The eyes of European transport and mobility will be set in Lisbon this fall. From the 14th to the 17th of November, the Transport Research Arena (TRA) conference will take place at the Lisbon Congress Center, in the historical area of Belém, on the banks of the Tagus River.
TRA is the foremost European transport event that covers all transport modes and aspects of mobility. Themed “Moving together – reimagining mobility worldwide”, TRA2022 brings together experts from around the world to discuss the newest innovations and future of mobility and transport, building also on the Portuguese historical legacy and links to overseas transport professionals. Through the development of innovative solutions, TRA Lisbon 2022 aims for a more efficient, safer, carbon-free, inclusive, and sustainable transport in all its modes.
Held every two years, TRA offers a great venue for researchers, policy makers and industry representatives to get together and contribute to the discussion on how research and innovation can reshape the transport and mobility system. The conference provides a unique opportunity to hear about mobility trends in different parts of Europe, learn from achievements in industry as well as share best practices of policies and deployments.
Facing an ongoing transformation, the transport industry is becoming more modern, quicker and safer, while focusing on sustainable and digital solutions. In the European sphere, the implementation of sustainable and innovative means of transport plays an important role in the EU’s energy and climate objectives.
TRA2022 offers the opportunity to reimagine, together, mobility worldwide and how to answer the major challenges that the transport sector currently faces. In particular, the TRA Lisbon 2022 will be built on the following pillars:
- Scientific excellence, research and innovation challenges.
- The latest technological and industrial developments and innovative policies regarding the European Transport Research and Innovation.
- Cooperation of Europe with other continents, thus ensuring the knowledge and experiences exchange.
The 2020 edition of TRA was scheduled to take place in Helsinki, Finland from 26-30th April 2020, themed “Rethinking transport – towards clean and inclusive mobility” but the conference was cancelled, unfortunately, due to the pandemic.
In 2022, TRA attendees will also get to know about Portugal’s vast transport network and how Lisbon is becoming an European pioneer of sustainable mobility and urban life. TRA2022 is organised and hosted by the National Innovation Agency (ANI), Institute for Mobility and Transport (IMT), Engineering Schools Consortium (CEE), National Laboratory for Civil Engineering (LNEC), Magellan – European Affairs Association together with the European Technology Platforms, each representing a specific mode of transport, and co-organised with the European Commission.
Lisbon can benefit from TRA2022 and set an example for mobility in Europe. According to Jose Viegas, Chairman of TIS Consultants, TRA has a significant impact on the research community in Portugal. Viegas points out that in 2010, when TRA was held in Brussels, the participation of Portuguese researchers abroad more than doubled as well as the number of their publications. International visitors will be able to see first-hand several interesting developments that Lisbon has in the area of sustainable urban mobility.
We are coming out of the pandemic so I believe the conference will have an acceleration effect on the research community
Jose Viegas, Chairman of TIS Consultants
Three committees of TRA ensure the success of Transport Research Arena conferences: the Management Committee, the Organizing Committee and the Programme Committee. The management committee takes the overall responsibility of the TRA as a body of representative organisations that include: the European Technology Platforms, the European Commission, the research community and the authorities, and the current, previous and future host countries. Ms. Mafalda Dourado from the National Innovation Agency (ANI) chairs the TRA Management Committee from June 2020 to December 2022.
The Programme Committee is responsible for the TRA’s program and its scientific and technical content and quality. Its composition reflects the multi-modal approach of the TRA, with a fair representation of the sectors and modes of transport. Professor Luís Picado from Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon chairs the TRA Programme Committee from June 2020 to December 2022.
For four days, TRA2022 will organise different types of sessions dedicated to specific themes such as Smart Solutions and Society, Green Mobility and Decarbonisation, Innovative Infrastructure for Europe 2030 and Policies and Economic for a Competitive Europe.
The sessions will range from Plenary Sessions to set up the theme of the day, which will be dedicated to key political topics addressed by invited high-level speakers, Strategic Sessions to address the main themes of the conference, Scientific & Technical Sessions with the ambition to highlight EU supported projects results and Invited Sessions dedicated to specific themes open to outside stakeholders.
Registrations for TRA2022 are now open.
