Closing a chapter: STREnGth_M’s contribution to sustainable road transport
- Thamires Pecis
- 15 minutes ago
- 3 min read
After three years of collaboration, the STREnGth_M project (Stimulating Road Transport Research in Europe and around the Globe for Sustainable Mobility) has come to an end.
Funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme, STREnGth_M brought together people from academia, industry, public institutions and international organisations to look at a shared challenge: how to make road transport research in Europe more connected, better coordinated and more responsive to the changes ahead.
Rather than focusing on a specific technology or pilot, the project worked across the broader research landscape. It helped connect conversations taking place across research, policy and international cooperation, making it easier to identify common priorities and areas where stronger collaboration is still needed.
Where road transport research is heading
One of the project’s main contributions was supporting discussions on the future of road transport research in Europe. STREnGth_M contributed to the work of the European Road Transport Research Advisory Council (ERTRAC), which brings together stakeholders from across the sector to reflect on long-term priorities.
This connects with initiatives such as ERTRAC Vision 2050, which looks at how Europe can continue developing road transport systems that are safe, efficient and sustainable. That includes questions around the movement of people and goods, ways to reduce environmental impacts, and how infrastructure and safety systems need to adapt as mobility patterns continue to change.
These exchanges also helped bring attention to areas where further research and cooperation will be important, including digital mobility ecosystems, resource efficiency, changing travel behaviour and infrastructure resilience. Together, they show that road transport does not evolve in isolation, but in close connection with fields such as energy, urban planning and digital technologies.
Building a clearer picture of the research landscape
Another important part of the project focused on how research initiatives and funding programmes connect across Europe.
Partners looked at the relationship between European, national and regional programmes, identifying where stronger alignment could support better collaboration. Based on this work, STREnGth_M developed resources to help stakeholders better understand the road transport research landscape and identify opportunities for exchange.
These resources include interactive maps and fact sheets covering research priorities, programmes and value chains across EU Member States. They offer a more accessible overview of how different countries are approaching sustainable mobility and where shared priorities may open space for collaboration.
The growing importance of skills and learning
The project also drew attention to a challenge that continues to grow across the sector: the need for skills that keep pace with change.
As road transport evolves through digitalisation, electrification and new mobility models, education and continuous learning become increasingly important. STREnGth_M highlighted the value of training opportunities that respond to these shifts while encouraging closer cooperation between universities, industry and policymakers. It also pointed to the importance of continuous professional development and shared certification approaches in supporting a workforce that is better prepared for a changing mobility landscape.
What remains after the project
Although STREnGth_M has now come to a close, the work it supported continues.
The resources developed through the project, along with the connections built over the past three years, remain useful for ongoing discussions on road transport research and policy in Europe and beyond. More than a single result, STREnGth_M leaves behind stronger links between people, institutions and areas of knowledge that will continue shaping the sector in the years ahead.
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