSIS, and Australia, where participation includes over 40 universities and numerous research facilities. This expansion builds on mid-2010s initiatives funded by networks like TEIN, which introduced eduroam to additional countries such as Bhutan and Mongolia. Key initiatives include the rollout of Metro eduroam in densely populated urban hubs like , managed by SingAREN, which extends coverage to innovation districts, student accommodations, and transport nodes beyond traditional campuses. By 2025, further expansions target research parks and collaborative spaces, enhancing connectivity for interdisciplinary projects in high-tech zones across the region. These efforts nearly doubled Metro eduroam hotspots and geographical reach within two years leading up to 2022, with continued momentum. Deployment has addressed region-specific challenges, including multilingual support in eduroam configuration apps to accommodate diverse languages like Mandarin, Japanese, and , and adaptations to varying regulatory environments on data privacy and spectrum allocation. NRENs collaborate via APAN to harmonize policies, ensuring compliance while promoting adoption in regulatory-diverse settings from strict in to open innovation frameworks in .

Latin America

In Latin America, eduroam is coordinated by RedCLARA, the pan-regional network connecting national research and education networks (NRENs), working alongside national roaming operators (NROs) such as and to facilitate seamless deployment and management. This collaboration ensures compliance with global eduroam standards while addressing regional challenges like varying infrastructure levels across countries. Other key NROs include , , and , enabling interconnected roaming for academic communities. The service covers more than 10 countries in the region, with approximately 5,200 service locations providing access primarily at universities and research institutions in nations including , , and . leads with nearly 4,000 service locations operated by RNP, supporting extensive campus and public space connectivity, while 's CUDI manages over 400 service locations across higher education sites, and 's REUNA oversees around 430 locations focused on academic hubs. This infrastructure allows students, researchers, and staff from participating institutions to access secure using their home credentials during travel or . Key developments include eduroam's integration with RedCLARA's high-capacity fiber optic network, which spans multiple countries and enhances reliable international roaming by leveraging dedicated bandwidth for traffic. Additionally, efforts emphasize expanding access to underserved areas, with ongoing initiatives to extend hotspots to public and remote sites through partnerships with local NRENs. A distinctive regional is the provision of multilingual support in English, Spanish, and for configuration tools and user guides, alongside economically viable cloud-based software-as-a-service (SaaS) models that lower deployment costs for under-resourced institutions. Adoption in Latin America gained momentum in the mid-2010s via projects like ELCIRA, which established initial NROs and pilots in several countries.

Africa

In Africa, eduroam is primarily managed by the UbuntuNet Alliance for Southern and Eastern Africa and the West and Central African Research and Education Network (WACREN) for Western and Central regions, facilitating coordination among national research and education networks (NRENs). National roaming operators include the Tertiary Education and Research Network of South Africa (TENET), which oversees deployment across South African institutions, and the Research and Education Network for Uganda (RENU), which has expanded eduroam to numerous higher education and research sites. As of 2023, eduroam operates in at least 17 African countries, providing secure roaming to users in hundreds of institutions through thousands of hotspots, enabling seamless connectivity for academic and communities despite infrastructural constraints. In , over 27 million students across the continent accessed the service, highlighting its scale in supporting educational mobility. Representative expansions include RENU's deployment of more than 600 hotspots connecting over 240 institutions in , and TENET's integration at nearly all South African universities plus public venues like libraries. By 2025, key developments have enhanced off-campus access, such as TENET's rollout of eduroam in South African airports in collaboration with the , allowing travelers secure connectivity without additional costs. In , RENU's Metro eduroam initiative reached 256 institutions by April 2025, extending hotspots to public spaces and remote areas to bridge urban-rural divides. These efforts, including similar public space integrations in through cross-regional ties, have bolstered global roaming for African users, contributing to eduroam's record 8.4 billion authentications worldwide in 2024. To address connectivity challenges like limited bandwidth in many regions, eduroam implementations prioritize traffic for efficiency, ensuring low-latency access for educational purposes without overwhelming local networks. Complementing this, programs under the Africa Initiative (ATI), a collaboration between UbuntuNet Alliance, WACREN, and ASREN, provide for NRENs on eduroam deployment, configuration, and , fostering sustainable growth across the continent.

