Building a community of railway scientific researchers and academia for ERJU and enabling a network of PhDs (academia teaming with industry)

Academics4Rail is an stable and durable scientific community that in an organized way can share and exchange scientific knowledge with ERJU and ERRAC.

This knowledge is shared at different levels (strategic to concrete technical areas) and for different purposes. When it comes to the strategic level the scientific community intends to share knowledge with ERRAC and ERJU with the purpose of optimise the program for railway research providing insights of fund use, existing themes for research and scientific necessities for the future of European railways. It also supports the methodology of program assessment using KPIs and impact estimation towards the objectives set out in the ERJU masterplan. Finally, the scientific community shares its knowledge about necessities of future PhD funding with a relevant European and scientific weight.

In a more concrete technological domain, the scientific community engages in specific themes creating 6 PhD positions that will enlarge the knowledge in 6 specific areas and will enable the cooperation of academia with industry. The areas are: PhD1 Aerodynamics of freight trains. PhD2 Electromagnetic compatibility. PhD3 Additive Manufacturing in wheel reprofiling. PhD4 Digital communications for virtual coupling. PhD5 Prognostics and health management approach for railway asset maintenance. PhD6 Driving assistance.