The upcoming NORDUnet Conference in Helsinki from 20-22 September offers a unique way to support the participation of a staff member from an NREN that would normally to have the funding for such activity.
Finnish software company Eduix has taken the lead and has asked to become a so-called ”emerging NREN sponsor”. Eduix CEO Rami Heinisou explains why this sponsorship has appealed to their organisation,
We’ve had business relations with NORDUnet for almost 19 years now. But this is our first conference sponsorship, says Rami Heinisuo, CEO and founder of Finnish software company Eduix, specialised in student information systems and curriculum planning for higher education.
Eduix is the first organisation to take out an NORDUnet Emerging NREN sponsorship.
– I have to admit that I find conventional sponsorships a bit dull, like sponsoring a coffee break or a conference dinner. But when I first heard of the Emerging NREN sponsorship, I immediately decided to go for it. I like the idea, and I look forward to meeting a staff member from an emerging NREN, working on virgin territory from our perspective. And it’s even more exiting that you don’t know who it’s going to be and from what part of the world she or he might come.
– Traditional sponsorships don’t really interest me. This is something new, and the moment I saw it, it immediately had my attention.
Above all, Rami Heinisuo looks forward to taking the Eduix “protégé” to visit the company.
– It is our ambition to have him/her stay in Finland for about a week after the conference, so we can exchange ideas and learn from each other. We’re looking to learn a lot from someone who does not have “the burden” that we are carrying around. We’ve invested heavily in infrastructure, and we panic if it’s not 101 per cent reliable. When you operate an NREN in an area with shaky infrastructure you learn to do things differently, for example in regard to mobile communications. I’m sure we can all learn from that, and I really look forward to getting in touch.
Rami Heinisuo has no problem admitting there is also a business side to the Eduix Emerging NREN sponsorship.
– Right now we’re looking at emerging markets and are eager to find new contacts abroad. We’re looking at internationalisation for some of our offerings, and I’m sure this sponsorship will open up new channels for us.
Read more about sponsorships in the NORDUnet conference website www.ndn2016.net