Middle East

The deployment of eduroam in the Middle East is coordinated by the Arab States Research and Education Network (ASREN), which serves as the regional roaming operator, facilitating seamless connectivity across participating national research and education networks (NRENs). ASREN collaborates with entities such as GÉANT to support integrations and expansions, ensuring secure Wi-Fi roaming for students, researchers, and academics in the region. National operators play a pivotal role, including Ankabut in the United Arab Emirates, which manages six identity providers and service providers; MAEEN in Saudi Arabia, overseeing two service providers; and OMREN in Oman, covering 32 universities, colleges, and research centers. In Qatar, deployments are supported by institutions within Education City, such as Qatar University, Georgetown University in Qatar, Northwestern University in Qatar, and Texas A&M University at Qatar. Coverage spans more than 10 countries, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Israel (via IUCC), Jordan (via JUNET), and Lebanon (via AUB), with hotspots concentrated in major research-focused universities and institutions. For instance, in Oman, eduroam serves over 30 academic sites, recording more than 500,000 authentications in its first year of full deployment in 2021. In the UAE, early adoption began in 2011 at EPFL Middle East, extending to Ankabut-connected campuses like those of Khalifa University and the UAE University. Saudi Arabia's hotspots include key sites under MAEEN, such as King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), while Israel's deployment supports widespread access at institutions like the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Lebanon's American University of Beirut (AUB) provides eduroam via a dedicated GÉANT interconnection, enabling regional roaming. Recent developments emphasize integrations with prominent Gulf research hubs, such as the Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the (SESAME) in , which joined eduroam in October 2025 through partnerships with GÉANT and ASREN to enhance scientific collaboration. Expansions in 2025 have focused on extending access to high-traffic venues, building on earlier milestones like the 2023 launch at in —the first such airport deployment in the —allowing researchers to maintain connectivity during travel. These efforts align with eduroam's WPA2-Enterprise security protocols, which are adapted to regional high-security environments by authenticating users at their home institutions to minimize data exposure and ensure compliance with local privacy standards.

