Quezon City, Philippines — “Technology is foundational to everything. Your mission is to build the foundation to support the network of your campus.”

This message from Dale Smith of the Network Startup Resource Center (NSRC) captures the central goal of an upcoming technical workshop that aims to strengthen campus network infrastructure targeted for academic partners in the Ilocos Region.

From March 9 to 13, 2026, network engineers and IT professionals from higher education institutions in Northern Luzon will gather at Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) in Batac, Ilocos Norte for the Campus Network Design and Operations (CNDO) Workshop. The five-day training program is organized by the Department of Science and Technology – Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) and the TEIN*Cooperation Center (TEIN*CC), in partnership with the Asia Open RAN Academy and the Philippine Network Operators Group (PhNOG), with MMSU serving as the host university.

Facilitated by experts from NSRC, the workshop will combine lectures and hands-on laboratory sessions designed to equip participants with practical skills in designing, building, and managing modern campus networks according to current best practices.

The training targets network and systems engineers from tertiary education institutions and research and education networks who are responsible for maintaining and improving their campus network. By strengthening campus network capabilities, universities can better support digital learning, research collaboration, and access to national and global research infrastructure.

Throughout the five-day program, participants will explore key topics essential to campus network operations, including research and education network infrastructure, campus core network design, fiber optic cabling, switching and routing architectures, IPv4 and IPv6 deployment, and network monitoring and security practices.

The workshop will follow a structured program of daily sessions combining theoretical discussions with practical exercises. Participants will learn to configure network components, design IP addressing plans, implement VLAN architectures, and deploy routing protocols such as OSPF and BGP. The training will also introduce network monitoring tools such as LibreNMS, NetFlow, and SmokePing to help institutions improve network performance and reliability.

Aligned with DOST-ASTI’s mandate to improve science infrastructures, its work with academic partners to help strengthen their campus networks is essential for enabling universities to participate more effectively in the national and regional research and education networking ecosystem. According to DOST-ASTI Director Franz De Leon, “Reliable and well-designed campus networks allow institutions to support data-intensive research, expand digital learning platforms, and collaborate with partners across the global research community.”

By building local expertise in network design and operations, the workshop also supports the broader Philippine local internet landscape, by empowering campus engineers to develop more resilient, secure, and scalable digital infrastructure that can support the growing connectivity needs of Philippine higher education.

About the Organizers

Asi@Connect / TEIN*CC supports capacity building across Asia-Pacific by strengthening research and education networking communities. Through training programs, technical workshops, and knowledge exchange initiatives, it equips institutions and network engineers with skills to design, operate, and secure advanced digital infrastructures, enabling greater collaboration, innovation, and participation in global research and education networks.

The Network Startup Resource Center provides technical assistance to organizations setting up computer networks in new areas to connect scientists engaged in collaborative research and education. For its Internet connectivity work with research and education network communities to advance science-enabling activities and IT workforce development skills, the NSRC receives some funding support from the U.S. National Science Foundation, Google, and the Internet Society.

DOST–Advanced Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI) strengthens the Philippines’ research and education networking ecosystem by developing and operating national digital infrastructure such as PREGINET. Through training, technical support, and collaborative programs, it builds capacity among universities to design, manage, and secure advanced networks that enable research collaboration and digital innovation.

Asia Open RAN Academy advances capacity building in open and interoperable telecommunications technologies across the Asia-Pacific region. Through specialized training, technical workshops, and collaborative programs, it equips engineers, researchers, and institutions with skills in Open RAN and next-generation networks, fostering regional expertise, innovation, and a more open and competitive telecom ecosystem.

Mariano Marcos State University (MMSU) is a leading public university in Ilocos Norte, Philippines, committed to excellence in instruction, research, and extension. It offers diverse programs in science, engineering, agriculture, and technology, while supporting regional development through innovation, community engagement, and partnerships that strengthen education and research capacity in Northern

Philippine Network Operators Group (PhNOG) is a non-profit organization managed by a community of volunteers with the main objective of advancing the Internet ecosystem in the country.