Lanka Education And Research Network (LEARN)

What Lanka Education And Research Network (LEARN) does

Lanka Education and Research Network (LEARN) is Sri Lanka's National Research and Education Network (NREN), operating as a non-profit entity that provides high-speed internet connectivity, federated identity services, and managed cloud infrastructure to the country's academic and research community. The organization serves 66 member institutions across three tiers (18 full members, 18 associates, and 30 affiliates), with 20 Gbps of total international bandwidth of which 3 Gbps is dedicated to academic network traffic. LEARN operates an integrated technology stack spanning direct peering with global research networks (Internet2, GEANT, NORDUnet, TEIN4, Asi@Connect), federated services (eduGAIN, eduRoam, LIAF for library access), and a portfolio of FOSS-based cloud platforms (Moodle, WordPress, DSpace, Indico) for institutional use.

The organization's business model is structurally non-commercial: connectivity and managed services are provided free of charge to connected member institutions, with fees levied only on private institutions. Funding is sourced from government allocations, member contributions, and international grants (notably through the Asi@Connect/TEIN program). LEARN also acts as the registrar for Sri Lanka's .ac.lk academic top-level domain and runs the AI4All Sri Lanka sub-brand focused on AI literacy and education across academia. Strategic priorities in 2023-2024 have centered on international peering expansion, capacity-building workshops, and the launch of value-added managed services.

LEARN's competitive position rests on its statutory role as Sri Lanka's sole NREN and its integration into global academic federation ecosystems. The organization recently relocated to a new office in Kandy and has expanded partnerships with CANARIE, ANKABUT, OFELIA, and TWAREN, as well as collaborated with the UNESCO Chair at APU Malaysia on AI education. No commercial revenue, headcount figures, or audited financials are disclosed, and the customer base remains entirely concentrated within the Sri Lankan academic and government research sector.

Name

Lanka Education And Research Network (LEARN)

Legal name

Lanka Education and Research Network

Website

https://learn.ac.lk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lanka Education and Research Network (LEARN) is Sri Lanka's National Research and Education Network (NREN), providing high-speed internet connectivity, federated identity services, and managed cloud platforms to 66 academic and research member institutions free of charge.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Research and Education Network Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Computer Training (61142), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Learning, EdTech Enablement & Connectivity for Education (BPADAKAH)

Keywords

• Research education networks
• Academic network infrastructure
• Identity federation services
• Managed cloud hosting
• Cybersecurity incident response

Headquarters

HQ city

Peradeniya

HQ country

Sri Lanka

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

LEARN operates Sri Lanka's National Research and Education Network (NREN), providing high-speed dedicated connectivity to academic and research institutions through optical fiber links (10 Mbps to 2 Gbps) and VPLS-based Layer 2 campus interconnection, along with connections to global research networks (Internet2, GEANT, TEIN4). It also serves as the authorized .ac.lk domain registrar and offers a managed FOSS cloud platform with Moodle, WordPress, LEARN Tube, identity federation (LIAF/eduID), eduRoam, eduVPN, DSpace-based repository, video conferencing, and LEARN CSIRT cybersecurity services for member institutions.

Product overview

LEARN (Lanka Education and Research Network) is Sri Lanka's National Research and Education Network (NREN) providing a comprehensive digital infrastructure and service portfolio for the academic and research community. The organization operates a multi-layered service architecture consisting of core network connectivity services (including VPLS for campus interconnection, Academic Internet for global research network access, and Commercial Internet for general connectivity), domain registry services (.ac.lk domain management), and network infrastructure services (DNS, email relay, spam filtering). Building upon this foundation, LEARN offers an extensive suite of value-added services including managed platforms (Moodle as a Service, WordPress as a Service), collaboration tools (LEARN Tube video platform, Video Conferencing with vCR and Zoom), identity and access management solutions (eduID lifelong identity, LIAF identity federation, IaMIaaS, eduVPN, eduRoam), research enablement tools (Open Digital Repository using DSpace, Open Event Management System using Indico), and cybersecurity services (LEARN CSIRT). The network also supports specialized initiatives like AI4All Sri Lanka for AI education expansion and maintains advanced capabilities including IPv6 and IP multicast deployment across member institutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AI4All Sri Lanka: A project of LEARN that helps expand access to AI education through LEARN's connectivity, institutional reach, technical support, and project collaboration.

