Transit and Rail Educational Programs in the United States and Abroad

Transcription

1 Attachment C 2 Transit and Rail Educational Programs in the United States and Abroad Prepared for the American Public Transportation Association November 16, 2011 Valerie Sunderland Kathryn Harrington Hughes

2 Acknowledgments We are grateful to our many friends and colleagues in the US and in other countries around the world who served as sources of information for this project Marys Court, Suite 5 Easton, MD tel: [email protected]

3 Introduction... 1 Educational Programs in the United States... 2 Continuing Education and Training Programs... 4 Workforce Development... 6 Other Countries... 8 France... 8 Germany... 9 Spain United Kingdom Brazil India China and Taiwan Japan Conclusions Appendix A Sample Curricula University of Birmingham Railway Systems Integration France Professional Certificate in Railway and Guided Transport Systems Technical University of Dresden (Germany) Tongji University (Shanghai) Southeast University (Nanjing) South China University of Technology (Guangzhou) Appendix B Websites... 24

4 Introduction The skills and knowledge needed by today s transit and rail engineers are rapidly changing, and engineering education programs are struggling to keep up with those changes. The design, operation, maintenance, and renewal of public transport systems has become increasingly sophisticated as electronics and computerized technologies have been incorporated into transit rolling stock, track, signals, and operations. Engineers in the transit industry are responsible for designing, installing, and maintaining a complex range of technologies, including overhead power lines, positive train control systems, track signals and switches, and facilities for alternative fueled vehicles. The education received by engineers in the US transit workforce has, however, largely focused on highway and transportation engineering, reflecting the country s emphasis on building roads and improving traffic safety in the latter half of the twentieth century. Rail-specific topics and technologies have not been a key part of the curricula, resulting in a workforce that is ill equipped to meet the demands of today s high-tech, integrated transit systems. Higher education in the United States used to include programs in rail engineering and technology, but those programs faded in the 1960s, when highway travel eclipsed rail travel, causing a the demand for railway engineering skills and knowledge to drop. 1 The number of skilled and experienced professionals in the rail workforce remained sufficient to meet the needs of the industry until relatively recently, when those professionals reached retirement age, coincident with a boom in rail freight traffic and a resurgence in passenger rail systems. The result: a shortage of skilled and experienced professionals capable of designing, constructing, operating, and maintaining rail systems and facilities (both passenger and freight). According to Pasi Lautela, director of the Rail Transportation Engineering Program at Michigan Tech, the shortage has been exacerbated by the short lead times on rail improvement projects. With rail, you have to have someone who knows what they are doing when they come in to the project there is no time for training, said Lautela. In contrast, the longer-term, multi-year highway projects allow for some on-the-job training. The shortage is further compounded by the restrictions on earnings by retirees collecting benefits under the rail retirement system; these restrictions preclude many highly skilled rail retirees from filling senior positions in consulting and infrastructure firms serving the transit and rail industry. The companies that provide essential engineering services to the transit industry are thus facing a critical skills gap. There are not enough qualified engineers to meet the growing needs in the public transportation industry both in the United States and worldwide. 1 In the early 1960s, there were 850,000 people working in the railroad industry; four decades later, there were only one-quarter as many Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Review, Michigan Tech, p. 26. November 16,

5 This project investigated higher education programs for transit and rail engineers in the United States and abroad, and specifically those institutions that offer undergraduate and graduate degrees in civil engineering, transportation engineering, and rail engineering. An understanding of the programs offered will inform the discussion of how US engineering programs could be enhanced to meet the needs of the public transportation industry both today and tomorrow. The information summarized in this report is based on information provided by personal contacts in the transit industry and academia in the countries studied, as well as on desk research. Educational Programs in the United States Most of the engineering students in the United States who intend to enter the public transit or rail industry enroll in a civil engineering program. There are more than 200 civil engineering programs in the United States, a number well beyond the scope of this study. We thus narrowed the focus to those schools considered to have the top-10 undergraduate civil engineering programs, as reported in US News College Compass, and those schools that awarded the largest number of undergraduate civil engineering degrees in , as reported by Michael T. Gibbons. 2 During the course of our research, we identified two civil engineering schools that met neither of those criteria, but offered strong rail engineering programs, and they were added to the sample. (See Table 1 for a list of schools and degrees.) Please note: There are a number of training and certificate programs in railway engineering, operations, safety, and maintenance offered in the United States, some of which are conducted in a partnership with colleges and universities. Although these non-degree programs were outside the scope of this study, several particularly notable programs are mentioned later in this section. While the United States boasts many of the world s top civil engineering schools, undergraduate degree programs in transportation, transit, and railway engineering are absent from the schools. 3 Transportation engineering is, however, offered as an area of concentration in many civil engineering degree programs, albeit almost exclusively at the graduate level. A review of the program descriptions for schools that list concentrations in transportation revealed that the programs focus on highways, traffic, and planning, with little or no discussion of 2 US News College Compass, colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/rankings/engineeringdoctorate-civil, accessed Nov. 1, 2011; and Engineering by the Numbers, by Michael T. Gibbons, profiles/2009-profile-engineering-statistics.pdf, accessed Nov. 1, Penn State Altoona s new rail transportation engineering program is a recent exception. November 16,

