Researchers at VTI, along with researchers in five other countries, have recently started the EU project INCRIS – Improving International Cooperation and R&D Road Infrastructure Strategy for Ukraine – to help transport researchers in Ukraine.

The background is that Ukraine plays a strategic role regarding transport between East and West, but the country is having difficulties managing increased traffic on the roads. Knowledge needs to be built up, regarding both infrastructure and traffic safety.

Raising Ukrainian colleagues’ level of knowledge

The idea behind INCRIS is for experienced transport researchers in Europe to help their Ukrainian colleagues raise their level of knowledge through training and collaboration in research networks.

VTI contributing with workshops and hosting guest researchers

– VTI will be doing things like holding a workshop in Kiev; we’ll also be visited by guest researchers from Ukraine over several weeks, says Gunilla Franzén, head of research at VTI. She will be working on the project along with Anita Ihs, also head of research at VTI, and other people.

The overall goal for INCRIS is to help Ukraine’s leading road research institute, the Shulgin State Road Research Institute (DNDI), create a strategy for future research and development. The project will help Ukrainian researchers join European research networks and train them in applying to and managing EU projects.

Multilingual website with research results

Establishing strategic partnerships between DNDI and research centres in the EU is an important part of facilitating the spread of knowledge. This can be accomplished with the help of things like a multilingual website where research results can be presented.

The project is funded by the EU’s 7th framework programme and coordinated by DNDI in Kiev, and will last for the next three years. Six partners from Ukraine, Belgium, Poland, Hungary, Israel, and Sweden are taking part.