Abstract:

This paper presents the concept and the first-year experience with the Sustainable Mobility Laboratory implemented at the University of Žilina as an innovative educational platform for teaching transport planning with a strong focus on sustainable mobility. The initiative was developed to strengthen the connection between theoretical education and practical problem-solving in the field of transport engineering and urban mobility.

During the first year of implementation, a web-based application was created as the core educational tool of the laboratory. The platform enables students to acquire knowledge through interactive learning activities, case studies, and semester assignments focused on real transport and mobility challenges. Students work with open transport datasets, including traffic counts, public transport data, and GIS-based spatial information, while also learning how to collect transport data using sensors and modern digital technologies.

The educational process is based on a learning-by-doing and problem-oriented approach, allowing students to analyse real-world mobility issues, interpret transport data, and propose sustainable transport planning solutions. The first-year experience shows that this approach significantly improves students’ analytical skills, practical competencies, teamwork, and understanding of sustainable mobility principles.

The initial results from the University of Žilina indicate that the Sustainable Mobility Laboratory represents an effective model for modern higher education in transport engineering and can serve as a transferable example for other universities aiming to innovate education through digital tools and data-driven learning methods.

Keywords:

Technology, education, mobility laboratory.