University of Birmingham appoints new Business Director for Rail Research

The Birmingham Centre for Rail Research and Education (BCRRE) at the University of Birmingham is delighted to announce that Alex Burrows has joined the BCRRE team as Business Director.

The appointment to the post comes at an important time for BCRRE, as its focus turns to the development of the new Centre of Excellence in Digital Systems. The Centre will revolutionise the railway, supporting transformational change in rail technology across the globe.

The Centre is an integral part of the UK Rail Research and Innovation Network (UKRRIN), a powerful collaboration between academia and industry. It will provide a step-change in innovation in the sector, and accelerate new technologies and products from research into market applications globally.

Having worked in Alstom Transport, Atkins and the West Midlands Transport Authority (Centro), Alex brings a wealth of sector-related knowledge, and a strong range of connections from the rail and wider transport sectors. 

On joining the team, Alex said, "I am delighted to be joining the University of Birmingham at a hugely exciting time for BCRRE, having just launched UKKRIN and winning the Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher Education.  We have a lot to deliver including our new Centre of Excellence in Digital Systems in the next few years and I look forward to supporting world class rail research and development here at BCRRE."

Professor Clive Roberts, Director of BCRRE, commented, “The appointment of our Business Director demonstrates our commitment to working more closely with industry. We look forward to forging even closer relationships with our existing contacts and developing new collaborations with a range of businesses.”

Alex will drive the BCRRE’s on-going successes and strengths within the partnership, bolstering a closer collaboration with current and future industrial partners. He will also continue to support BCRRE with its world-class research and thought leadership within railways, and its expanding global portfolio of high-quality education programmes.

To find out how your company can work with BCRRE, contact Alex Burrows: a.burrows@bham.ac.uk

If you have any media enquiries, please contact the University of Birmingham Press Office: pressoffice@contacts.bham.ac.uk

ENDS

NOTE TO EDITORS

• The University of Birmingham is ranked amongst the world’s top 100 institutions. Its work brings people from across the world to Birmingham, including researchers, teachers and more than 5,000 international students from over 150 countries.
• The University’s Birmingham Centre for Railway Research and Education is a leader in railway science research and education. With over 130 academics, researchers and professional support staff, it delivers world class research and thought leadership within railways, and offers an expanding portfolio of high-quality education programmes. Its close relationship with the rail industry means that its research and teaching draws in real-world situations.