STREnGth_M gives an insight into its Multiplier Group!

The STREnGth_M Multiplier Group works to broaden the impact of European road transport research by connecting it with national and international initiatives—and we are here to tell you all about it!

The STREnGth_M Coordinated Support Action (CSA) to ERTRAC is itself supported by a Multiplier Group of external experts from the Road Transport Research (RTR) field. This group enables the project to have a broader base for gathering RTR needs and data, as well as to promote interaction with Research and Innovation (R&I) programmes at national, European, and global levels.

The Multiplier Group was created in mid-2024 and now comprises 37 members from 31 organisations in 10 European countries. The goal is to increase this to 50 members by the end of the STREnGth_M project (January 2026) and improve pan-European coverage, as well as relevant actors outside Europe engaged in EU-International cooperation.

Members are drawn from diverse organisations including research providers (academia, research institutes, consultants), service providers (including SMEs), vehicle manufacturers (OEMs) and other industry, infrastructure operators, associations and partnerships, national and regional authorities and EU institutions.

The group extends the reach of the consortium in terms of helping to gathering R&I needs and data, checking and validating certain outputs, and strengthening the link between national and global research with EU-funded programmes. It also provides a platform for national actors to promote their research programmes and outputs to a European audience.

The group has had two online meetings so far, in which different aspects of STREnGth_M’s work were presented, including:

• Roadmapping methods on European, Member State and international level
• Visualisation of the sustainable Road Transport Research landscape at EU Member States level
• Training actions supporting road transport area in Europe and internationally
• Road transport related funding instruments and programmes on national and regional level
• Needs and opportunities for e-mobility in emerging markets.

Examples of collaboration so far include checking and validating input to STREnGth_M Deliverable 3.1 “Visualising research, innovation and cooperation capacities at EU Member State level” for certain EU countries where there is no direct partner from the project consortium, as well as the national factsheets that are under development. Contribution to the task on identifying education and training actions and methods (Deliverable 1.3) is another example.

The Multiplier Group is open to new members. Participation is voluntary but we expect that benefits will be in both directions: members of the group will be kept informed of upcoming STREnGth_M and ERTRAC outputs and have the opportunity to provide feedback, as well as being able to ensure that their domains of expertise or interest, or their country, are properly reflected in our work.

We welcome interest from representatives of private companies, research or academia, public authorities or agencies, who have a wide knowledge and expertise of road transport research either in their own country at national level, at a European level or globally.  For example, national RTR level actors from EU Member States, Associated States and from third countries involved in EU programmes, experts involved in European or international associations or forums regarding RTR, representatives from associations, forums, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), etc.

Meetings are mostly online (around 3 per year) but a physical final event is planned. Travel reimbursement is possible for Multiplier Group members participating in ERTRAC Working Group meetings or STREnGth_M events, where prior approval is given.

Interested? Then complete the simple online form here!

This form includes a short questionnaire about your organisation, your experience in RTR, and the main themes/topics in which you are involved and your involvement in different forums or associations at European level regarding this topic. This is to ensure a balance membership in terms of thematic areas and country representation. It also includes a Data protection / Privacy statement at the end of the form, before submitting.

For any question, contact the Multiplier Group coordinator, Andrew Winder at ERTICO, here.