These early efforts, often funded by government agencies like the US Department of Defense (e.g., ARPANET, which led to the internet), laid the groundwork for the collaborative research and information sharing we see today. We wouldn't call this a single experiment, but rather a series of interconnected developments and projects leading to today's infrastructure.
Today, the various ways universities share information are encompassed by terms like:
* Research collaborations: Joint projects, data sharing agreements, and publications are common.
* Academic networks: Organizations like Internet2 provide high-bandwidth networking for research and education.
* Open access publishing: Making research freely available online.
* Digital repositories: Institutional repositories and subject-specific databases storing research data and publications.
* Collaborative software and platforms: Tools enabling co-authoring, project management, and communication across institutions.
In short, there isn't one name for the overall effort, but rather a collection of interconnected systems and practices that build on decades of technological advancement and collaboration.