New Advanced Video Collaboration Centre
The Advanced Video Collaboration Centre (AVCC) begins its official support of video collaboration technologies for Universities and Crown Research Institutes across New Zealand today.
This initiative is the result of co-funding betweenMinistry of Research Science and Technology (MoRST) and the University ofCanterbury. AVCC will be located in the brand new high-tech NZi3 buildingwith other ICT organisations such as the Geospatial Research Centre, Wireless Research Centre and BlueFern SuperComputer. NZi3 is the national ICTInnovation Institute, based at the University of Canterbury.
The Instituteis a ‘hothouse’ of strategic ICT research that aims to move ideas from the lab, across the innovation gap, into industry.The establishment of AVCC is in response to increasing demand from researchers, educators and scholars for efficient video collaboration services on KAREN (Kiwi Advanced Research and Education Network), NewZealand's high speed research network.
While video conferencing is an increasingly popular technology for research collaboration, distance learning, and post graduate supervision, it often requires technical assistancefor new users.
The AVCC will help develop technicians’ expertise in video collaborative technologies as well as assist end users across the country through the use of a toll free number, online chat, and video conferencing to theAVCC Helpdesk.
Fortnightly online workshops will also help upskill technicians and end users of videoconferencing.
The centre intends to provide second tier support to end users (first port of call being in-housetechnicians) at each institution to facilitate more productive and spontaneous video collaboration capabilitiesacross KAREN members.In addition to the centre's core support services, the AVCC's website has a wealth of resources for anyone looking to learn more about video conferencing.
A rapidly expanding national directory of video conferencing 'endpoints' is available alongside practical tutorials covering all aspects of video collaboration, from connecting to central meeting areas, to optimising rooms for conferencing.
Forums, tools, hardwareguides, event calendars and related academic research also are available within the site.With the AVCC now in operational status, AVCC Manager, Nathan Gardiner, is confident his team will havea positive impact on the collective expertise of KAREN members in best practice video conferencing within New Zealand
AVCC can be contacted at:http://avcc.karen.net.nz
0800 666 889