Co-funded call for proposals in the frame of the ERA-NET « Urban Accessibility and Connectivity » to fund research and innovation dealing with urban accessibility and connectivity

Within the framework of the ERA-NET « Urban Accessibility and Connectivity » under its coordination, the French National Research Agency (ANR) is launching, in collaboration with 22 other partners from 15 countries, a call for proposals, co-funded by the European Commission, to fund transnational research and innovation projects dealing with sustainable urban accessibility and connectivity.

Sustainable urban accessibility and connectivity is defined as the ease with which activities and opportunities may be reached in an urban transport system, with lower negative environmental impacts. Network connectivity reflects the directness of routes, using different modes to travel between points. It applies both for passenger and freight transport.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Urban accessibility and connectivity is one of the six topics included in the first Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda of the JPI Urban Europe. Based on this agenda in the frame of the JPI Urban Europe, it is then the first call for proposals that is launched in this field.

The overall objectives of this call for proposals is:

• to support transnational research and innovation projects in the field of urban accessibility and connectivity ;
• to establish transnational research and innovation projects between public and private research entities, cities/municipalities/regions, citizens’ representatives, NGOs…;
• to develop the involvement of the stakeholders (partners who implement in the field results from research) in consortia in order to better ensure the translation of the research towards transport and mobility policies;

The call for proposals applies both for passenger and freight transport.

TOPICS OF THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS

The results of the funded projects are expected to make a clear contribution to the attainment of relevant urban, regional, national and European EU Transport Policy objectives. Each proposal must be attached to at least one challenge that are described in detail in the call text:

Challenge 1: Evolving solutions for an integrated approach on sustainable urban physical mobility and transport, land use and digital connectivity

Challenge 2: Develop and support the implementation of innovative mobility systems and services with a potential to contribute to sustainable urban mobility

Challenge 3: Transform and re-organise urban spaces to pave the ground for sustainable urban mobility and accessibility at local level, from the street scale to the district

Challenge 4: Develop effective policy options for achieving a shift towards sustainable urban accessibility and connectivity

Challenge 5: Change behaviours and perspectives towards sustainable urban accessibility and connectivity

This call for proposals is based on two submission pathways:

• a “research pathway” to support projects aiming at producing knowledge, analysing data, better understanding and modelling phenomena and developing expertise and tools that will be useful to stakeholders, practitioners and policy makers. This pathway welcomes proposals mainly focused on basic and/or applied research;
• an “innovation pathway” to support projects aiming at developing or improving practical, operational solutions – technological and organisational - for companies, local communities and authorities in charge of urban transport and urban planning and management. This pathway welcomes proposals mainly focused on applied research and innovation;

Each proposal must choose one of the two pathways, depending on its main purpose. Research/innovation is seen as a continuum and most projects will be a mix of both. However, to help ensure a balanced portfolio, we are asking applicants to identify which pathway is the best fit. For proposals combining both research and innovation approaches, the Main Applicant has to choose the pathway that is the most relevant considering the main objective and major novelty brought by his project.

More information about this point in included in the call text.

APPLICATION TO THE CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Sixteen countries participate in the call for proposals: Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey and United Kingdom.

Projects funded under the present call for proposals will have a minimum consortium size of three partners from three different participating countries. Within each selected consortium, funding for participating beneficiaries will be provided by their respective national funding agencies in accordance with their terms and conditions of funding. Thus, the ANR will fund only the French teams