News and Events Public libraries with APNK now also offer eduroam As part of The Ministry of Education's wider Equitable Digital Access project, REANNZ has partnered with Aotearoa People’s Network Kaharoa (APNK) to provide students with secure eduroam WiFi access at 165 public libraries across Aotearoa. This roll-out will give students access to a safe place to study, where they can access content and services they need on the go, increasing their mobility and digital access. APNK has an established free managed and filtered internet service funded by Central and Local Government, and the National Library of New Zealand | Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa manages the service on behalf of the APNK membership. That service will now be extended to eduroam, a secure, worldwide roaming access service. REANNZ members have access to eduroam at their home facilities – like on university campuses, or in Crown research institutes, as well as in member institutions in 120 countries across the globe – and the addition of APNK libraries will boost students’ access in the community. This new offering will help create more convenient places for eduroam users to get seamless access. APNK’s Business Development and Operations Manager Joan Simpson is pleased that the APNK infrastructure can support the eduroam network: “This enable students, researchers and staff from participating institutions to use the network – whether they are inside the library or accessing the network when the library is closed – as over 70% of the APNK library locations offer the network 24/7.” REANNZ CEO Amber McEwen says that the rollout of eduroam to APNK libraries significantly increases its reach across the country. “We’re increasing the number of places that students, researchers, and educators can get access to eduroam as part of a focused strategy to reduce inequity in Aotearoa. This move will mean thousands more students will be able to log on more easily and complete their assignments, conduct research on the go, and connect and collaborate with others,” she says. “Student privacy is a key concern for REANNZ and eduroam. Recognising this need for privacy, the eduroam service is designed in a way that we don’t need to know end-user identity to provide the service.” The Ministry of Education contributed to the costs of a three-month pilot at three councils and has paid for the required configuration changes on all Wi-Fi access points. Find APNK libraries Read up about eduroam and privacy