6 transit or rail engineering. The knowledge required of a railway engineer cuts across several disciplines, including electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, and systems engineering. Public transportation design, development, and management are typically covered in public policy and planning programs. Most of the institutions reviewed are members of the Council of University Transportation Centers (CUTC). These institutions focus on interdisciplinary research on all modes of transportation, and faculty members represent multiple schools and disciplines (e.g., engineering, public policy, and economics). Penn State Altoona recently introduced an undergraduate degree in rail transportation engineering the only such program in the United States. The rail transportation engineering (RTE) bachelor s degree program was launched in 2011, and the first class is expected to graduate in spring According to the university s website, Executives in the transit industry, project managers, consulting engineers, and government officials have all told us of their need to hire engineers with the kind of training that Penn State now offers at the Altoona campus. If you are interested in the role of railroads in protecting the environment or fighting highway congestion, this is the program for you. If you want to be a part of a developing passenger rail system in this country, you will need the training that Penn State Altoona now offers. 5 The RTE program is under the university s business and engineering division and focuses on locomotive engineering. The first two years of the program center on traditional civil engineering subjects (such as surveying, soils, and fluid mechanics); in the third and fourth years of the program, the courses include rail operations and safety, communications and signals, and track location, construction, and maintenance. According to Steve Dillen, coordinator for the RTE program, the program was developed with support from the Class I railroads, but the transit sector is expected to become more involved as the program matures. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) has a strong academic program in railroad engineering, augmented by a large and diverse program of research. Its Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering offers six courses in railroad engineering, including the 4 Penn State Altoona to launch first Rail Transportation Engineering program in nation. April 14, Accessed Nov. 1, Rail Transportation Engineering. Accessed Nov. 1, November 16,

7 first university-level class in high-speed rail, which was introduced this year. 6 T. C. Kao, PhD, PE, an expert in high-speed rail from Taiwan, was brought in to develop and teach the class. UIUC is home to RailTEC (Rail Transportation and Engineering Center), which offers education and research programs involving faculty and students from all branches of engineering, systems analysis, and transportation economics and business. RailTEC conducts seminars, short courses, workshops, and conferences to provide continuing education for professionals and technicians in the rail industry. Michigan Technological University houses the Michigan Tech Transportation Institute (MTTI), which serves as an umbrella organization for cross-disciplinary centers and transportation related research and education. Its Rail Transportation Program (RTP), directed by Pasi Lautala, aims to educate students and the workforce about the rail industry. It hosts faculty from abroad, who bring their expertise and knowledge to bear on research and instruction. This year s visiting scholar was Dr. Mei Han from Beijing Jiaotong University, School of Traffic and Transportation. Michigan Tech sponsors an intensive five-week summer international program in railway engineering, during which students spend three weeks in Finland, where they engage in design projects at the Tampere University of Technology and tour rail facilities. The program offers students a comprehensive introduction to the basics of rail engineering across disciplines, with an emphasis on field visits that link classroom lectures with real-life work environments. In addition, RTP sponsors the Railroad Engineering and Activities Club (REAC), a student chapter of the American Railway Engineering and Maintenance of Way Association (AREMA), with the aim of forging a network of students, faculty, and industry and encouraging careers in the railway industry. Michigan Tech is currently developing a certificate program in railway engineering; the program is designed to be a professional development program for those already holding a bachelor s in engineering. CONTINUING EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMS Training and professional development programs were not a part of this study. In the course of our research, however, we came across several noteworthy programs associated with university degree programs. For example, the University of Wisconsin Madison offers a comprehensive continuing education program in railroad engineering. The program began in 2001, with a survey course covering civil engineering fundamentals of the rail industry, and has since expanded to 6 High-Speed Rail a New Focus for Railroad Program. cee.illinois.edu/highspeedrail. Accessed Nov. 1, November 16,

