The University of Huddersfield’s Institute of Railway Research (IRR) has secured £2 million in funding as part of a major international initiative to establish a new railway engineering Centre of Excellence in Poland.
The Centre of Excellence in Railway Engineering (CERES) project forms part of a wider €30 million programme backed by the European Commission under Horizon Europe’s “Teaming for Excellence” initiative, which supports the development of advanced research capability across emerging innovation regions in Europe.
The new centre will be based at Poznan University of Technology and developed in partnership with three established European rail research institutions: the University of Huddersfield in the UK, Technische Universität Berlin in Germany and Université Polytechnique Hauts-de-France in France.
For the UK rail sector, the project further strengthens Huddersfield’s growing international reputation as one of Europe’s leading railway engineering research hubs and highlights the increasingly global nature of rail innovation collaboration.
CERES has secured more than €14.5 million directly from the European Commission, with additional backing from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education bringing the total project value close to €30 million.
The six-year programme aims to significantly strengthen railway research and innovation capability across Poland and the wider Central and Eastern European region, while improving integration across the European Research Area.
The Institute of Railway Research will play a central role in shaping the new centre’s governance, strategy, industrial engagement and technical capabilities. The partnership will also involve collaborative research projects, staff exchanges, seminars and industry knowledge-sharing programmes.
Professor Paul Allen, Director of the IRR, said the project would help establish new railway research capability in Eastern Europe while expanding collaborative opportunities for UK rail innovation.
“CERES offers a unique opportunity to work alongside leading academic institutions to help establish new railway research capabilities in Eastern Europe,” he said.
“At the same time, the centre will provide the IRR with a platform to carry out collaborative research across the centre’s developing academic and industrial partners.”
Professor João Pombo, IRR Associate Director – International, said the project aligned closely with the institute’s international growth ambitions.
“The Centre will be a great boost to the IRR’s internationalisation strategy, helping us to establish new relationships and support the University’s continuing mission to climb the QS World University Rankings,” he said.
The project also reflects the increasingly important role rail research institutions are playing in shaping future infrastructure, rolling stock, digital systems and low-carbon transport strategies across Europe.
The IRR has built a strong reputation within the global rail sector through its work on vehicle-track dynamics, pantograph-catenary interaction, smart maintenance systems and traction optimisation. The institute currently leads the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network’s (UKRRIN) Centre of Excellence in Rolling Stock and previously received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its contribution to railway innovation.
For rail businesses and suppliers, the CERES project signals growing opportunities for international collaboration around digital rail systems, predictive maintenance, low-carbon technologies and advanced rolling stock development.
The UK’s Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), which already maintains a long-standing strategic relationship with the IRR, will also join the new CERES Consultative Innovation Council.
RSSB Director of Research Luisa Moisio said international collaboration would be increasingly important in advancing railway research.
“Collaboration across borders is vital in advancing railway research and innovation, and CERES will provide an important platform for sharing knowledge and learning across Europe,” she said.
The announcement comes at a time when rail research is becoming increasingly focused on interoperability, automation, decarbonisation and whole-system integration, particularly as European railways continue accelerating digital transformation and sustainability programmes.
