The Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF)
The Volvo Research and Educational Foundations (VREF) is a generic term for four independent foundations. For the millennium the Board of VREF has initiated a new research programme to be funded - Future Urban Transport (FUT). The foundations commonly support the programme by providing funds for research and educational projects.
The origins of the foundations
The four foundations supporting the FUT programme operated independently in different research areas before they were united under a common goal. This page gives an overview of their creation and activities before the FUT programme was introduced in 2000.
The Volvo Research Foundation and the Volvo Educational Foundation
The two foundations were established in 1987 with the purpose to promote research and education in areas linked to transport, energy consumption and various industrial endeavours. Cross-disciplinary projects have been prioritised. Over the years about USD 20 million have been allocated in grants to project-areas like:
- Reduction and effects of emission from combustion processes
- Non linear vibrations
- Mechatronics
- Employee health and well being
- Intelligent traffic systems and traffic safelty
- Manufacturing systems and informaiton technology
Centres of Excellence
Through the FUT programme, VREF currently finances eight Centres of Excellence in four regions of the world.
Established 2003
Sustainable urban transport in less motorised countries: Research and training, New Delhi, India
http://www.iitd.ernet.in/tripp
Established 2004
The Center for Sustainable Urban Development, New York, USA
http://csud.ei.columbia.edu/
UC Berkeley Center for Sustainable Urban Development, Berkeley, USA
http://www.its.berkeley.edu/volvocenter
Established 2006
China Urban Sustainable Transport Research Center, Beijing, China
http://www.urbansustrans.cn/index_e.asp
The OMEGA Centre for the Study of Mega Projects in Transport and Development, London, UK
http://www.omegacentre.bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/
Established 2008
The African Centre of Excellence in Public and Non-Motorised Transport, Cape Town, South Africa
Established 2010
A Centre of Excellence for BRT-development, Santiago, Chile
http://www.brt.cl/