8 the current program of 8 to 12 short courses held each year in locations throughout the United States on topics including the following: Track structure, subgrade and drainage, ballast, ties, and rails; Railway location and operation; Track systems engineering and design; Rail transit light rail, rapid transit, and commuter rail; and Yards, terminals, and intermodal facilities. For more than two decades, the University of Tennessee s Center for Transportation Research has held classes and training workshops for the railroad industry, including a workshop on track inspection and safety standards that has been customized for the transit industry. The National Academy of Rail Sciences, a partnership with Johnson County Community College (Overland Park, Kansas) and BNSF Railway, provides training in the following six skill areas: Mechanical, Locomotive engineer, Engineering maintenance, Signal systems, Telecommunications, and Supervision/Leadership. The training is delivered in a variety of means: typical classroom setup, self-paced training on dedicated computers, online courses, and small group discussions via telephone or internet. Hands-on instruction is provided on locomotive simulators. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) is planning a certificate program in high-speed rail. According to Dr. Hualiang Teng, associate professor in the civil and environmental engineering department, UNLV is seeking funding for the development of a series of four or five web-based courses on high-speed rail. The courses would cover rolling stock, track and foundation, communications and control, management, and planning. Dr. Teng is looking to China for assistance in developing the curriculum and materials, and he expects AREMA, the Association of American Railroads, and the Federal Railroad Administration will provide guidance to ensure the courses meet the needs of the US rail industry. Dr. Teng hopes to have the courses available by summer November 16,

9 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT The shortage of trained and knowledgeable workers in the rail and transit industry is an issue not only for the United States, but also for Europe. A two-year project, known as TUNRail (Tuning Transatlantic Cooperation in Rail Higher Education), involved five universities in the European Union and the United States and focused on the need to develop future railway engineers, including those for public transport systems. Michigan Tech served as the US lead on the project, with the Instituto Superior Tecnico (Lisbon) serving as the EU lead. The project s goal was to improve the quality of railway higher education and contribute to the development and modernization of the railway sector. Project funding was provided by the US Department of Education and the EU. The project s findings were published in a draft report (Handbook for Rail Higher Education) in November Michigan Tech was recently awarded a contract from the Federal Railroad Administration to develop a web portal that will facilitate the sharing and dissemination of rail educational materials. The project also includes the development of a one-day symposium on workforce needs for highspeed rail projects, which is planned to held in spring Accessed Nov. 16, November 16,

10 TABLE 1. STUDY SAMPLE US ENGINEERING SCHOOLS Master s in Civil Engineering School Bachelor s in Civil Eng Bachelor s in Rail Transportation Engineering Master s in Civil Engineering with a Concentration in Transportation Notes University of California, Berkeley x x x University of California, Davis x x x California State Poly U x x x Clemson University x x Cornell University x x University of Florida x x x urban planning Georgia Institute of Technology University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign Massachusetts Institute of Technology Michigan Technological University University of Michigan Ann Arbor North Carolina State University x x x x x x RR engineering courses, high speed rail course x x x x x x rail transportation program, urban rail transit course x x x x Penn State University Park x x Penn State Altoona x x first class will graduate in 2015 Purdue University West Lafayette x x x Stanford University x x Texas A&M College Station x x x University of Texas at Austin x x Virginia Tech x x x rail and public transit courses Washington State x x NOTE: Schools listed here (except those in boldface) are based on inclusion in list of top 10 undergraduate schools for civil engineering, as reported in US News College Compass (colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best colleges/rankings/engineering doctorate civil; accessed Nov. 1, 2011) and list of schools awarding largest number of undergraduate civil engineering degrees, as reported in Engineering by the Numbers, by Michael T. Gibbons ( and-publications/publications/college-profiles/2009-profile-engineering-statistics.pdf; accessed Nov. 1, 2011). Schools shown in bold were added in recognition of their strong rail engineering programs. x November 16,

11 Other Countries In contrast to the United States, several countries in the European Union, South America, and Asia have strong transport and railway degree programs in place, primarily at the graduate level (Table 2). In addition, many operating companies have elected to develop their own training programs (such as JR East in Japan, Unimetro in Sao Paulo, and Keolis). 8 TABLE 2. DEGREES AWARDED BY COUNTRY Country Bachelor s in Civil Engineering Bachelor s in Rail or Transportation Engineering Master s in Rail or Transportation Engineering US x * Brazil x x China and Taiwan x x x France x x Germany x x x India x x Japan x x Spain x x UK x x * Penn State Altoona introduced a bachelor s degree program in rail transportation engineering in FRANCE The Professional Certificate in Railway and Guided Transport Systems, developed at the request of railway companies in France, is geared for engineers and managers working in the railway industry, either as new recruits or as experienced engineers. It covers the entire field of transport passenger, local, intercity, and freight and provides a general overview of railway and guided transport systems by including French and European technical, economic, institutional, and regulatory policies. The one-year program includes coursework over 11 months, a professional internship, and a professional thesis. After taking core classes, students choose one of two options engineering or management. The program was developed to meet the growing needs for expert knowledge in the booming field of railway transport systems. 9 Prerequisites include a master s degree or a four-year degree plus three years of professional experience. Students re- 8 Human resources: the key to the success of public transport. Sylviane Delmas. Public Transport International, Sept./Oct. 2011, pp Rail and Transport Systems. Accessed Nov. 1, November 16,

