The Scientific Committee in charge of the organisational strategy of UIC HIGHSPEED 2012, the 8th World Congress on High Speed Rail to be held in Philadelphia, USA, on 10-13 July 2012, met on 16 September in Paris at UIC headquarters. The meeting was chaired by Michel Leboeuf, Director at SNCF, Chairman of UIC High Speed Plenary Committee and Chairman of the congress’ Scientific Committee, together with Ignacio Barron de Angoiti, Director of UIC Passenger/High Speed department. The host and organisation partner of the congress APTA (American Public Transport Association) was represented by Peter Gertler, HNTB/APTA, Kelly Anne Gallagher and Kathryn Waters. Railway companies were represented in the Scientific Committee by Clara Zamorano (ADIF), Christine Suchy (US passenger company AMTRAK), Ottmar Grein (DB AG), Andrea Galluzi (FS), Simon Hughes (HS2 –UK), Victorino Perez-Fernandez (RENFE), Christophe Keseljevic (RFF), Jean-Philippe Lavallée (THSRC). UIC participants included Naoto Yanase, Senior Advisor, and Begonia Cabo from the Passenger Department, and Paul Véron and Hervé Aubert for the UIC Communications Department.
During this meeting Michel Leboeuf presented the progress achieved since the previous meeting (creation of the congress logo and slogan “HSR Connecting People, Building Sustainable Prosperity”, opening of the webpage, defining requirements for the student competition, etc.) and proposed the overall structure and schedule for the 2012 congress.
Lively discussion took place between the railway representatives during the Committee on the organisation and definition of themes for the plenary sessions, round tables and parallel sessions.
The next Scientific Committee meeting will take place in Philadelphia, USA, on 11 October.
On 15 September, prior to the Scientific Committee meeting, the UIC HIGHSPEED Organisation Committee also met in Paris with UIC and APTA representatives. Discussions and decisions were related to the organisation of UIC statutory meetings prior to the congress, the Communications plan for the congress (with cooperation between UIC, APTA and all US organisation partners, and UIC members), and a number of organisational and logistical aspects.
The first document announcing the event (8 pages) has been just printed with the support of EUROPOINT, which is assisting in the organisation of the congress.
