The 2013 “Strategic Study on Rail Training in Asia-Pacific” is among the projects validated at the 14th Asia Pacific Regional Assembly which met in November 2012.

The meeting, which took place at M.I.I.T (Moscow State University of Railway Engineering), was opened by the rector, Professor Boris A. Lievin, and the vice-rector Mr Vladimir N. Glazkov, who both reiterated M.I.I.T’s willingness to actively cooperate in the different Expertise Development activities of the UIC.

Besides delegates from the UIC and M.I.I.T, the meeting was also attended by colleagues from China (CARS – Chinese Academy of Railway Sciences), India (IR and National Academy of IR), Vietnam (VNR and Railway vocational College), Korea (Korail and IrATCA) and Japan (RTRI delegate seconded at UIC Expertise Development Unit).
The participating delegates were the appointed regional co-ordinators conducting and gathering data for the survey.

It was the occasion to review the first results of the questionnaire on railway training, which was sent to major training stakeholders of the Asian region, and for training professionals to agree on a certain number of recommendations for further training actions in the region.

Besides the very fruitful working exchanges involving representatives of Russian Railways, the meeting was an excellent networking opportunity, and a very encouraging first step to enhance the APNRTC (Asia Pacific Network of Rail Training Centres).

The main results of the study will be delivered at the next UIC Asia Oceania Regional Assembly, to be held on 26 November 2013 in Sydney, Australia.