12 ceive a professional degree recognized by the Conférence des Grandes Écoles. (Courses are listed in Appendix A.) The program is managed by more than 20 institutions, including Alstom, Bombardier, RATP, Siemens, and six universities. (The École des Ponts and the University of Valenciennes share the lead responsibility for the program, with the École Centrale Paris, École Centrale Lille, ENTPE [the École Nationale des Travaux Publics de l'état], and the University of Technology of Compiègne also participating.) ICAM (Institut Catholique d Arts et Métiers) offers a master s degree in railway engineering. Candidates need a French engineering diploma or a master s degree or equivalent and at least three years of professional experience to apply. The one-year program includes a four-month internship. Courses include The railway environment, Operation: infrastructure and networks, Production and maintenance of the rolling stock, On-board computers and information management, Traction and braking, Bodies and bogies, Incorporation of equipment, and Project management. The program was developed in partnership with the railway industry to meet the urgent need to recruit qualified engineers in Railway Engineering and to generate specialists for tomorrow s railway world. 10 Students complete 525 hours of coursework and then participate in a four- or five-month project for the railway industry. GERMANY Germany is a leader in university-level transportation and railway education programs in the European Union (EU). The Technical University of Dresden (TUD), known as the power house for rail education, has an entire department devoted to transportation science. The department has almost 2,000 students, and is the only one of its kind in a German university. Offerings include transport engineering and transport economics, interdisciplinary transport related courses, and a comprehensive master s degree in rail system engineering. There are four fields of study in the master s program: 10 way_engineering_general_information.pdf. Accessed Nov. 1, November 16,

13 Railway construction and railway infrastructure, Railway signaling and railway telematics, Railway operation, and Local public transportation. The department has seven transport research institutes, two of which focus on railways. The TUD Institute of Railway Systems and Public Transport provides students with information on planning, construction, and operation of railway systems and public transport including railway, tram, bus, maglev systems and other guided systems. Teaching and research activities are guided by department chairs in rail and public urban transport, planning and design of railway infrastructure, railway signaling and transport safety technology, and transportation systems engineering. Coursework covers the following topics: System-oriented fundamentals in rail traffic and public transportation, Operation management in public transport companies, Planning rail networks, forming schedules, generating duty rosters, developing routes, and conducting performance check-ups, and Sizing railway systems, including principles of operating control and line management. The TUD Institute of Railway Vehicles and Railway Technology instructs students in rail vehicle technology, electric railways, and vehicle modeling and simulation. The Technical University of Berlin offers bachelor s and master s degree programs in transportation systems. The School of Mechanical Engineering and Transport Studies, Department of Land and Sea Transport Systems offers specialized areas of study focusing on rail transport, including track and railway operations, rail vehicles, and electric railway systems. The Technical University of Brunswick s Institute of Railway Systems Engineering and Traffic Safety is a multidisciplinary center for research and teaching. RWTH Aachen University offers industry-oriented education in railway technology at the undergraduate and graduate level. RWTH Aachen houses four transport research institutes: the Institute of Railway Technology, the Institute of Rail Vehicles, the Institute of Automatic Control, and the Institute of Transport Science. The German diploma, which was earned after a five-year program of study and a thesis (equivalent to a bachelor s degree and a master s degree), is largely being replaced by a three-year bachelor s program and a two-year s master s program, with the bachelor s the minimum degree for entry to engineering positions and with the master s becoming more common. Co-op programs November 16,

14 are popular with engineering students: a high school graduate starts working at a rail company as a intern, for example, and then alternates periods of university study with periods of work. SPAIN Similar to the situation in other countries, Spain is facing a shortage of skilled engineers. In response, private industry and academia are teaming up to examine issues facing the railway industry. The Technical University of Madrid s (UPM) Department of Civil Engineering has a six-year program: courses in first four years consist of standard studies, and the next two years are then spent in studying a specialization, one of which is transport. In April 2011, the UPM Railway Technology Research Centre (Citef) hosted the first World Congress on Railway Training. Delegates from 34 countries focused on rail training needs, methodologies, educational issues, and best practices. The congress, which was developed by the International Union of Railways, was aimed at promoting excellence in railway training, spotlighting research findings, and identifying new challenges. Presentations focused on a range of rail training challenges, including shaping the twenty-first century rail workforce, developing education and training for high-skilled jobs in the rail industry, measuring return on investment in training, defining training needs, assessing and using simulation training systems, and customizing training for different demographic groups. The Catalan Government Railways, FGC, is partnering with academic institutions in the region to train the next generation of railway engineers. The director of FGC has taken an active role in updating the coursework for a master s course in railway traction power systems at the Engineering School of Vilanova i la Geltrú (EPSEVG), which specializes in railway studies, and also at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC). 11 Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid sponsors a master s degree in railway systems through the School of Engineering. The objective of the program is to couple a technical career with a master s degree. UNITED KINGDOM The UK higher education system grants civil and environmental degrees, but typically does not offer coursework concentrations. Students complete standard coursework offerings in years one 11 Railway Gazette International, August 21, November 16,

