Ukrainian Research and Academic Network URAN was created under decision of Ministry of Education of Ukraine and National Academy of Science of Ukraine with support of universities, institutes of Ministry of Education of Ukraine and National Academy of Science of Ukraine in accordance with Joint resolution of Presidium of NAS of Ukraine and Board of Ministry of Education of Ukraine of June 20, 1997. The main concept of the Network was approved by International Meeting «Ukrainian network for institutions of higher education and science» with participation of representatives of the Scientific department of NATO (April 24-26, 1997 Kiev) and by an international conference the «Networks in higher education» (May 26-28, 1997, Kiev).
The Association of users of URAN («URAN Association») was re-registered in 2006 by order of Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine «About founding All-Ukrainian Association URAN» of March 13, 2006 No 181 and by permission of Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine according to the decision of AMCU of October 5, 2006 No 411-p as unprofitable organization. Founders of URAN Association were institutes of higher education of the 4th accreditation level, institutions of National Academy of Science of Ukraine and the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences of Ukraine. The purpose of establishing of URAN Association and the principal goal of activity of the Association is coordination and integration of efforts of the Association Members to ensure creation, development and usage of sole Ukrainian National Research and Education Network, increasing of education and science level in Ukraine, development of principles of information-oriented society, competitive joining of Ukraine to the Global information-oriented area and representing of interests of the Association members in institutions of government authority as well as in Ukrainian and International organizations.
Operation and further development of URAN is provided by URAN Association according to the conception of National Informatization Program, which was approved by the Law of Ukraine of February 4, 1998 No 75/98-ÂÐ, and by State Program «Information and communication technologies in Education and Science» for the years 2006-2010, which was approved by Resolution of Ministry of Ukraine of December 7, 2005 No 1153.
The Association is open for new members and operates in accordance with the Constitutive agreement.
The activities of the Association is non-profitable; the development of network infrastructure is funded basically from the budget or by international grants.