Skip to main content

IRF Washington highlights future industry leaders

The IRF has helped educate the next generation of leaders since 1949 Sixty-five years after its founding, the IRF Fellowship Program for graduate students of engineering and transportation policy remains a cornerstone of the IRF’s work. Since 1949, IRF members and donors have helped fund the education of more than 1,346 transportation professionals from 118 countries. The Fellowship Program identifies international students with outstanding potential and helps nurture them as they take their place as the ne
June 30, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
IRF Chairman HE Eng Abdullah A Al-Mogbel meets with IRF Fellows past and present
The IRF has helped educate the next generation of leaders since 1949

Sixty-five years after its founding, the IRF Fellowship Program for graduate students of engineering and transportation policy remains a cornerstone of the IRF’s work. Since 1949, IRF members and donors have helped fund the education of more than 1,346 transportation professionals from 118 countries. The Fellowship Program identifies international students with outstanding potential and helps nurture them as they take their place as the next generation of transportation industry leaders.

Every year, one-time financial grants are awarded by the International Road Educational Foundation to a select group of applicants based on a strong academic background, professional qualifications and leadership potential. The new class of IRF Fellows meets every year in Washington, DC for the week-long IRF Road Scholar Program designed to enhance their leadership skills and provide valuable insight into the transportation industry through meetings with successful business leaders.

Many IRF Fellows have become high government officials, as well as leaders in the private sector and in academia, where they are in a position to exercise a multiplier effect in the transfer of technology and information. Through the IRF Fellows Alumni Association, founded in 1993 by the late Dr Sadamu Mino, strong bonds are formed among the Fellows, the IRF and the IRF’s member organisations.

Recipients of the IRF Fellowship must be graduate engineers or graduates in other disciplines such as public administration, transportation economics, traffic engineering, transportation policy, structures, design, planning, highway maintenance, or mechanical engineering, which have application in a highway department or highway related organisation or firm. They must possess a good working knowledge of the English language if studying in the United States.

“The Fellowship Program provides IRF members a unique opportunity to meet and develop relationships with the next generation of transportation industry leaders,” said Patrick Sankey, president & CEO of the IRF. Mr. Sankey added, “While there are many qualified students, the IRF is seeking candidates who possess a strong passion and believe in the immense socio-economic benefits of having better, safer, and more sustainable roads and transportation networks in their home countries and around the world.”

The IRF encourages all its Members in good standing as well as IRF Fellow Alumni to submit nominations for the Class of 2016. Students not nominated by an IRF Member or IRF Fellow may apply for a grant; however, greater consideration will be given to those students nominated by an IRF Member or Fellow. Students awarded grants will be enrolled in a US. university for the fall semester of 2015. Nominations must be received by September 30, 2014.

3918 IRF Washington
Dr Essam Radwan, IREF chairman said, “The IRF Fellowship Program has always been and will always be a catalyst for educating and training the next generation of international transportation professionals. I have had the privilege of teaching Fellows at three universities […] they are all successful professionals in their home countries and take pride in being affiliated with the IRF. The Fellowship Program is a win/win for our member universities and for the industry as a whole”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • The 2016 Global Road Achievement Awards have been announced
    January 27, 2017
    The International Road Federation recently announced the winners of the 2016 IRF Global Road Achievement Awards at a ceremony held during the 2nd IRF Asia Regional Congress & Exhibition. This year, the IRF honours 12 projects from around the world, each leading the way in innovation across major road & highway disciplines. The selection was made by an international panel of senior road development specialists.
  • IRF announces winners of its 2018 Global Road Achievement Awards
    January 15, 2019
    IRF has announced the winners of the 2018 IRF Global Road Achievement Awards, a global competition to recognise outstanding achievement by road professionals. Instituted in 2000, the Awards have distinguished 150 programs, projects and products from around the world. This year, the IRF is honouring 11 projects from around the world, each leading the way in innovation across major road and highway disciplines. The selection was made by an international panel of senior road development specialists. "As an in
  • The IRF is showcasing achievement with its awards
    August 18, 2015
    Winners of the 2015 Global Road Achievement Awards Announced This year the IRF honoured 12 projects from around the world, each leading the way in innovation across major road and highway disciplines. The selection was made by an international panel of senior road development specialists. "Much of the transport sector's accomplishments are unnoticed by the hundreds of millions of people who benefit so greatly from the availability of safe, smart and interconnected road networks," said IRF chairman Abd
  • High fatality rates around the world
    March 13, 2014
    In 2010, global road traffic injuries resulted in 1.3 million deaths and were the eighth leading cause of death, with 90% of fatal injuries taking place in low- and middle-income countries At the root of this crisis in the developing world are persisting managerial and technical capacity weaknesses. For many fast-motorising countries, fragmented legislation, poorly targeted funding, ineffective institutional leadership, and outdated road engineering practices could all translate into failure to meet road