Welcome to ACOnet!
ACOnet is the Austrian National Research and Education Network (NREN) for science, research, education, art and culture. It is operated by the Vienna University Computer Center, in co-operation with other universities in Austria.
ACOnet provides a nation-wide fibre optic backbone with high-performance access to international academic networks via GÉANT, as well as to the Internet. Furthermore, ACOnet offers its participants various target-group-specific services to support research projects and communities.
Christian Panigl receives "2026 GÉANT Community Award"
The Community Award is the most prestigious award of GÉANT, the umbrella organization of European National Research and Education Networks (NRENs). It is presented annually to individuals who have made a lasting impact on the international NREN community through their exceptional personal commitment. On 9 June 2026, at TNC26 in Helsinki, Christian Panigl received this award in recognition of his decades-long dedication to community-driven initiatives in science, research, education, art, and culture.
Since the inception of ACOnet (1986) and the Vienna Internet eXchange (1996), Christian Panigl has played a key role in their development and operation. For many years, he has represented their interests in national and international bodies, including the boards of ISPA and Euro-IX, as well as GÉANT's General Assembly. Since 2008, he has headed the "ACOnet & VIX" department at the ZID of the University of Vienna.
As a dedicated team player, Christian Panigl has contributed to countless working groups throughout his career, consistently motivating those around him to engage in constructive, solution-oriented collaboration. In addition to the technical aspects, he always keeps the strategic and social implications in mind. For this, he is highly regarded within the community. This holistic approach to successful project and team development was also a major theme at TNC26, making it the perfect setting for this well-deserved recognition. Our heartfelt congratulations!
- Article about this year's award winners
- List of previous award winners
- Video of the award ceremony (TNC26 Opening Plenary, from 50:20)
GÉANT
As a National Research and Education Network (NREN), ACOnet provides access to a global network of research and education institutions that exists parallel to the commercial internet.
ACOnet is a member of GÉANT, the umbrella organization of European NRENs. Through GÉANT, ACOnet participating organizations are connected to around 50 million users in more than 10,000 European academic institutions via high-performance data networks.
Stopline
Stopline, initiated by the ISPA in 1998, is the officially authorized online reporting centre against depictions of sexual abuse involving minors and evidence of endorsement of National Socialist ideology on the internet. Here, users can report pages containing such content - even anonymously.
The Stopline team examines these pages and works closely with the providers and law enforcement agencies to ensure that illegal content is removed from the network.