Since the first NORDUnet conference in 1980, the Nordic research and education networks and their services have been built through collaboration and mutual inspiration. The Nordic NREN community is a key part of NORDUnet, and the community building, discussion, and sharing of technical achievements is essential to the success of both NORDUnet and the individual NRENs. The Noric Technical Workshop (NTW) exist to support this collaboration and community buidilding. The NTW has a different scope and focus than the regular conference. It is smaller, emphasise technology, and focused on collaboration rather than presentation. 

NTW takes place every other year, in years with no NORDUnet conference. The next NTW will take place from 30 November – 2 December 2021 in Copenhagen. Due to COVID-19 this is later in the year than usual. We look forward to being able to meet again.

Participant profiles are still dominated by the technically savvy staff, with the content very much defined by the participants themselves, and with an atmosphere that encourages lengthy discussions and workshop-like activities, all with a grassroots approach to R&E networking. What has changed from the initial event is the number of participants. Since the start participation has tripled into what is now regarded the

You could say that in a way the NTW is a return to the beginning of the NORDUnet conference, back when Nordic NREN techies met to discuss among themselves how to make it all work. The NTW wants to promote that spirit and to strengthen the Nordic NREN communities.

The Nordics already collaborate within areas such as media, wireless , etc. But more can be done, and there is still room for improving the collaboration and the exchange of services, or at least exchange of knowledge about the services we provide in each Nordic NREN. This is where initiatives like the Technical Workshop help promote and support the existing collaboration.