Role of HONET (High-capacity Optical Network and Enabling Technologies): A Series of Symposia in International Collaboration

The ability of the Internet to enable collaboration at global level is one of the most fundamental advances since the Industrial revolution. High-speed Internet, is driven by global optical networks utilizing various photonicand network-technologies as enabling technologies for information technologies and telecommunications from the architectural, security, signal transport and application perspectives. In order to achieve such connectivity it is important to bring together professionals and practitioners from the academia, industry and government functionaries from around the world. The goals are to share knowledge and experience in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT) for global partnerships and collaborations aiding economic growth to support peace, prosperity and sustainability in the world. This has emerged as the vision of the HONET (High-capacity optical networks and enabling technologies). The purpose of our paper is to share and discuss the results of holding a series of international symposia on High-capacity Optical Networks and Enabling Technologies (HONET) in different countries with a special focus on South Asia, Middle East and North Africa (SAMENA) region. These symposia started in 2004 with the sponsorship of NSF‟s Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) and the first event was held at Islamabad, Pakistan as US-Pakistan International Workshop. This was organized by the University of North Carolina, Charlotte and hosted by the University of National University of Science and Technology (NUST) with the cosponsorship of the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC). In 2005, the second event was held at the same place in Islamabad and was sponsored by NSF and several industry cosponsors. Subsequently, the symposium was moved to Charlotte North Carolina, USA; Dubai UAE; Penang Malaysia; Alexandria Egypt, and Cairo Egypt. Details of organizing these symposia and the role of various participating organizations in different countries will also be discussed.