Following an eventful 2023, the ERTICO Academy takes a moment to reflect on a year marked by growth, learning, and notable achievements. This transformative journey made possible by the collective efforts of a dedicated team, inspiring instructors, and a supportive community, underscores the Academy’s commitment to advancing intelligent transport systems and innovative mobility solutions.
Dresden and Thessaloniki Workshops
In June last year, the ERTICO Academy, in collaboration with ERTICO partner and local host SAENA GmbH, conducted a pivotal workshop in Dresden. The 2-day training focused on the role of ITS, C-ITS and CCAM from both the industry and public authority perspectives, with topics relating to traffic management and ITS enablers, deployment and decarbonisation techniques using ITS technologies. An important part of the discussion centred around sharing best practices and lessons learned from both sectors of the transport community, with a view to advancing collaboration.
The Academy’s commitment to knowledge exchange and capacity building was also displayed through active engagement with students of the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s degree in Thessaloniki. In a lively exchange, experts shared insights into future Smart Cities and Communities.
International showcase and recognition
Dr Tamara Djukic, Senior Manager at ERTICO and Coordinator of the initiative represented the Academy at the ITS European Congress in Lisbon, showcasing its contributions to the field on a prestigious international stage in several special interest sessions with very interesting panel discussions.
At the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona, the Academy took its exploration of social innovation pathways and capacity building to the broader smart city landscape. Its vision of helping meet rising needs of cities in the domain of smart and sustainable urban mobility was presented in sessions and panel discussion.
Notably, the Academy had a number of important mentions: at the Regional ITS Conference “Towards Connected Future” in Skopje, Macedonia, its influence was recognised at regional level. Recognition also came in the latest publication of the Covenant of Mayors – Europe, by the European Commission, adding another layer of distinction to the Academy’s achievements of playing a key role in the intelligent transportation domain.
The Launch of a Redesigned Website
Finally, a significant milestone in the Academy’s development last year was the launch of the revamped website, offering an improved platform for interaction and information dissemination. The online pages feature a more lucid layout and an organised structure, facilitating interested visitors to explore and understand the Academy’s offerings. The ‘About’ section not only provides an in-depth exploration of the history and principles underpinning this knowledge enhancement initiative, but also offers the opportunity to pursue the various in-person training sessions and complimentary online courses included in the curriculum. By clicking on “What we offer,” prospective trainees can delve into the style of training and the diverse topics covered by our expert trainers. This new digital tool will foster a dynamic and accessible online presence.
Next steps
In 2024, the ERTICO Academy is looking to build on the success of the past year. Given the increasing visibility in the market and the growing interest from both ERTICO and non-ERTICO partners in the training programmes, the Academy is gearing up for a more extensive range of activities. The first in-depth training session this year has been planned for early March (more information to be communicated) and there are additional sessions in the pipeline that are currently being discussed with several public authorities and private stakeholders.
In addition to these developments, the Academy is launching a “Become a trainer” campaign to attract experts within the ITS, C-ITS, AV, AI, CCAM and several other mobility domains. The aim is to encourage these professionals to share their knowledge and thought leadership skills/lessons learned by becoming ERTICO Academy trainers. This year the Academy expects to offer even greater opportunities to develop and improve knowledge and skills within the transport and mobility sector.
