The REFEDS Steering Committee approved the funding of a Distinguished Engineer pilot program, designed to bring individuals from new and emerging federations to REFEDS and TNC19. Two awardees will be selected for this program, and individuals from established federations will be invited to participate in mentoring the awardees both prior and during TNC week.
Over the past 10 years REFEDS has witnessed significant growth in the number of federations in operation around the world. Initiatives such as eduGAIN and the APAN BackFire project have stimulated this growth. REFEDS plays a vital role REFEDS in the international community by developing practice and alignment of policies, technologies and procedures amongst federation operators.
The 2018 REFEDS survey identified that skills development was a key issue for federation operators internationally. It is expected that running an annual fellowship program will directly help address this.
Key benefits of funding an annual the program include:
- Building upon the strength of the international network of R&E federations in operation today
- Promoting the REFEDS brand as a international thought leader
- Ensuring established, less funded federations have the opportunity to participate with global policy procedure and technology discussions
- Skills development and career progression through being mentored as the next generation of federation leaders
- Increased participation in REFEDS as a whole by the international community with greater diversity in participation
More information, including application instructions, can be found here: https://wiki.refeds.org/display/OUT/Distinguished+Engineer+Program+-+Pilot
Thank you, and we look forward to new faces at REFEDS and TNC19!