Support

Our Story

Our History: Advancing Ireland’s Digital Future Through Collaboration and Innovation

Every great organisation has a story, and ours is built on collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to advancing education and research in Ireland.

Since 1983, HEAnet has evolved from a collaborative network established by Ireland’s higher education institutions into the trusted provider of national digital infrastructure and shared ICT services for the education and research community. Alongside this journey, EduCampus Services emerged as a specialist provider of enterprise systems and digital solutions, supporting institutions with secure, scalable, and transformative technologies.

In January 2026, HEAnet and EduCampus came together to form Asiera (Advancing Services for Ireland’s Education & Research Academia), bringing together more than 40 years of expertise, trusted relationships, and sector knowledge. Building on this strong foundation, Asiera continues the mission of enabling education and research through secure connectivity, shared digital services, cybersecurity, cloud solutions, enterprise platforms, and research infrastructure.

Explore the milestones, innovations, and partnerships that have shaped our journey, from establishing Ireland’s national education and research network to becoming Ireland’s digital partner for Education and Research.

Foundation & Collaboration (1983–1992)

Creating the foundations for national connectivity and sector collaboration

HEAnet was established through collaboration between Ireland’s higher education institutions, creating the foundation for a shared national research and education network. During this formative period, HEAnet established the principles of collaboration, shared infrastructure, and collective innovation that continue to shape Asiera today.

1983 - 1987

  • HEAnet was established as a collaborative initiative between member institutions and began operations.
  • Developed the foundations of Ireland’s national education and research network.

1988 - 1992

  • Continued expansion of national connectivity.
  • Strengthened collaboration between institutions through shared digital infrastructure.

Growth, Connectivity & International Reach (1993–2002)

Heanet Logo 1993
Managed by UCD Computing Services under contract to HEAnet (1993-1997)

Establishing Ireland’s presence in the global research and education network community

This period marked a significant transformation in HEAnet’s evolution. As governance structures matured and network capacity expanded, HEAnet progressed from a national connectivity provider into an internationally connected organisation.

Key milestones, including becoming a company limited by guarantee, joining the Irish Neutral Internet Exchange (INEX), and establishing transatlantic connectivity, positioned Ireland as an active participant in global research and education networking. These developments enabled greater collaboration, accelerated knowledge exchange, and strengthened Ireland’s ability to connect, innovate, and compete internationally.

 

John Boland
John Boland appointed first HEAnet CEO (1997)

1993 - 1997

  • Managed by UCD Computing Services under contract to HEAnet.
  • Became a founding member of INEX with 512 Kbps connectivity.
  • Incorporated as a company limited by guarantee.
  • John Boland appointed as HEAnet’s first Chief Executive Officer.
Heanet conference poster 2001
First HEAnet Conference (2001)

1998 - 2002

  • Increased network connectivity to 2 Mbps.
  • Delivered the first wireless connection to Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS)
  • Established transatlantic connectivity to the United States and beyond.
  • Hosted the inaugural HEAnet Conference (2001).

National Infrastructure & Shared Services (2003–2012)

Group of people sitting and standing behind a table
First schools connected under the Department of Education School’s Broadband Programme (2005)

Building scalable connectivity and digital access across Ireland’s education sector

HEAnet entered a period of significant expansion, strengthening Ireland’s digital education infrastructure through increased network capacity, national connectivity programmes, and the introduction of shared services.

The upgrade of the national backbone, expansion of broadband connectivity to schools, migration of Institutes of Technology, and launch of Edugate enhanced digital access, security, and collaboration across the sector. These developments established the foundations for a more connected and digitally enabled education community.

2003 - 2007

  • Upgraded the national backbone to 1 Gbps.
  • Connected the first schools under the Department of Education’s Schools Broadband Programme.
HEAnet Annual Report 2008
Phased migration of IoTs from ITnet to the HEAnet network (2008)

2008 - 2012

  • Completed the phased migration of Institutes of Technology from ITnet to the HEAnet network.
  • Launched Edugate, Ireland’s national federated access service.
  • Established the Brokerage Services Team, delivering significant value and efficiencies for the education sector.
  • Managed the rollout of 100 Mb/s broadband connectivity to every post-primary school on behalf of the Irish Government.

