What is NEARCTIS ?
NEARCTIS [A Network of Excellence for Advanced Road Cooperative Traffic management in the Information Society] is an Academic Network gathering the main teams working on the field of traffic management and optimisation, with a particular focus on cooperative systems for road traffic optimisation, but it covers a wider scope as it appears that cooperative systems have to be integrated into the whole traffic management systems.
How is NEARCTIS financed and organised?
NEARCTIS, as a Network of Excellence, is financed by the European Union 7th Framework Programme (FP7). You can find more information about FP7 at the CORDIS web site.
What is the sixth framework program, FP7?
The FP7 is the European Community Framework Programme for Research, Technological Development and Demonstration. It is a collection of the actions at EU level to fund and promote research. The FP6 is a part of the EU strategy to become the most dynamic research area in the world by 2010.
What is a Network of Excellence?
A Network of Excellence (NoE) is a multi-partner project funded by FP7 aiming at strengthening scientific and technological excellence on a particular research topic. This is done by integrating at the European level the critical mass of resources and expertise needed to provide European leadership and to become a world force in a given domain.
The main result of an NoE should be a durable restructuring and reshaping of the way research is carried out.
What is the overall goal for NEARCTIS?
The overall goal of NEARCTIS is to develop transport systems able to cope with what are the main problems at stake: safety, energy consumption, environmental impacts and congestion as an obstacle to elaborating the main elements of this reach institute: building a consistent research program, defining a set of shared resources (data, experimental means, bibliographical databases), organising the spreading of the knowledge and research results.
To reach these objectives, the project will include an harmonisation of the research program of all partners on the various topics addressed, specification of case studies to be made in common, and the elaboration of a dissemination and training program for researchers and professionals. A focus is made on spreading excellence towards the scientific community of the field, particularly for the European Union newcomers.
Does NEARCTIS provide facts and information to the general public? How?
NEARCTIS research results is provided to the general public via communication channels such as information material i.e reports in peer-reviewed (i.e. subject to critisism by independent experts in the field) scientific journals, newsletters, posters and fact sheets but also in events such as our annual meetings/worskshops, public open fora, participation at international science conferences ….
In addition, we present scientific data on this website in a way intended for the general public in addition to information to the scientific community.
NEARCTIS also reach the general public indirectly through our collaborations with authorities and end-users organisations (associate partners), as well as observer organisations that are loosely tied to the network.
Does NEARCTIS spread information to countries outside of the EU? How?
Yes, NEARCTIS spreads information to all groups with interest in our research area. Countries outside the EU is reached by collaborations with international organisations Transportation Research Board, ITS World Congress, ISTTT. The website is also an important information channel.