TIL BDR GHALLEY
Thimphu
Over 90 ICT professionals, including college students, have gathered in Thimphu for a five-day Bhutan Network Operators Group (btNOG) workshop, marking one of the largest skill-building events in the country’s digital sector.
The workshop, now in its twelfth year, brings together both local and international experts to enhance competencies in network management, infrastructure development, and cybersecurity.
Organized and coordinated by 16 local volunteers, btNOG serves as an informal yet influential community of internet network operators and professionals.
The group provides a platform for knowledge sharing, technical support, and education, creating opportunities for Bhutanese ICT practitioners to engage with global best practices and stay abreast of rapidly evolving technologies.
This year, participants are divided into three competency-based courses tailored to different skill levels and areas of focus.
One group concentrates on designing, building, operating, and managing organizational network infrastructure through a combination of lectures and hands-on practical sessions.
A second group is trained in efficiently routing internet traffic, both within organizational networks and across broader interlinked networks, ensuring smooth and secure connectivity.
The third group focuses on selecting optimal computer systems, understanding application development and usage, safeguarding data, and identifying effective storage solutions suitable for organizational requirements.
Participants have highlighted the workshop for its practical approach and direct relevance to professional and academic applications.
“This training will provide insights and practical examples that I can immediately incorporate into my teaching,” said Tashi Yangchen, Lecturer at Jigme Namgyel Engineering College.
Likewise, Younten Tshering, also a lecturer at the college, said the workshop is extremely useful for participants like them from other districts, as it gives access to international experts and allows them to be part of the global internet community.
Kinley Gyeltshen, ICT Officer in Punakha, emphasized the workshop’s significance in the context of an increasingly digital world, where nearly all professional and personal activities rely on internet technologies.
“This workshop offers a unique opportunity to learn strategies for safe and efficient online practices. We gained knowledge and innovative ideas that were previously unavailable, which we can now apply in our work and in mentoring others,” he said.
Meanwhile, organizers said the training continues a longstanding tradition of collaboration between Bhutanese and international ICT specialists.
“In this training, instructors are mostly foreign internet experts. It was started with support from the US-based NSRC, and this year too, they have sent experienced instructors,” said Jichen Thinley, Chairman of btNOG.
In line with efforts to gradually strengthen local capacity, organizers are selecting potential participants to serve as assistant instructors in future workshops.
This approach aims to build a pool of Bhutanese professionals who can eventually manage and operate the program independently, ensuring the continuity and sustainability of knowledge transfer within the country.
Following the workshop, the capital also hosted the 43rd South Asian Network Operators Group (SANOG) conference, a two-day event that brought together over 150 ICT professionals from the region and internationally.
The conference focus on emerging ICT technologies, internet connectivity challenges, and best practices in network operations, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and experiences among industry leaders.
“The conference is very important, as technical experts from different countries come together to share experiences and best practices. These discussions help maintain a stable and secure internet and ensure networks operate efficiently,” said Rupesh Shrestha, Chairman of SANOG.
SANOG also provides opportunities for Bhutanese professionals and youth to engage with global ICT developments and encourages active participation in the sector.
The event marks the return of the conference to Bhutan after a six-year hiatus, with the previous edition held in 2019, reflecting both regional and national recognition of Bhutan’s growing role in ICT development.
Together, the btNOG workshop and SANOG conference aim to strengthen Bhutan’s ICT ecosystem by equipping professionals with technical expertise, fostering international collaboration, and promoting best practices in internet governance and network management.
Additionally, organizers continue to seek support from local and international sponsors to ensure the sustainability of these initiatives and to broaden opportunities for knowledge exchange within the country.
Organizers said that by connecting Bhutanese ICT practitioners with global expertise and providing advanced training, these initiatives enhance the country’s capacity to maintain secure, efficient, and modern network infrastructure.
They also inspire the next generation of digital professionals to actively shape Bhutan’s ICT landscape, encouraging innovation and competence in managing the kingdom’s increasingly digital economy.
