A critical lesson of this report is that while there are notable economic and political differences between Europe and United States, these differences pale in comparison to the similarities in the barriers both entities face in forging sustainable collaborative research ventures. Furthermore, the current unprecedented economic crisis and the fact that it transforms the global environment of cooperation bring new urgency to the need for international collaboration.

—EU/US Transport Research Collaboration

The report outlines that while economic and political differences exist between Europe and the US, “these differences pale in comparison to the similarities in the barriers both entities face in forging sustainable collaborative research ventures”. The ECTRI and TRB also note how international cooperation should increase due to the economic crisis that is currently wreaking havoc across the globe.

The realities of globalism require cooperation and a pooling of intellectual and financial resources. It is truly ‘a time to choose’—do nations continue to work independently as primarily competitive units under a ‘state of anarchy’? Or alternatively, can they come together to solve problems that appear at first glance intractable?

—EU/US Transport Research Collaboration

According to the representatives, true global collaboration is both possible and essential.

Components assessed in the study were transport sector research management, funding and innovation architecture. Furthermore, the study spotlighted the types of research and innovations the systems support, and described funding agreements and evaluated their functionality.

A comparison of the EU and US transport research and innovations showed that the EU targets research activities on railways and waterborne transport; in other words, the EU focuses on a broader approach. The US concentrates on road transport and how to find practical market-based solutions. By integrating the different approaches, the researchers could provide preconditions for new innovations, according to the report.

The report examines the various “models” for transport research collaboration and tries to initiate a dialogue on the issue of globalized transportation research and development. It also explores the key premises and elements of globalization. The report presents seven models for research collaboration:

1. Organized, centralized and institutionally-driven RTD (Research and Technological Development) collaborative research programs (top-down);
2. Investing in foreign RTD (Public or private funds being made available to researchers on a global basis);
3. Scientist-to-scientist research-initiated RTD collaborative activities occurring at the national or sub national levels (bottom-up);
4. Distributed collaboration that involves several governmental entities, shared management structure;
5. Information exchanges on technologies and best practices (International Technology Scanning Programs);
6. Information Exchange through Technology Assistance Programs; and
7. Creating a unified environment for RTD involving many countries and research agencies i.e. creating a “Global Research and Innovation Area - GRIA”.

According to the Working Group, the implementation of concrete measures would help boost their participation. Moreover, increased interaction in transport research between the EU and US would help generate more innovations.

The report concludes that there is a need for a joint long term vision of a wide range of transport research content and processes as well as infrastructures and governance that would engulf both sides of the Atlantic. This vision would need to:

• Benchmark the evolution of joint research on both sides of the Atlantic as well as its evolution in other important existing and emerging scientific areas (India, China, other OECD, etc);

• Be aware of the different approaches to intellectual property rights (“first to file” and “first to invent”);

• Look for convergence in governance;

• Understand the discrepancies in the research infrastructures (hard, soft (ie libraries), the basis for freely accessible data and knowledge);

• Ensure the creation of the next generation of surface transport scientists and ultimately take care of the differences between the “American PhD” and the “Bologna PhD” and

• Create, develop and enhance evaluation methods and criteria.

The Working Group’s proposals, presented to Janez Potocnik, the EU Commissioner Responsible for Science and Research, will be used when planning future EU research programs.

Resources

• EU/US Transport Research Collaboration: Challenges and opportunities