GÉANT and The Commons Conservancy foundation pilot the transition of eduMEET web-conferencing platform to community-financed open-source

GÉANT and The Commons Conservancy have joined forces to pilot the open-source, web-based videoconferencing (VC) solution, eduMEET. This software enables institutions to build a low-cost, easy to use VC platform for one-to-one or multiple-user conferences. A cost-effective, more secure alternative to commercial solutions, eduMEET is easy to run without the need to install any additional clients or plugins.
Amsterdam, Netherlands 28 April 2023 − One of the primary objectives of the GÉANT GN5-1 project’s above-the-net (network) efforts is to establish a legal-administrative framework and software governance to support community financing for the spinoff of the eduMEET platform proof of concept. Within the scope of this objective, a product ownership and stakeholder community is planned, as well as the product management and support for continued eduMEET open-source software development. This transition of the existing eduMEET service is the first step in this new direction.

eduMEET provides an easy to use, secure, affordable web conferencing platform for the international research, education, and arts community, and is a viable, reliable alternative to commercial solutions. eduMEET was developed as part of the EU-funded GÉANT project for NRENs and schools, colleges, and universities wishing to create their own on-premises VC infrastructure and services. As open-source software, eduMEET is accessible by developers and integrators who wish to extend its capabilities or incorporate it within other more complex and integrated solutions.
eduMEET is the first GÉANT service offering that will pilot a transition of project-based, internally developed software to “standalone”, open-source software external to the project environment. The transition process will focus on developing the tool’s business model alongside the ongoing development and maintenance of the software product and service. This first pilot spinoff is designed to be agile, resulting in an independent and community-supported open-source project. Lessons learned have also been documented along the way.

A collaboration with not-for-profit infrastructure The Commons Conservancy foundation (https://commonsconservancy.org/) was initiated to achieve these ambitious goals. The Foundation’s recommendations were followed closely throughout all phases of preparing for the transition to the open-source pilot. In particular, the public statute for the eduMEET programme was prepared to facilitate an open, transparent, and efficient governance process throughout future developments of the technology and auxiliary materials developed within the eduMEET user and development community. The selection for the governance board is currently underway, and invitations to potential board members from different environments (research, education, and the arts) will be extended in the near term.

The Full Announcement is available here.