15 and two and may take elective courses in the last year. Undergraduate degree programs are typically three years, and graduate degree programs are four years. The primary rail and transport research effort in the United Kingdom is conducted under Rail Research UK Association (RRUK-A). A partnership between the rail industry and universities in the United Kingdom, it has the following goals: To support and facilitate railway research in academia; To develop a common understanding of research needs to support the rail industry and its development; To identify opportunities for research, development, and application in railway science and engineering; and To provide solutions to the rail industry. It is jointly funded by RSSB, a not-for-profit company whose members include passenger operating companies, infrastructure contractors, and rolling stock leasing companies, and Network Rail, which operates and maintains the tracks, signal systems, tunnels and bridges, and 18 key stations on the British rail system. No undergraduate degree programs in transportation or rail are offered in the United Kingdom. The Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education at the University of Birmingham is considered to be the leader in UK rail training and education. It offers several postgraduate degrees in railway systems engineering and integration, including a master s degree, a postgraduate diploma, and a postgraduate certificate in railway systems engineering and integrations. (Courses are listed in Appendix A.) The program is intended to provide the skills and knowledge required to design and manage successfully the advanced subsystems and complex interfaces characterizing existing and new railways. 12 A one-year full-time (or months part-time) program, the program requires that prospective students have an undergraduate degree in engineering, physics, or other science-related discipline. For those students who have already earned an accredited undergraduate degree, the master s degree meets the requirements for further learning for a chartered engineer (CEng). In 2012, the University of Birmingham will host, in cooperation with the Appalachian State University (North Carolina) the 7 th International Hydrail Conference Accessed Nov. 1, Hydrail refers to hydrogen-powered rail-based technologies. November 16,

16 The Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds is considered one of the world s largest transportation teaching and research departments. The Manchester Metropolitan University Rail Technology Unit researches the dynamic behavior of rail vehicles and their interaction with track. Newcastle University houses NewRail in its School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering. NewRail is a railway research center focused on four rail research priorities: rail freight and logistics, rail infrastructure, rail systems, and rail vehicles. Key areas of research in the rail systems area include Energy, Capacity, Mass reduction, Passenger needs, Condition monitoring, and Railway interoperability. NewRail s applied research projects concentrate on the development and strategic implementation of innovative rail technologies, and they are conducted in consultation with industry and users. Newcastle University s graduate programs include a degree in mechanical and low-carbon transport engineering, which is designed to meet the needs of the country s railway industry and other transport sectors. The combination of a mechanical engineering background with automotive and rail specialisation ensures that graduates have a range of career prospects in the transport industries and beyond. 14 The University of Southampton Railway Systems Research (SR2), based in the School of Civil Engineering and the Environment, undertakes interdisciplinary research on railway systems. Chief among those projects are studies related to railway infrastructure and rail transport operations, planning, and management. BRAZIL Engineers designing rail systems in Brazil have degrees in civil engineering, with a specialization in transportation engineering. Because these engineers receive only rudimentary information about rail transportation at the undergraduate or graduate level, most engineers working on the design and construction of a rail project in Brazil seek to collaborate with their colleagues in Sao 14 Accessed Nov. 1, November 16,

17 Paulo, which has a long history of effective and efficient rail transport, or in Europe. For example, the city s metro system was designed by a group of civil engineers and architects working with Spanish and French colleagues eager to transfer their ideas and technology to Brazil. Since its opening in 1953, the University of Sao Paulo (USP) Department of Civil Engineering has graduated some of the most respected engineers in Brazil. In 2008, it began offering a Certificate of Special Studies in Transport Engineering (Certificado de Estudos Especiais em Engenharia de Transportes). The USP Department of Transportation Engineering (Sao Carlos) offers a master s degree and PhD program in transportation engineering; prerequisites are a degree in basic engineering. The Federal University of Rio de Janeiro does not include rail-related courses at the undergraduate level; a course in the basics of rail systems is, however, offered at the graduate level. The faculty in the Department of Transportation Engineering include 12 professors with PhDs from European universities (six in England, four in France, one in Germany, and one in Portugal). The University of Brasilia s civil engineering curriculum does not include any rail-related courses at the undergraduate level, nor do its graduate programs in transportation engineering include any rail-related courses. The Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG) has a Department of Transportation and Geotechnology Engineering. It has eight faculty in the field of transportation, seven with a PhD (two from Leeds, UK; all others from Brazilian institutions) and one with an MS degree. At the undergraduate level, civil engineering students take some transportation-related courses. An elective course in transport on rails is also offered. A master s degree in transportation engineering is offered, but no rail-related courses are available. The success of the graduate program in transportation, as well as the high demand for transportation engineers, led to the development in 2005 of an option for undergraduate students in civil engineering to specialize in strategic logistics and transportation systems. This specialization takes an additional three semesters, and focuses on fueling station systems. The Federal University of Vicosa (UFV) offers one rail-related course at the undergraduate level. The school also offers an MS and PhD in transportation engineering, but we were unable to identify any rail-related courses. November 16,

