The University of Huddersfield’s Institute of Railway Research (IRR) has secured £2 million in funding as part of a €30 million project to create a Centre of Excellence in Poland.
The Centre of Excellence in Railway Engineering (CERES) project has been selected for funding as part of a collaborative bid under the European Commission’s research and innovation programme, Horizon Europe, and its Teaming for Excellence call.
The new Centre is to be hosted by Poznan University of Technology in Poland and will be developed with the help of three leading European partners: The University of Huddersfield, Technische Universität Berlin, and Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France.
Teaming for Excellence grants support the creation of new Centres of Excellence across countries that face relatively lower levels of participation and performance in research and innovation, through forming strategic partnerships with leading institutions abroad, such as Huddersfield’s IRR.
The six-year project is led by Professor Bartosz Firlik, head of the Division of Railway Transport at Poznan University of Technology. At the University of Huddersfield, IRR Director Professor Paul Allen leads the project alongside Professor João Pombo, IRR Associate Director – International.
CERES has been awarded over €14.5 million in funding from the European Commission and will receive additional funding from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education, bringing the total amount to nearly €30 million.
The new Centre of Excellence will significantly strengthen the research and innovation capacity of Poland and the Central and Eastern European region. It will also enhance integration within the European Research Area in the field of railway engineering.
The IRR’s role in the project is wide-ranging, including assisting in developing governance, strategy, industrial engagement, and facilities for the new centre, combined with knowledge exchange driven through collaborative research projects, seminars, and exchange programmes.
Professor Allen commented: “CERES offers a unique opportunity to work alongside leading academic institutions to help establish new railway research capabilities in Eastern Europe. At the same time, the centre will provide the IRR with a platform to carry out collaborative research across the centre’s developing academic and industrial partners.
“We are very much looking forward to building new links across Europe and developing our understanding of the rail industry and research landscape across Poland and the surrounding region.”
The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), with which the IRR has a long-standing strategic partnership, has agreed to be part of a new CERES Consultative Innovation Council.
Luisa Moisio, RSSB’s director of research stated: “We are pleased to support this initiative and welcome the opportunity to broaden international engagement through the establishment of this new Centre of Excellence. Collaboration across borders is vital in advancing railway research and innovation, and CERES will provide an important platform for sharing knowledge and learning across Europe.”
Image credit: University of Huddersfield
