Cases & Voices

Since its creation in 1990, the National University Network (REUNA) has been a fundamental pillar in the scientific and educational transformation of Chile. As a founding member of RedCLARA, REUNA has facilitated connections between universities and research institutions in Chile and around the world over the course of 30 years. It has also promoted critical projects and collaborations in areas such as digital transformation, telemedicine, cybersecurity, high-performance computing, and earth observation, driving significant advancements. As it celebrates its past successes, REUNA is determined to face future challenges by focusing on expanding its impact across the country, supporting the academic and research community, and strengthening its network of partners and alliances.

REUNA is a well-established network with immense potential, playing a crucial role in strengthening the digital ecosystem and innovation in Latin America and the Caribbean. As an active member of RedCLARA, it contributes to reinforcing the regional network that connects academic and research institutions across the continent, facilitating smooth collaboration and the exchange of crucial data. The Chilean network, along with those of Ecuador, Brazil, and Argentina, played a pivotal role in the first phase of the BELLA (Building the Europe Link to Latin America) program, which RedCLARA implemented and the European Union co-financed. Under this program, a submarine fiber optic cable directly connected Latin America to Europe for the first time. This achievement has not only improved global connectivity for universities and scientific institutions in the region but also strengthened REUNA's position as a vital link in the international network, promoting continuous collaboration between researchers and academics on both continents.

The Chilean network is part of SPIDER (EU-LAC Strategic Partnership for the Implementation of Digital Dialogues in R&I Cooperation), a project funded by the EU and composed of nine organizations that drive the use of the BELLA infrastructure to achieve impactful results in EU-LAC cooperation in research and innovation. SPIDER aligns with the efforts of the BELLA II project, implemented by RedCLARA and co-financed by the EU.

In the dynamic landscape of academic networks, Luis Eliécer Cadenas, Executive Director of RedCLARA, highlights REUNA's pioneering role. According to him, the role of an organisation like this in Chile is fundamental to the entire educational, university, and innovation systems. "REUNA was one of Latin America's first national education and research networks, but its growth over the years is even more impressive," he says.

He adds, "REUNA has consistently shown a dedication to serving its partners, Chilean universities, and research centers. It has built, step by step and with great consistency and effort, something that is not easy to achieve: a team that is proud of what they do and understands the significance of their work. Long live REUNA, and many thanks from all of Latin America, because what REUNA does strengthens us all," he emphasizes.

A Path of Innovation and Growth

REUNA's story starts in Chile, which is undergoing modernization. In 1994, the universities of the Council of Rectors (CRUCH) established the network as the "Corporación REUNA," with the support of the National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT), which is now the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID). Since then, it has been fundamental in improving the country's academic connectivity, positioning itself as a strategic ally for higher education and research institutions.

Since 2004, the corporation has grown from 13 members to over 50 affiliated organizations, consolidating itself as a powerful collaboration network with a presence from Arica to Punta Arenas and a robust international presence.

Among the most significant milestones in its history is its role in the founding of RedCLARA, contributing its infrastructure expertise and knowledge in the early 2000s. During that same period, REUNA connected Chile with Internet 2, the advanced U.S. network, marking the beginning of its global expansion. In 2004, it solidified its role by integrating with the European advanced network GÉANT through RedCLARA, strengthening its connection with the world's leading academic networks.

In 2005, the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy (AURA) became the first non-university institution to join REUNA, a fundamental alliance. This alliance set a precedent for the world's leading astronomical observatories to establish themselves in Chile, confident that they would have the necessary connectivity conditions for their operations. "The development of the network has been a collaborative effort with partners and observatories, which act as catalysts for large data movements and require infrastructures capable of meeting the challenges of astronomy and the academic community in general," emphasizes Paola Arellano, Executive Director of REUNA.

In 2012, REUNA, in collaboration with the Mathematical Modeling Center of the University of Chile, inaugurated the first photonic network (which uses light to transmit data through fiber optics instead of electrical signals) for science and education in Chile's capital, Santiago. This network significantly improved the infrastructure for scientific research and development and facilitated access to the National High-Performance Computing Laboratory (NLHPC).

During the COVID-19 pandemic, REUNA quickly adapted to new demands. With universities closed, confinement measures in place, and the rise of remote work, the network increased its videoconferences from 7,000 in the previous year to over 3 million between 2020 and 2021. The partners achieved this increase through synergy and collaborative work, without incurring significant costs. The University of Concepción also contributed a telemedicine platform for online consultations, and REUNA deployed virtual servers to handle the high demand. This platform had a significant impact, attending to consultations from not only Chile but also 143 other countries.

In 2024, REUNA and the Atacama Astronomical Park inaugurated a new fiber optic connection at Cerro Toco, near San Pedro de Atacama, which will help transmit data from international astronomical projects in the area, strengthening collaboration and scientific research in this privileged geographical zone.

Connecting the End of the World

Looking to the future, REUNA plans to expand its network to Antarctica. With Punta Arenas as a strategic starting point, this ambitious project aims to connect more than 20 countries operating on the white continent, facilitating collaboration between scientific stations in one of the planet's most extreme environments.

"Punta Arenas, Chile's southernmost city, serves as the gateway for more than 20 countries conducting scientific expeditions to Antarctica, so for us, extending our network to that city was essential, and we achieved that this year with the Patagonia project. But our dream is to go further. Currently, the Chilean government is leading a feasibility study for this expansion, so we are excited about the possibility of being part of this initiative and supporting the interconnection of Antarctic centers with global research and education networks," states Arellano.

A constant challenge for REUNA is to expand and strengthen its network infrastructure. The network is developing physical exit channels, establishing access points through RedCLARA, and collaborating with the BELLA II program to improve connectivity, extend coverage to remote areas, and increase data transmission capacity. "Chile faces challenges such as fires, earthquakes, and tsunamis, and these improvements are crucial to ensuring the continuity and resilience of our network," she notes.

REUNA's collaboration with the Copernicus Center, which manages the Copernicus Earth Observation program, aligns with the BELLA II program by strengthening the digital infrastructure needed to access satellite data. This facilitates the integration of Copernicus data into research and academic projects, boosting scientific and technological development in the region.

As part of a new agreement with ESO (European Southern Observatory) and ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array), REUNA will expand the current network capacity for the transmission of astronomical data from the Atacama Desert to the world by tenfold. "The ALMA observatory is undergoing a significant upgrade process that will require a substantial increase in data transmission capacity, as will ESO's cutting-edge telescopes, such as the Very Large Telescope (VLT) and, in the future, the Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), the world's largest optical infrared telescope under construction. This new alliance reflects the trust we have built over a decade of collaboration and will allow us to continue providing them with the necessary connectivity conditions to stay at the forefront of science," says Arellano.

REUNA is an example of a continuous effort to innovate, and it has demonstrated how cooperation and innovation can transform a country's academic and scientific landscape and contribute to that of the entire region. Arellano emphasizes that the key to success has been working with people and building a network of trust: "The network is based on this collaboration and mutual trust, extending its impact beyond Chile to a global perspective."

Arellano also highlights RedCLARA's role in fostering a global vision in research and teaching, as well as the importance of collaborating with international networks to strengthen global communication and cooperation. Finally, she expresses deep gratitude to REUNA's partners for their commitment, trust, and continued contribution to the corporation's success.