UITP Academy's Impact on Elevating Expertise in Asia-Pacific's Public Transport Sector: A Year of Learning and Collaboration

UITP Academy has been at the forefront of empowering professionals in public transport, ushering in a new era of training and development. Collaborating with regional partners and leveraging its local expertise, UITP Academy has significantly contributed to enhancing relevant skills and knowledge within the industry, shaping a more promising future.

Throughout 2023, UITP Academy and its Regional Training Centres and partners offered a diverse range of training programmes tailored to meet the evolving needs of the public transport sector across the Asia-Pacific region. These meticulously crafted trainings sought to transcend traditional classroom settings, fostering an environment that encouraged interaction, idea exchange, and shared experiences among participants, international experts, and industry professionals.

Building on the success of its North American endeavours, UITP Academy strategically extended its collaborative reach to the Asia-Pacific region. The Academy forged alliances by partnering with local public transport entities, such as LTA Academy, Centre for Training Excellence, and the Regional Training Centre, Shenzhen Bus Group (SZBG), further expanding its global impact.

In a critical move, UITP Academy also joined forces with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to orchestrate a highly successful three-day training programme on ‘Public Transport Fundamentals‘ in Manila from 22-24 August. Esteemed experts, including Emre Kiran, Alok Jain, and Guido Bruggeman, led the initiative, underscoring the collaborative commitment to advancing knowledge in public transport.

The end of 2023 highlighted another notable collaboration. At the 22nd UITP Asia-Pacific Annual Meeting 2023 in Hong Kong, UITP Academy expanded its network by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Prasarana Malaysia Berhad, adding another distinguished organisation to its roster of training collaborators. This strategic alliance marks the beginning of the collaboration with Prasarana in 2024, reinforcing UITP Academy’s dedication to cultivating excellence and promoting the exchange of knowledge within the public transport sector across diverse regions.

The collaboration with LTA Academy led to the launch of impactful courses such as ‘Transit Oriented Development‘ and ‘Ticketing and Fare Management,’ drawing upon international perspectives while incorporating hands-on experiences. These sessions, steered by expert trainers from diverse global backgrounds, offered a rich and diverse learning environment.

Similarly, the partnership with Shenzhen Bus Group resulted in virtual classroom programmes focused on ‘Electromobility in Public Transport‘ and ‘Electric Bus Operations & Maintenance.’ These sessions, facilitated by global experts, delved into critical technological aspects and operational strategies essential for a sustainable public transport ecosystem.

With ADB, the ‘Public Transport Fundamentals‘ training programme endeavoured to provide participants with essential knowledge about public transport and sustainable urban mobility. Prior to its start, a crucial planning session engaged key stakeholders, including transport directors from ADB and the UITP Academy team.

This inaugural session aimed to establish a robust foundation for an impactful educational training programme and foster future collaborations between ADB and UITP. The culmination of the three-day training was marked by a conclusive wrap-up meeting on day four, where key takeaways and future learning recommendations were discussed.

UITP Academy’s dedication to excellence in training and development positions it as a cornerstone for professionals navigating the challenges and embracing opportunities in the dynamic Asia-Pacific public transport sector.

The collaborative efforts between UITP Academy and its regional partners underscore a commitment to fostering innovation and excellence within the industry. The successes of 2023 and the ambitious roadmap for 2024 display UITP Academy’s unwavering commitment to empowering professionals and shaping a more sustainable and efficient public transport network in the Asia-Pacific region.

Calendar for 2024 in the Asia-Pacific region

UITP Academy has finalised its training calendar for 2024. The training programme list includes:

• 4 – 8 March: (In-Person/In-house) Public Transport Essentials for Executives for Prasarana Malaysia Berhad
• 24 – 26 April: (In-Person) Traffic Management with LTA Academy Singapore
• 20 – 29 May: (Online) ITS and Infrastructure for Public Transport with Shenzhen Bus Group
• 19 – 21 June: (In-Person) Information Travel Design, Signage & Wayfinding with LTA Academy Singapore
• 19 – 26 Sep: (Online) Enhancing Passenger Experience using MaaS with LTA Academy Singapore
• 11 – 13 Nov: (In-Person) Diploma Programme for Public Transport Managers (Module 3) with MTR Corporation Hong Kong
• 18 – 22 Nov: (In-Person) Electric Bus Week & Study Tour with Shenzhen Bus Group
• 25 – 27 Nov: (In-Person) Rail Service Resilience, Disruption Management & Emergency Preparedness with LTA Academy Singapore