The Alliance of Universities for High-Speed Rail (AUHSR) held its Plenary Session on 25 February 2025 at UIC headquarters in Paris and online, marking 10 years since it was first created.
The meeting was welcomed by Bertrand Minary, UIC Passenger Director, who also gave an overview of the role of UIC – its history, mission and strategic areas of work. With a part industry, part academic background, he underlined the need to create a bridge through innovation and research, especially to support rail as a key tool for climate change. This was completed with a few words from AUHSR Chair LI Dewei, from Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU), who described the journey of the Alliance from 2015 – 2025, celebrating a decade of research and collaboration, and highlighted the importance of creating synergy, knowledge and best practice between the industry and the academic world.
UIC established the Alliance of Universities for High-Speed Rail (AUHSR) in 2015 in recognition of the key role played by academic institutions in shaping the future of rail transport. Over the past decade, AUHSR has evolved into an international platform for high-speed rail research, driving technological advancements, policy frameworks, and sustainable transport solutions. The Alliance brings together a global network of universities, research institutes, engineering schools, and business academies actively engaged in the development of HSR.
The meeting was pleased to welcome a panel speakers invited to share insights into the Alliance and its link with global railway research:
- Michel Leboeuf, Honorary Chair Intercity & High-Speed Committee
- Marc Guigon, Former UIC Passenger Director
- Philippe Lorand, UIC Director of Institutional Relations, Advocacy and Communication
- Meryem Belhaj, UIC Deputy HR Director
- Autur Fojud, UIC Head of Research and Innovation
These insights covered the history and original aim of the Alliance which was to broaden the circle of speech and find resources outside the railway sector, thus combining science, technology and education.
At regional level, the work between the Alliance and the universities has provided a different perspective to expanding the scope of possible actions, as well as helping students to develop an interest in the field of high-speed rail.
With regard to training, UIC’s collaboration with universities has been essential in rail training and notably in the organisation of WCRT (World Congress on Rail Training), an event organised by UIC every two years. The Alliance has contributed to hackathons organised in various UIC regions and is involved in the TEDP (Talent and Expertise Development Platform), which focuses on developing skills and learning through innovation.
Lastly, the Alliance highlights the importance of research in connecting people and experts with academia and how this brings real innovation to life.
Among its achievements, the Alliance has led and supported multinational research initiatives addressing key challenges in the sector. These projects were presented to the meeting by a panel of academics and researchers:
Transport Intramodality: Air+HSR (Air and High-Speed Rail Connectivity), presented by Francesca Pagliara, Professor of Transportation Systems Planning at the University of Naples Federico II, whose research focuses on seamless multimodal integration, smart ticketing, and infrastructure enhancements, aimed at improving air-rail intermodality and urban connectivity.
HSR Liberalisation and its impact on HSR affordability, presented by Juan Gomez Sanchez, Professor at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, which provides data-driven insights into HSR liberalisation models, fare structures, and passenger accessibility improvements.
HSR Financing presented by Juan Montero, Professor of Administrative Law and Economic Regulation, EUI (European University Institute). High-Speed Rail Financing Models for Infrastructure focuses on conducting a comprehensive global assessment of HSR financing strategies, analysing the three primary financial models used in transport projects.
New High-Speed Systems: HSTC (High-Speed Transport Comparison), presented by Stefano Scarci, EY Italy, which focuses on a comparative analysis of high-speed rail, magnetic levitation, and hyperloop technologies, considering technological, operational, and economic factors (CAPEX/OPEX) to support informed investment decisions.
In his closing remarks, Bertrand Minary thanked the audience for the passionate debate, highlighting that the Alliance creates a link between science, progress and academia, as well as enabling academics to challenge rail experts.
Moreover, the AUHSR Vision Map serves as a framework for advancing research and collaboration in the HSR sector. By hosting regular research sessions, technical workshops and industry training programmes, among others, the Alliance promotes strategic knowledge and research exchange as well as skills and capacity building to ensure that members stay at the forefront of HSR innovation, smart infrastructure and sustainable mobility.
