High Speed Rail: Education Interchange 2020

The High Speed Rail Education Interchange (HSREI) conference took place online, hosted by the University of Birmingham, from the 14 - 16 December 2020. Gain access to conference content below.

This event has now ended.

The key question addressed by the conference High Speed Rail Education Interchange (HSREI) is how research and education can continue to support the development of HSR, to widen the revolution in mobility and decarbonise transport systems globally and in the UK. Despite the current transport paralysis due to Covid-19, High Speed Rail projects are progressing in many parts of the world, including the HS2 project in the UK.

The HSREI conference explored how industry, educators and trainers can work together to develop and deliver HSR systems. Delegates shared knowledge on current research, initiatives, innovations and best practice and international knowledge transfer drawing on their experiences. They discussed the challenges in both research and education facing project sponsors, universities, railway businesses and the wider supply industry, and the opportunities for collaboration.

Digital Conference 

Keynote addresses, themed challenge presentations, and posters were pre-released to support the live programme of showcase presentations, panel discussions and final workshop. Find out more about the Programme and Speakers. Click below to gain exclusive access to:

• 9 keynote presentations, and 2 meet the keynote panel sessions
• 5 research challenge presentations, and panel discussion
• 5 education challenge presentations, and panel discussion
• 7 online posters, and 2 poster Q&A sessions
• 3 research showcase sessions - Track, Analysis Tools and Operations
• 3 education showcase sessions - Pedagogies, Futures and Experience
• Recordings of the welcome sessions and final workshop

We are delighted to be working with two well respected journals to put together special issues that build upon the technological and pedagogical research presented during the showcase sessions, supplemented by contributions from several of our panel experts. These are Proceedings of the iMeche: Journal of Rail and Rapid Transit and Educational Review. Article publication pends successful peer-review.

You can keep up to date with our progress with this and all other BCRRE news via our BCRRE Twitter and BCRRE LinkedIn.

Any comments, queries, feedback or issues can be directed to hsr-education@contacts.bham.ac.uk

Sponsors 

Many thanks to our headline sponsors. 

• Balfour Beatty

• Sopra Steria

• IRSE

Background

The International Seminar for Railway Education and Training held at The University of Birmingham in 2018, made progress in identifying education and training challenges, best practice and international collaborative opportunities within the metro and mainline railway industries. The rapid development and planned expansion of HSR networks across the globe means that railways will continue increasing their share of rail traffic, and this will require specialised educational support for effective delivery.

There is now a clear need and opportunity to tailor education and research to the particular needs of the HSR sector. Of the courses available across the globe, typically in railway engineering, operations and economics, there are only limited opportunities to study HSR and its challenges. With the honourable exception of China, the research that underpins HSR development is either within the key suppliers or commissioned for particular challenges. This conference invited stakeholders from across the world to share their challenges, experience and ideas for the future, to create a platform for future collaboration in research and to help shape future education programmes.