Agreement on Technical and Research Cooperation between AFER and IK signed in Bucharest on 4th July 2016
The delegation of the IK (the Railway Institute) paid a visit to Romania on 4–5 July 2016. The Institute was represented by Dr Andrzej Massel – Deputy Director for Studies and Research Projects, and Mr Zbigniew Szafrański – Head of Unit for Coordination of Projects and International Cooperation.
The first day saw, during an official meeting of the IK delegation with Mr Dragoş Floroiu – General Director of AFER (Romanian Railway Authority), and his collaborators, conclusion of the Agreement on Technical and Research Cooperation between parties.
AFER and IK initiated contacts in 2013. The representatives of parties participated in technical conferences either in Poland, or in Romania. Some scientific articles has been published in their journals. But the event in June 2016 – the celebrations of 20th Anniversary of the Test Railway Ring in Żmigród (operated by IK) speeded up the formal arrangements. This was also supported by a proposal from Romanian colleagues to initiate more strict cooperation between research units operating railway test rings in the world (there are 8 such rings).
The Agreement focuses on following areas of cooperation:
(1) Exchange of researchers, technical personnel and other experts when practical;
(2) Exchange of publications and information of scientific and technical nature;
(3) Invitations to seminars, symposia, other meetings and trainings;
(4) Hosting technical visits when mutually agreeable;
(5) Implementation of joint projects on subject of mutual interests.
It opens room not only for common participation in research projects, but also for every-day contacts between experts from both parties.
The next day the IK delegation was presented with capabilities of the AFER Test Center in Făurei, either the test ring track, or laboratories located there. Both parties, AFER and IK, had successfully in the past used their test rings for demonstration of results of European projects, executed in the frames of the UE FP7. Though the technical parameters of AFER and IK rings differs from each other, the experts could see the potential for cooperation also in that area.