18 The Brazilian Council for Urban Transportation (CBTU) organizes one- or two-day forums in main cities that do not yet have a well-developed rail system (such as Fortaleza, Natal, Maceio, Recife, Curitiba, and Porto Alegre) to educate engineers about the value of rail systems in the community. INDIA The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) is a group of seven autonomous engineering and technical institutes of higher education located in seven different cities: IIT Kharagpur IIT Bombay IIT Madras IIT Kanpur IIT Delhi IIT Guwahati IIT Roorkee These institutes award bachelor s of technology (BTech) and master s of technology (MTech) degrees, as well as PhD degrees. Students take a common first-year curriculum. All of the schools list transportation engineering as an area of concentration under their departments of civil engineering; an elective course in public transportation systems covers estimation of public transport demand, route planning techniques, management measures, and institutional and regulatory framework. In addition, IIT Delhi offers a postgraduate diploma in metro rail transport: technology and management. IIT Kharagpur houses a Center for Railway Research. When Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) was facing a shortage of engineers in 2008, managing director E. Sreedharan approached IIT Delhi about developing a course that would focus on all elements of planning and building a metro system. At that time, no Indian university offered a course in metro operations. A DMRC spokesperson emphasized the urgent demand for trained engineers and said, The Metro technology being used is advanced, and aspects of signaling, route designing, automatic fare collection, land acquisition proceedings and rolling stock requirements are not being taught as part of normal engineering courses. 15 For the first phase of metro construction, DMRC sent its engineers to other countries to learn about metro technologies. For the second phase, which would triple the size of the system, DMRC estimated that it would need 2,000 additional engineers which was the impetus for the initiation of a diploma in metro rail transport (technology and management) at IIT Delhi in Accessed Nov. 1, November 16,

19 In 2010, Sreedharan decried the severe shortage of engineers for infrastructure projects, saying we are not being able to meet our country s infrastructure needs. 16 A year later, and with reference to the growing number of metro projects in phases of planning, design, or construction (including Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Jaipur), Sreedharan urged the Ministry of Human Resource Development to establish a metro rail engineering program in engineering colleges throughout India. 17 The Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering (IRICEN), Pune, is part of India s Ministry of Railways. An independent training institute not associated with a university, it provides inhouse training for newly hired railway civil engineers, as well as more experienced engineers. The training modules are designed to meet the specific and evolving needs of the railways. The Institute of Rail Transport (IRT) provides continuing education to engineering graduates and workers in the rail industry. The Center for Environmental Planning and Technology University (CEPT) in Ahmedabad provides master s level programs in urban transport planning (a master s in urban transport planning and management and a professional master s program in urban transport planning and management for those already working in the field). The master s degree is a two-year program, and applicants must have a bachelor s degree in civil or environmental engineering or architecture. The Ministry of Urban Development has named CEPT as a Centre of Excellence in the area of urban transport and research. The Master Program in Infrastructure Engineering and Management (MIEM) is a two-year, fulltime program jointly offered by the Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, and the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Four specializations are currently offered: transport infrastructure, urban infrastructure, environmental infrastructure, and real estate infrastructure. An elective course in public transportation covers the planning and design of urban public transport systems (light rail and metro rail, as well as bus and railway, facilities). 16 India facing dearth of civil engineers: Sreedharan. zeenews.india.com/news/nation/india-facing-dearth-of-civilengineers-sreedharan_ html. Accessed Nov. 1, DMRC urges HRD Ministry to introduce Metro Rail engineering course, Jagran Post, May 11, post.jagran.com/dmrc-urges-hrd-ministry-to-introduce-metro-rail-engineering-course Accessed Nov. 1, November 16,

