Related initiatives

Along with managing the development and expansion of eduGAIN around the world​ as part of the GÉANT Project, GÉANT partners with the EC, national research and education networks (NRENs) and other institutions collaborate to bring service innovations and adoption on a global basis.

Two important related initiatives coordinated by GÉANT are:

  • Authentication and Authorisation for Research and Collaboration (AARC2)
  •  The Research and Education FEDerations (REFEDS) group

An overview of these projects is shown below, with further information available on the respective websites.


Authentication and authorisation for research and education


AARC aims to develop and pilot an integrated cross-discipline authentication and authorisation framework enabling different e-infrastructures and research collaborations operate inter-operable AAIs. An important work area for AARC is to provide set of interoperable architectural building blocks for software architects and technical decision makers, who are designing and implementing access management solutions for international research collaborations. eduGAIN underpins this architecture.

GÉANT leads AARC2, an EC funded project, with 20 partners from NRENs, e-Infrastructures, service providers and libraries.

AARC & eduGAIN leaflet

To learn more, visit the AARC​ website.


REFEDS – The voice of research and education identity federations worldwide


The REFEDS group represents the requirements of research and education in access and identity management, working with and influencing the direction of other organisations on behalf of its participants. REFEDs participants share an interest in developing access and identity management technology, policies and processes.

The majority of federations globally participate in eduGAIN, and REFEDS provides an important proving ground for standards and policies in use in eduGAIN.

REFEDS is managed by GÉANT which provides secretariat support for the group.

To learn more, visit the R​EFEDS website.