Classroom 2000

Classroom 2000 (locally more often C2k) is a Northern Ireland-wide information and communications network operated on behalf of the five Education and Library Boards in the home nation.

Since its creation the project has been funded by the European Union, through its Building Sustainable Prosperity programme, and the Department of Education Northern Ireland (DENI).

C2k is responsible for providing all schools in Northern Ireland with internet and other services to support the Northern Irish Curriculum.

Change of role and name

A contract notice was published in June 2011 in the Official Journal of the European Union, advertising the intention to award a contract for a Managed ICT Service Project, to be known as the Education Network for Northern Ireland - EN(ni)

A key priority for EN(ni) is to procure a service which will integrate tools, applications and services for all school users and will support the personal and professional learning, teaching and management needs of the schools’ education community in Northern Ireland. At the heart of this vision is the requirement for a modular, flexible and standards-based interoperable solution that maximises the possibilities offered by current and emerging technologies.

EN(ni) replaces a number of C2k contracts which have reached the end of their initial contract term and will provide:

• A fully integrated end to end service to meet the management/administration and learning/teaching needs of all grant aided schools;
• ICT infrastructure and associated services for post primary and special schools; and
• Connectivity to, and provision of, a range of online services for all schools.

The EN(ni) procurement is being conducted in accordance with the competitive dialogue procedure, with contract award anticipated in autumn 2011.

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