20 CHINA AND TAIWAN The most comprehensive higher education transportation and rail engineering programs are found in China and Taiwan. Universities have a long tradition of educating students for very specific occupations in transportation. The universities offer students bachelor s, master s, and doctorate degrees in civil engineering, as well as in transportation and rail engineering. The institutions frequently have specific schools devoted to transportation, and the degrees awarded are more specific than in US counterparts. For example, a student in the United States may earn a degree in civil engineering with a concentration in transportation. In China, the degree is awarded in the concentration e.g., a master s degree in road and railway engineering, master s degree in vehicle operation engineering, or master s degree in traffic information engineering and control. The top technical universities have entire institutes devoted to public transport and rail research efforts. Tongji University (Shanghai) is considered the top university in transportation engineering in China. In addition to a College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University has a College of Traffic and Transportation Engineering dedicated to roads and airports, traffic engineering, transportation management, and traffic information engineering. In the College of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, three research institutes focus on traffic and transportation. Tongji awards bachelor s degrees in traffic engineering, traffic and transportation, and logistics engineering; and master s degrees in road and railway engineering, traffic and transportation planning and management, traffic information engineering and control, and transport facility exertion engineering. The doctoral and postdoctoral programs have subfields in railway engineering. (Courses are listed in Appendix A.) Southeast University in Nanjing is considered an excellent university for the study of transportation engineering. Its School of Transportation offers undergraduate programs in traffic engineering and transportation engineering and graduate programs in traffic information engineering and control; transportation planning and management; highway and railway engineering; and vehicle operation engineering. (Courses are listed in Appendix A.) South China University of Technology (Guangzhou) is considered the top transportation engineering university in south China. Its School of Civil Engineering and Transportation offers undergraduate degrees in traffic and transportation engineering and graduate degrees in traffic information engineering and control; transportation planning and management; and highway and railway engineering. (Courses are listed in Appendix A.) November 16,

21 National Taiwan University, Department of Civil Engineering, lists 26 transportation courses, including three devoted to railway and rail transit. The university has ties to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Professor Kao, who developed and taught the inaugural course on high-speed rail at UIUC, is a graduate of National Taiwan University (he also holds a master s degree and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley), and Yung-Cheng (Rex) Lai, an associate professor at National Taiwan University, worked with UIUC to initiate the rail course. Southwest Jiaotong University (SWJTU, and originally known as the Imperial Chinese Railway College) is considered the cradle for Chinese railway engineers. Located in Chengdu (Sichuan Province), it offers programs in civil engineering, transportation engineering, and railway engineering. SWJTU was born for the rail and develops at the rails. The toil, tears, sweat, and wisdom of SWJTU alumni saturate the rail projects throughout China. 18 Lanzhou Jiaotong University (formerly Lanzhou Railway University) has trained more than 50,000 engineers and managers in railways and local transportation. The degree programs include a wide range of transportation-related programs at the doctoral, master s and bachelor s level (including highway and railway engineering, transportation planning and management, transportation information engineering and control, vehicle engineering, and signal and information processing). The university has a School of Civil Engineering, a School of Traffic and Transportation, and a School of Electronic and Information Engineering. Beijing Jiaotong University has a School of Traffic and Transportation with six departments devoted to transportation: urban rail traffic, a system engineering and control institute, a system sciences institute, transportation management engineering, traffic engineering, and traffic information management engineering. Dr. Mei Han, associate professor in the School of Traffic and Transportation, spent a six-month sabbatical at the Michigan Tech Rail Transportation Program in JAPAN Japan s Nihon University, College of Science and Technology, has a graduate program in transportation engineering and sociotechnology. The program offers two courses of study: engineering and management. There is no concentration on railway technology. Graduates work in the fields of train operation control systems, transport logistics, road traffic control, and intelligent transportation systems. 18 english.swjtu.edu.cn/(s(a0pbjy454axptyy0z53vfdz5))/public/viewclass.aspx?menu=1&classname=about& ITEMS=Message%20from%20the%20President%7COverview%7CUniversity%20Leadership%7CAdministration% 7CHistory&TYPE=1%7C2%7C14%7C15%7C3&INDEX=1. Accessed Nov. 1, November 16,

22 The Japan International Transportation Institute (JITI) was incorporated as a not-for-profit research organization on August 22, 2008, in Washington, D.C. JITI s mission is to conduct comprehensive research of contemporary transportation issues and make recommendations regarding US and international transportation policies. In January 2011, JITI and several Japanese ministries co-hosted a high speed rail seminar that brought together speakers from the United States and Japan to discuss the future of US high speed rail, specifically in California. Conclusions This report provides an overview of the engineering education programs for transit and rail engineers in the United States and several other countries. The information collected leads to the following comments: The shortage of well-qualified transit and rail engineers is a worldwide issue, based on information from transit professionals and other sources in all countries studied. Countries that maintained a healthy passenger rail system over the past 40 years have retained strong university programs in rail engineering and management. Most undergraduate civil engineering degree programs in other countries include at least one introductory transportation course. None of the US schools studied offer a graduate degree in rail engineering or transportation engineering; however, some of those schools offer a concentration in transportation in their graduate-level civil engineering programs. All of the foreign schools studied offer master s degrees in rail engineering or transportation engineering. Industry can play an important role in defining the need for rail and transit engineering programs for undergraduate and graduate students. Interest in the shortage of rail and transit engineers and professionals in the United States is growing, as evidenced by recent research projects funded by the US Department of Education and the Federal Railroad Administration. Private industry plays a significant role in funding and supporting interdisciplinary rail and transit academic research centers in the EU and Asia. November 16,

