21 Years of eduroam in Australia

13 November, 2025

21 Years of eduroam in Australia

AARNet celebrates two decades of providing trusted, seamless Wi-Fi access across campuses, schools, airports, and cultural institutions.

Galleries, Libraries Archives & Museums Health & Medicine Higher Education K-12 Schools Research Network & Connectivity eduroam News

2025 marks 21 years since Australia joined the global eduroam federation. AARNet has led the national deployment and evolution of eduroam since 2004, delivering secure, federated Wi-Fi access to students, researchers, staff and international visitors across the country, whether they are on campus or on the go.

What is eduroam?

eduroam — short for education roaming — provides secure global roaming Wi-Fi access for the research and education community. Once connected, users can access the internet at participating institutions worldwide using their home institution’s login credentials, eliminating the need for extra guest accounts or new passwords.

This milestone highlights not only the technical achievements but also the long-standing collaboration between Australia’s research and education institutions, AARNet, and international partners committed to borderless academic mobility.

Two decades of growth and innovation

Australia became the first country outside Europe to join eduroam in 2004. Over the years, coverage expanded from universities to K–12 schools, cultural institutions, health services, airports, and public libraries. Key moments include the establishment of national infrastructure under AARNet in 2007, the introduction of eduroam in schools in 2016, the first museum deployment in 2017, and rollouts to public libraries in Victoria in 2020. Today, eduroam is a trusted network in over 585 research, school, and public access locations across Australia.

Map of eduroam AU locations (source: https://admin.eduroam.edu.au)

Measurable impact

In 2024, more than 5.2 million eduroam authentications were recorded within Australia — a 15% increase on the previous year. Globally, eduroam facilitated over 8.4 billion authentications in the same period, underlining its indispensable role in the digital fabric of research and education. 2025 continues to observe new monthly peaks on eduroam usage.

National leadership, global integration

AARNet’s role as Australia’s National Roaming Operator (NRO) ensures integration with the global eduroam fabric, coordinated by GÉANT in Europe and federated across more than 104 territories globally. The underlying RADIUS infrastructure enables secure, location-independent access while maintaining institutional identity and compliance with national policies. AARNet also actively contributes to eduroam’s expansion across the Asia-Pacific region, providing technical expertise and advocacy in support of regional academic collaboration.

Looking ahead

AARNet will continue expanding eduroam into more research and study hubs in public and regional locations, supporting smart campus initiatives, and ensuring the network remains secure, high-performing, and aligned with global standards. AARNet is proud to have played a leading role in this journey over the past 21 years, and looks forward to continuing its support of Australia's research and education community into the future.

More information on eduroam

If you'd like more detail about connecting your organisation or institution to eduroam, visit our eduroam page or contact us.