Invest in Your Expertise: iRAP Training & Accreditation News
2024 has been a another pivotal year for iRAP's training and accreditation program. We've continued our commitment to building capacity and empowering professionals worldwide to make roads safer.
Key Highlights:
Most recently, we have just migrated our training platform to Moodle 4. This transition marks a strategic milestone in our ongoing journey to enhance the learning experience, building on the reliability of Moodle 3 with upgraded capabilities that support more intuitive, interactive, and effective training. With this shift, we are opening up new avenues for automating onboarding processes, making it easier for users to access and engage with training resources seamlessly. ? We look forward to leveraging Moodle 4’s advanced tools and features to provide a more dynamic, efficient, and enjoyable learning environment for everyone. ?
Best regards,
Franco Azzato Paz , Training and Accreditation Coordinator, iRAP
Africa Road Safety Seminar 2024: A Resounding Success
The?Africa Road Safety Seminar 2024, held on October 8-9 in Nairobi, Kenya, was a resounding success, bringing together over 200 attendees from across the African continent and featuring more than 40 local and international experts.
The event was a platform for rich and insightful discussions on critical road safety issues. Participants had the opportunity to learn from each other, share experiences, and explore innovative solutions. Key topics covered included:
The seminar highlighted the importance of partnerships and collaboration in addressing the complex challenges of road safety in Africa. Participants emphasized the need for increased data sharing to inform evidence-based decision-making and promote more effective interventions.
By fostering dialogue and knowledge exchange, the Africa Road Safety Seminar 2024 has inspired participants to work together to create a safer future for all.
As part of the Africa Road Safety Seminar, ?two interactive “Safer School Journey Walkshops” equipped participants with innovative tools including the iRAP?Star Rating for Schools (SR4S)?and the?Youth Engagement App (YEA). These sessions aimed to empower participants to enhance road safety for school journeys through hands-on learning and data-driven approaches.?
Event Summary: RAP in Europe 2024
In September, iRAP hosted a gathering of 40 European partners in Brussels to accelerate progress towards safer mobility in both urban and rural environments. The event focused on sharing best practices, exploring innovative tools like CycleRAP and Star Rating for Schools, and discussing the implementation of the new RISM Directive. By leveraging the iRAP methodology and collaborating with key stakeholders, the European road safety community is working towards a future with fewer road deaths and injuries.
iRAP Practical Skills Training: Designs to achieve Global Road Safety Targets
As part of the IRF World Congress?last month?in Istanbul, iRAP hosted a Practical Skills Training session, focussing on 'Designs to achieve Global Road Safety Targets'.?
Road designers and engineers from 24 countries attended the practical training focussed on safe road design, a cornerstone for sustainable mobility and resilient infrastructure. The session included hands-on use of tools that can help achieve UN Global Road Safety Performance Target 3, including the newly released enhanced?Star Rating for Designs?Web App.
Dominic Waterhouse, Civil Engineer from Arup Perth (Australia) also shared the Tonkin Highway Extension Project Case Study. Using the Star Rating for Designs (SR4D) tool, road engineers and designers can define a road’s geometry and code its features to obtain a globally recognised iRAP safety Star Rating, along with fatal and serious injury estimations, and safety investment plans to optimise safety.
New enhancements of the SR4D tool were announced yesterday and include:
? providing a more powerful toolset for creating and editing road geometry,
? streamlining the design process;
? new capability to import images and mapping files for precise geo-location;
? improved dataset management;
? and capability to submit datasets for quality assurance, further improving the integrity of road safety assessments in meeting the 3-star or better global standard and UN Target 3 for new roads. ?
Interview with Sabri Hamza: A Passionate Advocate for Road Safety (and iRAP volunteer!)
We were fortunate to have Sabri Hamza join us as a volunteer intern at iRAP recently. It was a pleasure to have Sabri as part of the #RAPTeam and very much appreciate his contribution, in particular to the Training and Accreditation activities. We asked Sabri to share his experiences with us and discuss his passion for road safety. Read his responses below.
Q: Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background?
A: My name is Sabri Hamza, a 24-year-old from Sfax, Tunisia. I hold a master’s degree in Geotechnical Engineering and am fluent in Arabic, French, and English. My journey into road safety was sparked by my passion for triathlons and the realization of the dangers faced by vulnerable road users.
Q: How did you first become interested in road safety?
A: My personal experiences with road safety issues, particularly while cycling and running, ignited my interest. I saw firsthand the risks faced by vulnerable road users and was determined to make a difference.
Q: What role has iRAP played in your journey?
A: iRAP has been instrumental in shaping my career path. I was introduced to the iRAP methodology through my professor, Ahmed Ksentini, and was immediately drawn to its focus on data-driven road safety solutions. With Professor Ksentini, I had the opportunity to work on an iRAP project for the World Bank (which I then presented as my master’s thesis at the University of Sfax). After that, I completed my iRAP Star Rating Essentials accreditations and began working on iRAP projects.
During my two-month internship with iRAP, I had the opportunity to assist with the Training Accreditation Coordinator, Franco Azzato, with updating the Star Rating Essentials course and the Star Rating for Schools course in different languages. These activities taught me a lot about paying attention to detail. I also had the opportunity to work on the PHOEBE project, where I was able to use my skills and update coding files to show changes from an old road to the new one in Athens.
