"The purpose of FUTURAIL is to foster a better match between the human resources needs to make railways a more competitive and innovative sector. Rail Transport is a future oriented industry, striving to offer an even more attractive, affordable, safe, clean, competitive and reliable transport mode. The more competitive we envisage the sector to turn into, the more we need focused training and education programs to support it. FUTURAIL will act by matching demand and supply of the required skills and competencies to foster the development of the sector. Europe needs rail and rail in turn, needs to upgrade its knowledge, skills and competencies by attracting new talents and skilled staff with ambitions to face the challenges of the sector. In line with ERRAC, FUTURAIL lies on the experience and objectives of the EURNEX network, building on the extensive data collection lodged in its knowledge centre. FUTURAIL will transform this material into valuable inputs for attraction and development of human resources in the sector. FUTURAIL objectives are: • Disseminate the social, economic and industrial benefits of education and research in the railway sector and promote the idea that society needs advanced technologies and further education as applied to a highly innovative and technological developed sector. • Identify and develop actions promoting and supporting women participation for the benefit of outstanding railway transports research. • To identify the necessary skills and expertises for the future jobs in the railway sector • To establish the close link between demand (rail industry and operators) and providers (Universities) of academic education and training • To organise competitions between Universities (also involving high schools) for innovative new education concepts/curricula that are capable to meet the future railway sector requirements • To organise specifically tailored events to attract young people for academic jobs in the railway sector"