Ultra high-speed Internet and collaboration services only for research and education
Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet) is a not-for-profit National Research and Education Network (NREN) - a national resource owned by the Australian universities and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) for the greater good.
AARNet is widely regarded as the founder of the Internet in Australia and renowned as the architect, builder and operator of world-class high-speed low-latency network infrastructure and an expanding portfolio of products and services, all designed to meet the unique needs of the research and education sector.
Much more than an Internet Service Provider
The AARNet network connects over two million users—researchers, faculty, staff and students—at institutions across Australia to the commercial Internet, to their peers nationally and globally, to scientific tools and to a wide array of cloud services and specialist online resources, supporting education across the life-long learning spectrum and research across a diverse range disciplines in the sciences and humanities, including high energy physics, climate science, genomics, radio astronomy and the arts.
Only for universities and organisations with a research and education mission
AARNet interconnects Australian universities, CSIRO and other organisations with a research and education mission, or with whom the education and research sector interacts. These include research institutes, hospitals, vocational training providers, schools, galleries, libraries, archives and museums.
Metropolitan, regional, national and global connectivity
AARNet owns and has access to fibre optic links across the country and through major metropolitan cities. As a National Broadband Network (NBN) retail service provider, AARNet also uses NBN services to connect schools in remote locations.
AARNet also interconnects the Australian research and education sector to the world – any university in Australia communicates directly with another university anywhere in the world across the global network of national research and education networks without touching the commercial Internet.
AARNet exists to enable collaborations, discoveries and innovation
Our network and collaboration services (such as CloudStor, Zoom and Panopto) enable innovation in the delivery of education and the seamless data access and movement between researchers, instruments, tools and resources that leads to life-changing discoveries.
Quick facts
- Established in 1989
- Not-for-profit company
- Licensed telecommunications carrier
- Owned by the universities and CSIRO
- Funded through membership subscriptions
- Supported by Commonwealth Investments
Explore News, Newsletters and Annual Reports for more information about our activities.