GRNET, Greece’s National Research and Education Network (NREN), is proud to announce its participation in TNC26, GÉANT’s flagship event and the world’s most prestigious research and education networking conference, taking place from 8-12 June 2026 in Helsinki, Finland.

The conference brings together over 800 participants from more than 70 countries each year, engaging in collaboration activities across the global research and education community. Hosted by CSC – IT Center for Science, this year’s edition is held under the theme “Digital Sisu,” reflecting the resilience, determination, and collective strength needed to navigate a rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Representing GRNET, Dr. Ilias Papastamatiou, Senior Project Manager and Coordinator of the HellasQCI and SEEWQCI projects, as well as Greece’s National Coordinator for the TransEuroOGS project, will chair the Birds of a Feather (BoF) session: “Quantum Technologies for NRENs, on Wednesday, 10 June 2026, 09:00 – 10:30 EEST, together with Dr. Alexis Aivaliotis and Zenon Mousmoulas.

The session will bring together representatives from GÉANT and leading European NRENs, including GRNET, PCSS, SURF and the University of Latvia / IMCS UL, to exchange national perspectives and ongoing activities in quantum technologies.

In this context key national quantum communication infrastructure initiatives will be presented highlighting NRENs’ role in advancing secure and interoperable quantum networks. The session will also explore how NRENs can support the development and deployment of quantum technologies across Europe and beyond, with emphasis on interoperability, trusted infrastructures, and cross-border collaboration, while also considering the establishment of a shared vision on how quantum technologies can benefit NRENs through initiatives such as GÉANT Quantum Communication Strategy Coordination Group (QCSG), GÉANT SIG-Quantum, or other collaborative frameworks.

GRNET is committed to advancing quantum communication technologies and developing secure, future-ready digital infrastructures for the research and education community. Dr. Papastamatiou is the appointed chair of the GÉANT Quantum Strategy Coordination Group as of November 2025 with a goal to coordinate strategic dialogues on quantum technologies across the broader NREN landscape, identify synergistic opportunities and foster the exchange of best practices throughout the European quantum ecosystem.

Further information about TNC26 is available on the official conference website.