On track for excellence in rail research
The 'European rail research network of excellence' (Eurnex) project focused on ways to integrate Europe’s currently fragmented rail research landscape as part of efforts to leverage regional expertise and boost international standing. The project’s strategic objectives aimed to bring together the critical mass of resources under a comprehensive network and promote the potential of rail to contribute to sustainable transport policy. Eurnex also aimed to improve the railway sector and industry’s competitiveness and economic stability through the creation of a durable integrated Network of Excellence (NoE) in rail research, technology innovation and knowledge management. This was to be supported by academic and other institutions’ research capacities, implementing knowledge from the industry itself, operators and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Furthermore, the Eurnex mission sought to help EU members realise the goal of a cross-continental interoperable and competitive rail system, thus contributing to major EU industrial and traffic policy aims. Project members emphasised that customer orientation is key to the study’s long-term success and development of a sustainable business case. At the core of this approach was being able to build trusting relations between network researchers and the rail sector calling on the NoE for scientific services. Eurnex’s success in integrating excellent European rail researchers continues to be recognised through top rail research being conducted at an international level. Further supporting this was the launch and further development of the project’s Scientific Poles of Excellence that match the rail sector–driven top-down and scientist-based bottom-up processes. This is evidenced, among others, by the establishment of new and trusting partnerships with colleagues in other countries, advances in knowledge regarding specific challenges and issues predicted to emerge in the future in other rail systems, and European research and development (R&D) projects within the poles, as well as with cross-pole multidisciplinary cooperation. Other project outcomes include the defining and further development of a set of decentralised corporate services dedicated to providing added value to Eurnex members and the European rail sector in general. These services include Eurnex EURail, the virtual rail university which aims at the provision of postgraduate training and short training courses, a rail knowledge library, and activities promoting gender equality to enable women to attain leading positions in rail research. The EU-funded project organised its contribution and the integration of Eurnex expert know-how into future actions of the European Rail Research Advisory Council (ERRAC) and is ready to support the European research roadmaps and offer its competencies as a research advisor.