Products and services

• Virtual Private LAN Service (VPLS) A high-speed Layer 2 network service that interconnects university campuses across Sri Lanka with dual-stack IPv4/IPv6 support and multicast capability, for academic and research member institutions.
• Academic Internet Dedicated connectivity to leading global academic networks including Internet2, GEANT, NORDUnet, SINET, and others through trusted regional partners like TEIN4 and SingAREN, for academic and research institutions.
• Commercial/Commodity Internet General internet connectivity services for everyday online access supporting institutions, users, and business operations of member academic and research bodies.
• ac.lk Domain Registry Service Authorized registrar service for .ac.lk domains providing secure domain registration, DNS management, and hosting for research and education institutions in Sri Lanka.
• Network Core Services Essential infrastructure services including DNS hosting, email relaying, spam filtering, access control, and Google Global Cache support for member institutions.
• Moodle as a Service (MaaS) Managed Moodle platform for online learning, course delivery, and academic collaboration across member institutions.
• WordPress as a Service (WPaaS) Professional WordPress hosting solution for institutional websites, content publishing, and web presence management for member institutions.
• LEARN Tube (LTube) Secure academic video platform for lecture recordings, course media, and institutional educational content delivery to member institutions.
• eduID Lifelong digital identity service for students and staff providing secure access to collaboration and research services across member institutions.
• LEARN Identity Access Federation (LIAF) Identity federation enabling trusted access to local and global academic services using institutional credentials through the eduGAIN global federation.
• Video Conferencing (vCR and Zoom) Reliable conferencing solutions including vCR and Zoom for webinars, meetings, teaching, and virtual classrooms for member institutions.
• LEARN CSIRT Cybersecurity service providing awareness, incident response coordination, intelligence sharing, and protection for member academic institutions.
• IaMIaaS (Identity and Access Management Infrastructure as a Service) Managed identity and access infrastructure including authentication, directory services, and secure institutional integration for member institutions.
• LEARN TAC (Technical Assistance Centre) Technical support for member institutions providing engineering guidance, service assistance, and network operations help.
• eduVPN Secure VPN service for the research and education community offering safe access on campus and public networks for member institutions.
• eduRoam Global roaming Wi-Fi service that gives students, researchers, and staff secure access at member institutions using home institution logins.
• Open Digital Repository as a Service (ODRaaS) DSpace-based repository service for securely managing research publications, theses, datasets, and academic metadata at member institutions.
• Open Event Management System (EMSaaS) FOSS Indico-based event management service for managing conferences, workshops, meetings, event workflows, data, collaboration, and long-term archiving of materials.
• Multicast Services IP multicast services supporting both IPv4 and IPv6 multicasting for video streaming and other multicast applications across connected campuses at member institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20 Gbps total international connectivity with 3 Gbps dedicated to academic research networks
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TEIN4 (Trans-Eurasia Information Network)coreTechnology or IntegrationLEARN connects to TEIN4 network providing 3 Gbps dedicated bandwidth for academic and research Internet connectivity. TEIN4 enables access to global research networks across Asia-Pacific and Europe.
• SingAREN (Singapore Research and Education Network)coreTechnology or IntegrationDirect connection through SingAREN to Internet2 and global academic networks, providing international research connectivity via 5Gbps link to Singapore.
• Internet2coreTechnology or IntegrationLEARN maintains direct connectivity to Internet2, the U.S. research and education network, enabling collaboration with American universities and research institutions.
• NKN (National Knowledge Network, India)coreTechnology or IntegrationDirect 1 Gbps connection to India's NKN enabling bilateral research collaboration and academic network connectivity between Sri Lanka and India.
• GEANTcoreTechnology or IntegrationEuropean research network enabling LEARN members to access European academic resources and collaborate with European research institutions.
• SchoolNetcoreTechnology or IntegrationLEARN maintains direct connection to SchoolNet, linking secondary schools across Sri Lanka with educational internet access.