23 Appendix A Sample Curricula UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION All students take the following modules Railway Systems Integration Research Project Research Skills and Research Environment Plus 10 or 20 credits from the following technical modules Railway Rolling Stock Systems Design Railway Traction Systems Design Railway Infrastructure and Track Systems Train Control Systems Engineering Ergonomics and Human Factors for Railways Plus 10 or 20 credits from the following management modules Strategic Management of Railway Operations Systems Engineering and Integration for Dependability Railway Economics and Technology Management FRANCE PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE IN RAILWAY AND GUIDED TRANSPORT SYSTEMS Common core History, institutions and territories of rail and guided transport systems Economics of transports and their application to railways System analysis and project management General principles of engineering and management of railway systems Parameters influencing the institutional, industrial, and technological development of railway transport Railway safety Rail transport management option Transport economics Economics of rail and guided transports and the issue of sustainable development Sustainable development of territories and railway transport Structural development of passenger demand Development of demand and specific technology for freight transport Urban and regional transports Management of railway companies Preparing and implementing transport plans Traffic management and allocation of resources November 16,

24 Facing real life cases: adapting system management to unexpected circumstances or demands, to critical situations Engineering option Main architectural choices for guided transport systems Performances of Transport Systems Management of Transport Systems Main choices and constraints for civil engineering and Infrastructures Electro-mechanic components - Maintenance of infrastructures Controls and signalling: concepts holding for all applications Controls and signalling: specific issues for railway and urban systems General architectural and design criteria for rail vehicles Energy, propulsion and braking systems Bodywork and fitting out, passenger comfort Professional thesis TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF DRESDEN (GERMANY) Master s degree program in rail systems engineering courses include: Transport systems theory and modeling Management of transport companies Rail systems Management of railways Operational planning in public transport Light rail vehicles Planning and design of railway facilities Security planning Safe circuit, computer, and communication technology Train operation management Trnasport and infrastructure planning Planning process chains in rail Urban and regional public trnasport TONGJI UNIVERSITY (SHANGHAI) Graduate courses related to public transport and rail engineering Public Transport System November 16,

25 Rail Transit Control and Management Rail Transit Operation Management Theory Intelligent Transportation System Undergraduate courses related to public transport and rail engineering Transportation Engineering Overview Traffic Engineering Transportation Planning Traffic Control and Management Traffic Design Traffic Design Case Analysis Passenger Transportation System Railway and Urban Rail Transit Engineering Track Engineering Railway Operation Management SOUTHEAST UNIVERSITY (NANJING) Graduate courses related to public transport and rail engineering Public Transit System Planning and Management Transportation System Planning, Organization and Operation Management Rail Transit Operation Management Undergraduate Courses related to public transport and rail engineering Transportation Planning Traffic Control and Management Traffic Design Traffic Analysis Intelligent Transportation System Transportation System Planning and Design Passenger Transportation Operation Management SOUTH CHINA UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (GUANGZHOU) Graduate courses related to public transport and rail engineering Public Transit System Planning and Management November 16,

26 Passenger Transportation System Analysis Undergraduate courses related to public transport and rail engineering Transportation Engineering Overview Traffic Analysis Transportation Planning Traffic Control and Management Traffic Design Traffic Flow Theory and Highway Capacity Intelligent Transportation System Passenger Transportation System Analysis Rail Transit Planning and Design November 16,

27 Appendix B Websites University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign cee.illinois.edu/transeng Penn State Altoona University of Wisconsin Madison epdweb.engr.wisc.edu/ Michigan Tech Transportation Institute University of Tennessee s Center for Transportation Research ctr.utk.edu/ ICAM Lille Technical University of Dresden tu-dresden.de/die_tu_dresden/fakultaeten/vkw/ Technical University of Berlin Technical University of Brunswick RWTH Aachen University Technical University of Madrid Engineering School of Vilanova i la Geltrú Polytechnic University of Catalonia Rail Research UK Association (RRUK-A) University of Birmingham Manchester Metropolitan University Newcastle University University of Southampton University of São Paulo Federal University of Rio de Janeiro University of Brasilia Federal University of Minas Gerais Federal University of Vicosa Indian Institute of Technology (ITT) IIT Kharagpur IIT Bombay IIT Madras IIT Kanpur IIT Delhi IIT Guwahati November 16,

28 IIT Roorkee Indian Railways Institute of Civil Engineering Institute of Rail Transport Center for Environmental Planning and Technology University Master Program in Infrastructure Engineering and Management global.ntu.edu.sg/joint/ Tongji University civileng.tongji.edu.cn/en/ Southeast University South China University of Technology en.scut.edu.cn/ National Taiwan University Southwest Jiaotong University english.swjtu.edu.cn/ Lanzhou Jiaotong University Beijing Jiaotong University :8080/english/ Nihon University Japan International Transportation Institute November 16,