References

  1. https://eduroam.org/what-is-eduroam/
  2. https://wiki.geant.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=121346286
  3. https://eduroam.org/
  4. https://eduroam.org/about/connect-yourself/
  5. https://eduroam.org/about/
  6. https://eduroam.org/eduroam-is-proud-to-be-a-founding-member-of-the-wireless-broadband-alliance-openroaming-initiative/
  7. https://internet2.edu/missouri-and-wisconsin-expand-digital-access-with-eduroam/
  8. https://eduroam.org/faqs/
  9. https://eduroam.org/how/
  10. https://wiki.geant.org/display/H2eduroam/A%2Bguide%2Bto%2Beduroam%2BCAT%2Bfor%2BIdP%2Badministrators
  11. https://eduroam.org/openroaming-and-eduroam-useful-information-for-eduroam-identity-providers-and-service-providers/
  12. https://eduroam.org/privacy/
  13. https://www.surf.nl/en/themes/network/eduroam-the-killer-app-for-the-21st-century-internet
  14. https://eduroam.org/eduroam-from-an-idea-to-a-global-service/
  15. https://africaconnect3.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ISTAfrica_Paper_ref_006_xplore.pdf
  16. https://cmst.eu/wp-content/uploads/files/10.12921_cmst.2005.11.02.169-173_Wierenga.pdf
  17. https://internet2.edu/10-fun-facts-to-celebrate-1000-eduroam-subscribers-in-the-us/
  18. https://blog.apnic.net/2018/08/06/expanding-eduroam-in-the-asia-pacific/
  19. https://www.redclara.net/en/servicios-rc/eduroam
  20. https://www.aarnet.edu.au/eduroam-expansion-helps-boost-research-and-education-collaboration-in-asia-pacific
  21. https://ubuntunet.net/services/eduroam-in-africa-a-guidebook/
  22. https://africaconnect3.net/eduroam-in-africa-connecting-students-anywhere-anytime/
  23. https://www.asren.net/blog/eduroam-successfully-deployed-across-oman
  24. https://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/documents/downloadPublic?documentIds=080166e5b5af427d&appId=PPGMS
  25. https://connect.geant.org/2024/01/23/eduroam-hits-a-new-record-7-5-billion-authentications-in-2023
  26. https://eduroam.org/eduroam-hits-a-new-record-8-4-billion-authentications-in-2024/
  27. https://www.govtech.com/education/k-12/eduroam-wi-fi-access-program-bridges-k-12-digital-divides
  28. https://eduroam.org/metro-eduroam-deployment-for-greater-impact/
  29. https://www.inthefieldstories.net/extending-the-reach-of-eduroam-to-more-airports-bangladesh-and-south-africa
  30. https://incommon.org/news/eduroam-helps-provide-critical-connectivity-during-covid-19/
  31. https://www.fccn.pt/en/atualidade/eduroam-21-anos/
  32. https://its.unc.edu/2025/10/15/decade-of-eduroam/
  33. https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc7593/
  34. https://community.jisc.ac.uk/library/janet-services-documentation/faqs-eduroam-system-administrators-and-implementation-techs-0
  35. https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc7593
  36. https://eduroam.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/GN2-07-327v2-DS5_1_1-_eduroam_Service_Definition.pdf
  37. https://eduroam.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/eduroam_Compliance_Statement_v2-FINAL.pdf
  38. https://docs.marwan.ma/tech/eduroam-idp-openldap-el9.html
  39. https://www.incommon.org/eduroam/faq/
  40. https://eduroam.org/configuration-assistant-tool-cat/
  41. https://support.aarnet.edu.au/hc/en-us/articles/13500136709007-How-do-I-test-my-eduroam-deployment
  42. https://spaces.at.internet2.edu/display/eduroam/eduroam%2BAdmin%2BIdP%2BRealm%2BTesting
  43. https://eduroam.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/GeGC_Charter_V3.pdf
  44. https://www.jisc.ac.uk/eduroam
  45. https://www.renater.fr/en/our-services/connect-to-the-education-research-community/eduroam/
  46. https://internet2.edu/eduroam-global-roaming-access-service/
  47. https://ubuntunet.net/category/services/eduroam/
  48. https://indico.wacren.net/event/120/contributions/869/attachments/477/624/eduroam-africanroadshow-milinovic-022021.pdf
  49. https://confluence.terena.org/pages/viewpage.action?pageId=121346324
  50. https://eduroam.org/eduroam-and-geant/
  51. https://monitor.eduroam.org/
  52. https://community.jisc.ac.uk/library/janet-services-documentation/eduroam-deployment-guide
  53. https://rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc7593.html
  54. https://www.heanet.ie/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/eduroam-Everywhere-Project-Report-2022.pdf
  55. https://connect.geant.org/2023/07/12/the-skys-the-limit-extending-connectivity-for-learning-across-the-campus-and-beyond
  56. https://resources.geant.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/GEANT-and-the-NRENs-Enable-the-European-Knowledge-Area-Position-Paper-1.pdf
  57. https://www.canarie.ca/identity/eduroam/
  58. https://incommon.org/eduroam/
  59. https://www.it.psu.edu/wireless/
  60. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/missouri-and-wisconsin-join-internet2-effort-to-expand-digital-access-with-eduroam-302606477.html
  61. https://incommon.org/news/morenet-and-wiscnet-join-eduroam-support-organizations/
  62. https://internet2.edu/eduroam-support-organizations-expand-k-12-access/
  63. https://support.aarnet.edu.au/hc/en-us/articles/13362466453903-What-is-AARNet-s-role-in-eduroam
  64. https://www.eduroam.ernet.in/
  65. https://lis.mcut.edu.tw/p/412-1013-7533.php?Lang=en
  66. https://eduroam.org/eduroam-reaching-out-to-asia/
  67. https://www.aarnet.edu.au/eduroam
  68. https://www.singaren.net.sg/network-services/eduroam/
  69. https://connect.geant.org/2022/09/01/two-years-of-metro-eduroam
  70. https://nghsig.jp/docs/APAN54-eduroam.pdf
  71. https://www.eduroam.ge/eng/countries
  72. https://www.redclara.net/en/noticiasyeventos/casos-y-voces/2393-brazil-has-the-world-s-largest-eduroam-network
  73. https://www.redclara.net/en/noticiasyeventos/casos-y-voces/8472-eduroam-everywhere-bridging-the-digital-divide-for-the-r-e-community
  74. https://elcira.redclara.net/docs/Deliverables/ELCIRA_D4.2_Roadmap_for_the_delivery_and_deployment_of_eduroam_in_Latin_America.pdf
  75. https://ubuntunet.net/our-services/
  76. https://wacren.net/en/media-centre/news/page/8/
  77. https://www.tenet.ac.za/services/eduroam
  78. https://connect.geant.org/2023/06/16/eduroam-in-africa-connecting-students-anywhere-anytime
  79. https://world-education-blog.org/2023/06/15/eduroam-in-africa-connecting-students-anywhere-anytime/
  80. https://eduroam.org/tenet-welcomes-eduroam-rollout-in-airports/
  81. https://wacren.net/en/news/wacren-and-ubuntunet-alliance-formally-adopt-africa-training-initiative-ati/
  82. https://indico.wacren.net/event/65/attachments/323/392/Omo_Oaiya_ATI-4.pdf
  83. https://www.sesame.org.jo/news/sesame-joins-global-eduroam-network-boosting-scientific-collaboration-middle-east
  84. https://it.qatar.georgetown.edu/connectivity/wireless-network-wifi/eduroam/
  85. https://my.qatar.northwestern.edu/academic-resources/information-technology/wireless-network.html
  86. https://www.qu.edu.qa/en-us/Offices/its/service-catalog/Pages/infrastructure-services.aspx
  87. https://www.inthefieldstories.net/oman-is-roaming-ahead-full-speed
  88. https://actu.epfl.ch/news/epfl-middle-east-bring-academic-educational-roamin/
  89. https://wiki.geant.org/spaces/GeGC/pages/26214403/eduroam%2BRoaming%2BOperators
  90. https://asren.net/blog/lebanon-joins-global-research-and-education-networking-community
  91. https://www.omren.om/2023/06/08/muscat-international-airport-becomes-first-in-middle-east-to-offer-eduroam-service/?lang=en
  92. https://eduroam.org/eduroam-security/
Add your contribution
Related Hubs
User Avatar
No comments yet.