• Local Government Network (LGN)coreTechnology or Integration1 Gbps connection to Local Government Network connecting government institutions across Sri Lanka, supporting digital government initiatives.
• UNESCO Chair at Asia Pacific University (APU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAIDE workshops conducted under UNESCO Chair auspices at APU Malaysia, providing AI education and training programs for LEARN member institutions in Sri Lanka.
• BDREN (Bangladesh Research and Education Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBDREN collaboration through Asi@connect project providing video conferencing facilities (Zoom) for distance learning across LEARN member institutions.
• SLT Internet Exchange (IX)coreTechnology or Integration20 Gbps connection to SLT IX enabling direct peering with local ISPs in Sri Lanka for improved domestic internet routing.
• Dialog (Sri Lanka)coreTechnology or Integration10 Gbps commodity internet transit link through Dialog, providing primary commercial internet connectivity for LEARN member institutions.
• Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT)coreTechnology or Integration4 Gbps commodity internet transit link and primary provider of optical fiber infrastructure for campus connections across Sri Lanka.
• Asi@connect ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU-Asia connectivity project supporting digital conferencing facilities (Zoom), network security workshops, and capacity building for Asian NRENs including LEARN.
• eduGAINcoreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal identity federation enabling LEARN members to access international academic services using institutional credentials through LIAF.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• TEIN (Trans-Eurasia Information Network): TEIN is the EU-funded Asia-Pacific research network backbone connecting NRENs across the region. LEARN is a direct beneficiary/partner via its 3 Gbps TEIN4 link, making TEIN a critical enabling infrastructure peer rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• PERN (Pakistan Education and Research Network): Pakistan's Higher Education Commission network connecting public sector universities across Pakistan. Operates as a comparable South Asian NREN with similar mission of providing academic connectivity and value-added services to member institutions.
• CANARIE (Canada's NREN): Canada's national research and education network with a comprehensive portfolio of network services, identity federation, and managed cloud services. Documented as a minor LEARN partner for international academic access, serving as a mature peer for service model benchmarking.
• ANKABUT (UAE NREN): UAE's Advanced National Research and Academic Network connecting the country's universities and research institutions. Documented as a minor LEARN partner providing Middle East academic connectivity, serving an equivalent NREN mandate.
• MyREN (Malaysian Research and Education Network): Malaysia's NREN providing research and education network services to Malaysian universities. Operates as an analogous regional NREN with comparable service portfolio (connectivity, identity federation, video conferencing).
• SingAREN (Singapore Research and Education Network): Singapore's NREN providing dedicated academic network connectivity. LEARN connects to SingAREN to access Internet2, establishing it as a key regional peer for trans-Asia academic networking.
• GEANT (European Research Network): Europe's collaborative research and education networking organization. LEARN peers directly with GEANT, functioning as a comparable continental-scale NREN for benchmarking infrastructure and service standards.
• NKN (National Knowledge Network, India): India's National Knowledge Network operates as the country's NREN with similar mandate to connect research and academic institutions. LEARN maintains direct 1 Gbps connection to NKN, making it a direct functional peer serving an analogous role at national scale.
• BDREN (Bangladesh Research and Education Network): Bangladesh's NREN providing research and education connectivity to universities and research institutions. LEARN has a documented partnership with BDREN via the Asi@connect project for video conferencing collaboration, serving an identical NREN role in a neighboring country.
• Internet2 (US Research Network): The premier US research and education network connecting universities and research institutions. LEARN maintains direct peering with Internet2 via SingAREN, making it a foundational international peer for global academic connectivity.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lanka-education-and-research-network-learn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Lanka Education And Research Network (LEARN)