Academics in public transport

Improving the application of research results in public transport practice is beneficial for both researchers and practitioners. It enables practitioners to benefit from the latest research findings, and it helps developing research themes to be grounded in current issues for the public transport sector.

See the UITP Academic Network

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Assessing the benefits of public transport

NEXT EVENTS

UITP members: check the calendar of internal meetings here

UITP Academic Network

Introduction

The Academic Network was founded in 2003 and gathers more than 50 academic members coming from more than 20 countries to exchange knowledge on the future developments of the public transport sector.
It aims to position the network as a pool of scientific expertise that could be mobilized and put in relation with practitioners around specific issues.

Its missions are to brief UITP and its members on the latest progress in all scientific disciplines related to urban and regional public transport, to close the gap between theory and real-life experience of public transport companies, and to help improve education through a fruitful exchange between research and practice.

“The Academic Network is presided by a Steering Board composed of 4 academic members from complementary academic fields acting as co-chairs:

• Margareta Friman, Associate Professor, SAMOT / Service Research Center, Karlstad University, Sweden
• Didier van de Velde, Researcher, Policy, Organisation and Management, DELFT University of Technology, The Netherlands
• Daniel Graham, Senior Research Fellow, Center for Transport Studies, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Railway and Transport Strategy Centre, England
• Christos Taxiltaris, Professor, Faculty of Rural & Surveying Engineering, Dept. of Transportation & Hydraulic Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece

The steering board acts like an advisory board and works in close collaboration with the UITP secretariat to define the topics of the future thematic meetings and the future academic network activities.”

CONTACT: Caroline Cerfontaine, ; Mary Parra

Missions and Issues

The UITP Academic Network's mission is to brief UITP and its members on the latest advances in all scientific disciplines concerning urban and regional public transport. Its actions are resolutely future-orientated. The UITP Academic Network's priority study topics is the rapidly-evolving spheres that are shaping the future of public transport. The UITP Programmes Committee may formulate guidelines with regard to these priorities.

The new network's field of discussion, which is very broad, chiefly includes the following topics:

List of members

See the list of members

Information for members

Trainees databank
UITP and its Academic Network have set up a databank in order to match the world of academia with members in operating and industry companies and authorities.
See our 'Members only' section.

Thesis Library

Research Databank

This databank contains information on the research interests of the academic members.

Academic Network takes new direction

FOLLOWING its new thematic approach, the Academic Network organised a seminar on educational programmes in November in Brussels. Together with members of the Human Resources Commission, academics discussed the adjustment of university programmes to the needs of the sector, the enhancement of the visibility of careers in public transport as well as the creation of an International Master Course in Public Transport based on a proposal from the FH Joanneum University of Graz, Austria. Bengt Holmberg, Chair since 2003, announced his departure from the position, which led to a redefinition of the chairpersons role. Members discussed the creation of a steering group composed of co-chairs representing different disciplines and forming an advisory board to lead the development of future activities. A call for candidates within the Academic Network will be launched soon.

CONTACT: Caroline Cerfontaine ; Mary Parra