Academics4Rail Deliverable 2.2: Position paper on detected research gaps and proposals to cover them

European railways research plays a pivotal role in advancing transportation infrastructure, promoting sustainability, and reinforcing Europe’s global leadership in railway innovation. As rail transport increasingly contributes to Europe’s decarbonization objectives and digital transformation agenda, it becomes imperative for academic research initiatives to align with the broader priorities of the railway sector. This position paper aims to identify critical gaps in current research activities, synthesizing insights from the UIC 12 Capabilities assessment and academic surveys on future research areas. It further delineates strategic actions designed to address these gaps, thereby fostering sustained development, innovation, and competitiveness within the European railway industry. The following conclusions are achieved. a. Identification of Critical Research Areas Identified. Key research priorities include automation, energy efficiency, digital twin technology, AI in railway safety, and cybersecurity. These fields require sustained investment and cross-sector collaboration to realize their potential. b. Need for Greater Industry-Academic Integration. While academia plays a vital role in railway research, closer integration with industry stakeholders is needed to translate research into deployable solutions. Enhanced collaboration mechanisms can help bridge this gap with a focus on data sharing and open sandboxes for testing developed tools. c. Sustainability as a Core Priority. Environmental sustainability remains at the forefront of European railway research, with significant emphasis on energy conservation, emissions reduction, and circular economy principles. Future research should continue to build on the strategic European research advantage and emphasize eco-friendly solutions. d. Emerging Research Challenges. Areas such as multimodal transport integration, resilience of railway infrastructure, and AI-driven decision support systems require further exploration and increased research support. Addressing these challenges will be critical to the future competitiveness of the European railway sector, with the changing social, security, and industrial drivers in these fields. e. Strong Alignment with European Goals. The current research landscape, including Shift2Rail and Europe's Rail Joint Undertaking, demonstrates significant alignment with European railway innovation priorities and the priorities outlined by the EU Strategic Transport Research and Innovation Agenda. The transition from S2R to ERJU has reinforced a targeted approach toward the development of innovation pillars that showed the continuation of new projects. With the maturation of these innovation pillars, there is a need for renewed discussion on innovation pillars, with a focus on fundamental research. (Low urgency, high impact, high feasibility) f. Systematic Approach to Research Gaps. The identification and prioritization of research gaps highlight the importance of structured research planning. The adoption of systematic roadmaps, such as those developed in the RAILS project, ensures research efforts remain focused and impactful. Further analyses into other emerging research themes, including Advanced Design, manufacturing, and materials, railway system resilience, railway education and skills development, and railway economics and business models should be considered to ensure research alignment with the railway sector. g. Framework for Future Collaboration. The establishment of the Academics4Rail initiative and its integration with ERRAC and ERJU represents a positive step toward unifying European railway research efforts and providing input from the academic research community. Ongoing dialogue between stakeholders will be essential for fostering a cohesive research ecosystem. Periodic and systematic discussion forums have been proposed to improve the integration of the academic research community with the railway sector. These recommendations and conclusions provide a structured pathway for advancing European railway research, ensuring alignment with long-term transport and sustainability goals.