An International Experts Advisory Committee was invited to study the current state of affairs on road safety research and academic education and to recommend ways to improve the situation. The invitation was sent out by two foundations: the Ran Naor Foundation for the Advancement of Road Safety Research and the Yad Hanadiv Fund from the Rothschild Foundation. By implication it was stated that Israel could not solely rely on international research. National capacity is needed to identify local problems and needs and to assess the effects of interventions (ex-ante and ex-post). Developing research capacity nationally is a critical underpinning for effective evidence-based strategies, policies and practices and essential for Israel to achieve its stated goals of a reduced road toll. In a full week's programme, visits were paid to providers (universities) and clients of road safety research. The aims of the Advisory Committee as formulated by the Ran Naor Foundation and the Yad Hanadiv Foundation were to: - produce a detailed report summarizing the current state of Israel's research in the area of road safety, and the state of academic education in that area; - produce a report outlining directions, research activities and goals that should set clear guidelines for the future of road safety research in Israel; - provide a detailed set of recommendations as to how best to achieve the outlined goals; - recommend international research collaboration in the area of road safety - discuss successful models from other countries. It was anticipated that the respective roles of academia, government and NGO's be identified, highlighting the areas to which non-governmental support might most appropriately and effectively be directed. In the Terms of Reference it was stated that the Advisory Committee should address the following questions: - suggest a system to develop the next generation of researchers; - define the research needs in road safety in Israel, research activities and suggested priorities - define the needs of academic education on road safety: - The level of education (1st, 2nd and 3rd degree) - the leading areas of education (engineering/human factor/public policy/public health etc.) - the optimal system to promote research according to needs (calls for papers, small teams of researchers, specialists in a specific field of research, study location at the 'Ran Naor Foundation' for the period of research, 'tender', international exchange of researchers) - other topics that the Committee considers appropriate. In its final report, the Committee addressed all of the issues and made a number of recommendations which will be described and discussed in the paper. (Author/publisher) This publication may be accessed by Internet users at: http://www.ictct.org/workshop.php?workshop_nr=25
Samenvatting