Karin Henriksson

Three New Researchers Awarded for Research on Electrifying Minibuses, Transport Poverty and Gender-Responsive Walkability

Three new researchers have been awarded the prestigious Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship for Sustainable Transport and Energy Efficiency for transformative research proposals that challenge conventional wisdom. Since 2013, the Lee Schipper Memorial Scholarship has continued the legacy of Lee Schipper’s enrichment of international policy dialogue in sustainable transport and energy efficiency. Schipper, a physicist, researcher, musician and

New Think Piece: Understanding Mobility Through the Lens of ‘Relationality’

Future Urban Transport Programme

Issues of mobility and access are central to developing sustainable and equitable societies. In a new Think Piece from VREF, researchers Gina Porter and Lanoi Maloiy invite us to explore mobility from a different vantage point, introducing “relationality” as a valuable perspective for both research and policy. The paper addresses the shared challenge of understanding

Björn Nykvist awarded the Håkan Frisinger Prize for Excellence in Transportation Research

Håkan Frisinger

”Research that bridges disciplines and aims to support evidence-based policymaking is more important than ever. I am very happy that VREF recognises this, and honoured to receive the Håkan Frisinger Prize”, says Björn Nykvist. PHOTO: SEI The Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) is pleased to announce that Björn Nykvist, Senior Research Fellow and Team

Announcing the Launch of Three African Research Programs on Mobility & Access in African Cities (ARP-MAC)

MAC

Consortium leaders, Dr. Gladys Nyachieo, Dr. Josephine Malonza and Dr. Gift Dumedah. The Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) is excited to announce the establishment of three African Research Programs (ARP-MACs) within its “Mobility & Access in African Cities” (MAC) program. This announcement follows a competitive call for applications issued in 2023, inviting researchers from

New Handbook Available for Research Proposal Writing

MAC

Are you a young or middle-level scholar who frequently writes proposals for research grants, often with perhaps discouraging results? Or are you a senior scholar (or supervisor) who teaches – or wants to teach – academic courses on proposal writing? If so, a new open-source resource from VREF can be a valuable resource for you.

Unlocking Better Work Conditions in the Informal Transport Sector Through Labour Impact Assessments – Catch Up with Recording from Our Research Forum

ISM

Welcome to catch up with this recording from a VREF Research Forum held 12 February 2025, focusing on services and workers’ conditions in informal transport. The Forum introduced a new research paper exploring the potential of labour impact assessments as a means to enhance workers’ conditions in Africa’s informal transport sector – and provided an

New research paper from VREF and International Transport Federation

ISM

The Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) are proud to present a new research paper exploring the potential of labour impact assessments as a means to enhance workers’ conditions in Africa’s informal transport sector. The paper, which can be found at the bottom of this page, is available

The 3rd Paratransit / Popular Transportation Day at Transforming Transportation 2025

ISM

Dear colleagues in the VREF Community,If you are joining Transforming Transportation in Washington, D.C. this year we welcome you to also be part of Paratransit / Popular Transportation Day on March 13. For the full program and registration, please visit https://www.populartransport.net/3rdpptd2025 VREF is part of organizing this day and looks forward to a mini-conference focusing

Get inspired! Short film showing how to capture complex work

ISM

Check out this video highlighting a recent VREF-funded project by the University of Pretoria’s Centre for Transport Development with partners, on how to provide better information for people using public transport in African cities. The video captures very interesting work, but is also a great example for those who seek inspiration on how to communicate

Catch up with recording from NextGen Research Forum 30 October

VREF NextGen Initiative

This is the Recording from the first Research Forum for all NextGen Scholars in the VREF Community – where we focused on: ”Exploring Viable Walking Solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa”. In Sub-Saharan Africa, walking is a vital mode for access and mobility for millions of inhabitants. However, challenges such as limited infrastructure, safety concerns and long