SNAPSHOT THE LIBERIA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION NETWORK Building a 21st century learning environment for Liberia’s higher education institutions. Study tour participants are given a tour of the GARNET server room “The establishment of LRREN cannot be over-emphasized as it has the potential to impact the learning environment in Liberia in a positive way. The education environment at the tertiary level in Liberia is skewed toward paperbased learning with lesser use of ICT. However, the introduction of LRREN will create a new academic environment that will be more enthusiastic and involving by students and faculty with the use of ICT for research and moreover networking academically.” Prosper Browne, MOPT Deputy Minister Technical The University of Liberia’s new IT infrastructure serves as the foundation for the University of Liberia to become a founding member of the Liberia Research and Education Network (LRREN). Like similar networks around the world, the LRREN will provide affordable, highquality internet service for higher education and research institutions across the country. LRREN membership gives students and faculty the ability to access digital libraries, journals, and databases, and to collaborate with other national and regional networks. The LRREN enables universities in Liberia to enhance teaching and learning, paving the way for Liberia to excel in education and research. In 2019, presidents from 11 colleges and universities in Liberia signed a memorandum of understanding, as founding members of the LRREN. Digital Liberia helped the LRREN establish a governance structure, become a legal entity, and prepare campuses to connect to regional and national networks. Through its support of the LRREN, Digital Liberia has the potential to transform the student and faculty experience in Liberia. The academic community will benefit from more access to information for research and learning, and the LRREN enables Liberia to continue to build a strong educational foundation and connect with the rest of the world. To enhance the LRREN members’ understanding of the necessary conditions for successful functioning of the LRREN, Digital Liberia organized a five-day study tour to the Ghana Academic and Research Network (GARNET), located at the University of Ghana Legon. Participants included nine University of Liberia and Government leaders, as all as network professionals from LRREN members. The study tour provided an overview of the unique challenges of operating and maintaining a research education network along with a clear understanding of the benefits of undertaking the initiative. Participants reported that the study tour was very useful to their understanding, ability to accelerate acceptance, initial operations, and long-term sustainability of the LRREN. Through Expected Result 7, Digital Liberia provided members with infrastructure requirements for connection to LRREN and guidelines developed for formulation of member ICT policy and governance structures. The University of Liberia provided legal services and financed the cost of registration as well as offered office space for the LRREN secretariat. LRREN also became a member of the regional West and Central Africa Research and Education Network, which will allow member institutions to access content from research education networks both regionally and internationally. To demonstrate the LRREN’s significant potential, Digital Liberia organized a study tour to the Ghana Academic and Research Network situated at the University of Ghana. The nine-person delegation included university and government leaders, along with network professionals from LRREN members. The study tour provided operations and management knowledge of the benefits, peculiar issues, and challenges of a research education network. Participants considered the study tour extremely useful for helping them understand and accelerate acceptance, initial operations, and the long-term sustainability of the LRREN. DIGITAL LIBERIA FINAL REPORT | 23