Digital Transformation & Sector Enablement (2013–2017)

Pat Rabbitte with school children
HEAnet managed the delivery of 100mb/s connections to every post-primary school on behalf of the Irish government. (2012-2014)

Supporting institutions through secure, scalable enterprise solutions

As digital transformation accelerated, HEAnet expanded beyond connectivity to deliver shared digital services supporting the evolving needs of education and research organisations.

A significant milestone was the establishment of EduCampus Services, extending HEAnet’s capabilities into enterprise applications and management information systems. Through shared services in areas such as student systems, finance, HR, identity management, cybersecurity, and cloud solutions, EduCampus supported institutions in improving efficiency, collaboration, and the digital experience for students, staff, and researchers.

Kerri Power profile image
John Boland, CEO, retires.
Kerrie Power appointed as CEO

2013 - 2017

  • Continued the nationwide rollout of post-primary school broadband.
  • Established EduCampus Services as a HEAnet subsidiary delivering shared digital MIS services and enterprise applications.
  • Delivered a dedicated 10 Gbit/s circuit supporting the I-LOFAR international radio astronomy project.
  • John Boland, CEO, retires.
  • Kerrie Power appointed as CEO.

Resilience, Innovation & Digital Enablement (2018–2022)

Ronan Byrne
Ronan Byrne appointed as CEO.

Keeping Ireland’s education and research community connected through change

During a period of unprecedented digital transformation, HEAnet played a critical role in supporting Ireland’s education and research community as institutions rapidly transitioned to online learning.

Through funding with the Department of Higher Education scheme, HEAnet helped address digital inclusion challenges by delivering more than 16,700 Dell laptops to students nationwide. At the same time, investment in secure connectivity and digital access continued, including the expansion of eduroam services to support flexible and connected learning environments.

eduroam infographic
Successful rollout of eduroam Wi-Fi in almost 500 new locations. First HEAnet client connected at 100Gbps. (2022)

2018 - 2022

  • Procured and delivered 16,700 laptops to students across 36 higher and further education institutions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Launched the eduroam Everywhere initiative.
  • Ronan Byrne appointed as CEO.
  • HEAnet and EduCampus recognised by Chambers Ireland InBusiness Awards.
  • Expanded eduroam to almost 500 new locations.
  • Connected the first HEAnet client at 100Gbps.

Building Ireland’s Digital Partner for Education & Research (2023–2026)

two men standing with Custom House Quay Dublin in background
HEAnet introduce new SOC & SIEM Services (2023) - Karl Hussey Photography 2023

Combining expertise, strengthening capability, and enabling the future

The formation of Asiera represents a new chapter in Ireland’s education and research digital journey.

Bringing together the strengths of HEAnet Services and EduCampus Services, Asiera combines decades of sector expertise to deliver trusted, secure, and scalable digital solutions across connectivity, enterprise systems, cloud services, cybersecurity, and research infrastructure.

Supporting more than 1.5 million students, researchers, and staff across Ireland’s schools, ETBs, and higher education institutions, Asiera continues to enable teaching, learning, research, collaboration, and digital transformation, ensuring Ireland’s education and research community remains connected, secure, and future-ready.

Minister for Education Norma Foley TD and Donal O'Cearbhaill HEAnet Schools Manager
HEAnet connects 1,000 Primary Schools with enterprise-level Broadband Connectivity (2024)

2023 - 2026

  • Introduced Security Operations Centre (SOC) and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) services (2023).
  • Connected 1,000 primary schools with enterprise-grade broadband connectivity (2024).
  • Expanded cybersecurity capability through the delivery of Security Consultancy Services, providing standardised and scalable security expertise for member organisations (2025).
  • HEAnet and EduCampus formally merged to become Asiera (January 2026).