This is an invitation to submit a proposal for a Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) study: “Informal and Shared Mobility – status, challenges, and opportunities in Southeastern Europe and Central Asia”. Below you find an introduction to the Call, and at det bottom of the page a link to the Full Call, including details on how to submit.
The submission date for the proposal is April 30th 2025 at 17:00 CEST.
We invite you to submit a proposal for a study contributing to the ongoing VREF research program “Informal and Shared Mobility in Low- and Middle-Income Countries” (ISM). The focus of this study will be on Southeastern Europe and Central Asia.
The new study is intended to contribute to the ISM program, which was launched in 2022.
In summary, the ISM program is characterized by:
- a geographical focus on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
- comparative studies of ISM systems in different urban contexts
- collaboration and exchange among researchers in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) as well as in high- income countries (HICs)
- interdisciplinary approaches to knowledge building, education and learning
THE CURRENT STUDY
The current study is part of a series of regional studies regarding status, challenges and opportunities related to ISM, where the following three reports have been commissioned and published by VREF in recent years:
- Song, Susan, et al. (2022) ”Status and Opportunities of Shared Mobility Systems in China”. Produced in collaboration with World Resources Institute (WRI).
- Joshi, Rutul, et al. (2023). “Informal and Shared Mobility: Status and Opportunities in India.”
- Saksith Chalermpong, Apiwat Ratanawaraha, Yosuke Uchiyama (2025): Informal and Shared Mobility – Status, Challenges, and Opportunities in Southeast Asia
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE STUDY
To further extend in-depth knowledge regarding the current status, challenges or barriers, and opportunities of ISM in different regions in the world, we invite you to submit a proposal for a study in this area, which should result in the delivery of two reports/outputs:
- State-of-the-Art Knowledge on Informal and Shared Mobility in Southeastern Europe/Central Asia
- Current research activities on ISM topics and issues in Southeastern Europe/Central Asia
We would like to see the following countries covered in the study on the role and status of informal transport in Southeast Europe and Central Asia:
- Southeast Europe: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia.
- Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.
For 3 to 4 countries, we request your proposal for more in-depth work. In your proposal, please briefly share your justification for choosing those specific countries. The justification should consider factors such as the significance of informal transport in the country’s mobility landscape, the availability of data, the presence of unique challenges or innovative solutions, and the potential for policy impact.
Options for regional focus
Although a study covering both identified regions is preferred, the substantial regional differences may pose a challenge for applicants to cover SEE and CA simultaneously. Therefore, applications focusing on one of the regions are also welcome. The expected outputs will remain the same.
RESEARCHER PERSONNEL: WHO CAN APPLY
VREF plans to commission an experienced researcher (or team of researchers) in the field of informal and shared mobility in Southeastern Europe/Central Asia who also has extensive knowledge of the regional research landscape, as well as experience in carrying out and writing research studies.
Period of assignment: The study is expected to start mid of June 2025 and be finalised by the end of December 2025.