In the early 1990s, the European Union (EU) launched a harmonization policy to improve the performance of the European Railway System. Providing the interoperability of railway networks in different European countries became the crucial point of this harmonization process. Due to the utilisation of Technical Specifications for Interoperability (TSIs) it was aimed to have an integrated European railway network in terms of infrastructure, rolling stock, signalling, electrification and other subsystems of the rail system. Safety plays a central role in the interoperability within this integrated European railway network. Safety Management System (SMS) was developed to sustain the operations of the rail subsystems safely. Within SMS, the definitions of safety critical railway operations were determined.
Keeping updated with the state-of-the-art European railway interoperability and common standards is a major challenge in harmonizing the railway education (both in undergraduate and graduate studies) and training modules. In addition to that, the technological advancements, which set a higher standard for the railway personnel assigned to undertake the safety-critical operations such as operating trains and maintaining infrastructure and rolling stocks, add to the pressure of standardizing the educational packages for railway personnel all over Europe.
In this regard, the aim of this project is to enhance a high percentage match between new graduates from the railway departments/programs of the vocational transportation schools and the human resources requirements for the safety critical railway operations by means of improving the offered syllabus at those schools and producing standardized educational modules. Besides, appropriate occupational standards will be upgraded, education modules and education materials will be developed to increase the professional knowledge, skills and competencies of the current and potential personnel. As a result, it can be stated that there exist two primary target groups of this project. The first group includes the people who have completed vocational high school education and who are willing to receive education and/or training on safety critical railway operation systems. The second group includes the people who are currently working in the railway sector.
People working in the field of railway transportation within railroad construction, railway electrification and signalling systems, railroad transportation management sub-sections are required to have certain set of skills and education in EU countries. There is a great correlation between well-equipped personnel and safe running of the whole railway traffic system. It will be one of the most important achievements of this project to initialize the education of highly qualified personnel that will improve the safe and sustainable railway transportation in the forthcoming years. Also, the joint effort between the project partners will allow the spreading of beneficial and practical applications throughout the European Union.
With the Erasmus+ Program, education and training have been provided to people of all ages and disciplines to increase their personal development and employment opportunities. In line with this program, this project has been developed for ensuring railway safety and improving the quality of Union railway network services with “Development of Education Modules for Safety Critical Railway Operation Systems.”