ACRS Capacity Building Program

The Australasian College of Road Safety (ACRS), supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts, is undertaking a project to develop a Road Safety Capacity Building Program for road safety professionals and practitioners from all disciplines of road safety.

The program will encompass four key elements to be developed throughout 2024-2026. These are:

1. An online Road Safety Body of Knowledge.
   A body of knowledge (BoK) is an industry-specific collection of knowledge, capturing the key concepts and information vital to the professionals and practitioners within that industry. An industry-first, the Road Safety BoK will comprise essential concepts, language, and evidence-based findings, compiled by leaders in the field.
   
2. A transdisciplinary, accessible, affordable and self-paced online training module.
   Following extensive analysis of available road safety training, ACRS has identified limited professional development and road safety specific education in both undergraduate courses and non-university education.
   In an effort to unite road safety specialists from all disciplines under a single industry body, ACRS will design an affordable, accessible and self-paced training module that is transdisciplinary in nature and recognises intersecting disciplines and concepts, providing a holistic and fundamental understanding of road safety.
   
3. A road safety education referral program.
   For those industry specialists looking to advance their formal learning, seek out post-graduate study opportunities or industry-specialist training, the ACRS will establish a training referral program, with links to quality, ACRS-endorsed universities and industry RTOs.
   
4. A system of certification for road safety professionals and practitioners to demonstrate competency under an industry-accepted model.
   The final phase of the ACRS capacity building program is the implementation of a system of certification, to recognise professional learning and skills competency across the broader road safety profession.

Why Capacity Building for Road Safety Professionals?

In 2023, The ACRS undertook a 12-month project, in partnership with Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) to identify problems and propose solutions for promoting road safety as a career for women. The findings were wide-reaching and applicable to the broader road safety community, with the following key recommendations:

1. Road safety should be united under a single industry or body.
2. Develop an understanding of the road safety workforce to clarify education pathways.
3. ACRS should consider leading the development of non-university courses/refresher courses in transferrable skills that are underpinned by the Safe System Approach.

The ACRS Strategy and Planning meeting held in March 2023 also came to similar conclusions about the need for capacity and capability development for road safety professionals. Putting this together, it is clear that road safety professionals are aware of the need for new and enhanced approaches to education and training in this area.

ACRS Capacity Building Working Group

The ACRS has established a working group to contribute to and oversee the development of the Road Safety Body of Knowledge (RS BoK) and training program.

How Can I Help?

The Capacity Building Program is a major initiative of the ACRS in 2024-2026, and there are many ways for all members to make a meaningful contribution to this ground-breaking project.

Submit an EOI to join our Specialist Panel
Members of the specialist panel may contribute to:

• Development of the capacity building framework
• Writing and developing BoK chapters or training modules
• Peer-reviewing content
• Editorial oversight of content

Take part in our User Experience (UX) research
This program is for you, and people just like you. Sharing your ideas, expectations and experiences will support us to build a strong, accessible resource for road safety specialists now and in the future.

Become a Product Tester
As we develop each phase of the capacity building program, there will be opportunities to review every element we design, and we need your help to test the functional and non-functional aspects of the program, including:

• Design
• Usabiity
• Accessibility
• Compatibility
• Performance
• Security

FAQs

What is a Body of Knowledge?
A Body of Knowledge, or BoK/BOK is a compendium of concepts and terms relating to a specific professional domain, defined by the relevant industry body or association.

Will the ACRS become a registered training organisation (RTO)?
No. The ACRS aims to provide accessible and affordable online learning modules to provide a transdisciplinary overview of the fundamentals of road safety – an identified gap in the current road safety education landscape.

Will the ACRS offer in-person or facilitator-led training?
No. The ACRS will offer self-paced, accessible and affordable online learning modules only.

Will the ACRS compete with existing training programs/providers?
No. There are many existing, specialised road safety training programs available across a variety of disciplines, in a range of locations. The ACRS will refer trainees to existing programs endorsed by the ACRS, where they are available.

Acknowledgement

The ACRS Road Safety Capacity Building Program was funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts.

The ACRS Road Safety Capacity Building Program, an Australian Government Initiative.