My internship at iRAP further solidified my passion for road safety and allowed me to contribute to global efforts.
This experience was rewarding and one of the best things I’ve done. I met amazing people, formed lasting friendships, and learned a lot about road safety.
Q: What are your future goals in the field of road safety?
A: I aspire to continue working towards a future where roads are safer for everyone. I plan to use my skills and knowledge to improve road infrastructure, participate in iRAP projects, and share road safety knowledge globally. I’m particularly interested in innovative solutions and youth engagement to drive positive change.
Q: What advice would you give to young people who are passionate about road safety?
A: My advice is to seize opportunities, be proactive, and network with like-minded individuals. Don’t be afraid to reach out to organizations like iRAP and volunteer your time. By working together, we can make a significant impact on global road safety.
Thank you Sabri for your help and support over the past few months – greatly appreciated!
Want to reach out to Sabri? You can connect with him on?LinkedIn here
iRAP offers comprehensive online training courses to equip professionals with the skills to assess road safety risks and implement effective solutions.
The updated?Star Rating Essentials self-paced online training course is now?available in multiple languages
领英推荐
?iRAP is now offering a learn at your own pace course on CycleRAP essentials with 3 modules.? <Click here for more information or to register
Coming soon......
Star Rating?for Schools Training: Now in 5 Languages!
The updated?Star Rating for Schools (SR4S)?online course, developed by iRAP with support from?Millennium Challenge Corporation, is now available in a range of languages.
This expansion provides crucial training opportunities for a wider audience interested in improving safer journeys for children to and from schools all around the world.
SR4S Online Course:
#RAPKnowledgeLive 2024 sessions
Join us for the final #RAPKnowledgeLive Session for the year - Session 12: Mobilizing Practitioners to Deliver iRAP Projects - Register for free here
Keen to learn more from our previous #RAPKnowledgeLiveSessions? Click on the topic below and watch the recorded session:
New Accredited Practitioner interface - now easier to find a qualified iRAP Accredited Practitioner near you
We are thrilled to introduce a new accredited practitioners’ dashboard on our?Accreditation?web page, designed to enhance how we present key information. This upgrade shifts from our previous classification method to real-time data, offering a more dynamic and immediate view of our accredited practitioners’ achievements.
Instead of the former Interim/Full classification, we now showcase expertise based on the number of projects each practitioner has participated in, providing a clear picture of their hands-on experience and skill level.
This new approach allows us to streamline efforts in connecting with qualified practitioners, making it easier for stakeholders to identify expertise quickly and efficiently.
By moving to a data-driven view, it simplifies the process of identifying and reaching out to the accredited practitioners, allowing for more effective collaboration across projects.
Recent workshops and training from around the world
Tools and resources to help you
To help accelerate safety assessments across networks and corridors, iRAP has developed two new tools that leverage the iRAP Star Rating methodology.
The?Network screening tool?is designed to help road network managers segment their road network to the point where road stereotypes can be developed. From this network wide assessments can be carried out with high-level Star Ratings and FSI estimates, thereby guiding them to where full Star Rating assessment should be carried out.
The?Corridor screening tool?is designed to help road designers carry out high level safety assessments while the road design is still in the concept phase. Enabling them to create road stereotypes for homogenous lengths of road from the concept design plans, before providing them with high-level Star Ratings and FSI estimations for the road design.
Find out more about these tools here?https://irap.org/irap-product-videos/
If you are interested in pilot testing the new tools, please register you’re interest by clicking?here
Updated Accredited Supplier Code of Conduct - V5
The revised Code of Conduct reinforces iRAP's commitment to quality, transparency, and safety. It strengthens anti-bribery and fraud measures, mandates health and safety plans, and emphasizes quality assurance. Version 5 also increases supplier visibility by listing accredited suppliers on the iRAP website, facilitating collaboration and showcasing expertise.
New Enhanced Tool for Safer Road Design Unveiled
Innovative enhancements to iRAP’s Star Rating for Designs (SR4D) web app, allowing the safety of road designs to measured before the commencement of civil works, was unveiled?at the IRF World Congress in Istanbul last month.
New enhancements provide a more powerful toolset for creating and editing road geometry, streamlining the design process; new capability to import images and mapping files for precise geo-location; improved dataset management; and capability to submit datasets for quality assurance, further improving the integrity of road safety assessments in meeting the 3-star or better global standard and UN Target 3 for new roads.
Quick ViDA upate!?
You can now validate your coding before processing to ensure its accuracy. This feature saves time by allowing you to make necessary corrections beforehand. To utilize this function, simply tick the box indicated in the image during the file upload process.
Latest data provides new Safety Insights New data has been unveiled in iRAP’s Safety Insights Explorer, a critical datahub for decision-makers and partners worldwide seeking to understand the true extent of road trauma, the safety of the world’s roads, and the positive impact that can be made with targeted investment.
New data on infrastructure safety for powered two wheelers (PTW)
Worldwide, the use of Powered Two Wheelers (PTW) is growing rapidly and as a result PTW users are?estimated?to be the largest group being killed on the world’s roads.
The a newly updated interactive?Powered Two Wheelers and Road Infrastructure Safety?report includes data for almost 500,000km of roads that have flows of PTWs in more than 80 countries. The report enables users to filter the data by country, region, area type, flow and speed.