The Railway Industry Association (RIA) has announced the dates of its various technical conferences for 2021, including the Unlocking Innovation programme.
The overarching theme for Unlocking Innovation will be Railway of the Future – to look at how innovation can help spur a recovery from Coronavirus in the short-term, and build a greener, passenger-focused and more reliable network in the long run.
The full programme for the year includes:
- Talks on Building Back Better at the Rail Innovation Exhibition with DfT, KTN and Innovate UK – 9-12 February 2021, Online
- RIA’s Innovation Conference – 28-30 April 2021, Online
- Whole System Innovation – 13-14 May 2021, Online
- Data Driven Maintenance – 5-9 July 2021
- UI Knowledge Hub at Railtex/Infrarail 2021 – 7-9 September 2021
- Climate Change and Resilience – 11-15 October 2021
- CP6 Half-way Portfolio Review – 13-16 December 2021
David Clarke, technical director at the Railway Industry Association, commented: “It is great to be back with RIA’s Unlocking Innovation programme in 2021. We have a really exciting line-up of events which will cover many of the key challenges facing our industry in the years ahead. Our overarching theme will look at developing the Railway of the Future, with each event looking at a key topic within this theme, including the evolving uses of data, the need to digitalise and decarbonise before 2050, and how we deliver whole-system innovation.
“Our Unlocking Innovation programme is fundamentally about bringing together innovative clients and rail businesses and showcasing the work they are doing to address client challenges. We look forward to continue working with our strategic partners Network Rail and UKRRIN, as well as with stakeholders across the industry to help drive innovation in the sector even further in 2021.”
RIA’s Unlocking Innovation brings together leading innovators, clients and policymakers from across the sector and beyond, to showcase some of the leading technologies and projects in rail, and help companies overcome obstacles to innovation. Network Rail and the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN) are strategic partners for the programme.
