ITA Mission Statement

Underground Solutions for a Better World
 

ITA Vision

LEAD THE WORLD  IN SUSTAINABLE USE AND DEVELOPMENT OF TUNNELS AND UNDERGROUND SPACE
 

Founded in 1974 by the initiative of nineteen Nations, the International Tunnelling and Underground Space Association (ITA) mission is to lead, advocate and facilitate the development of sustainable and innovative solutions for increased, optimised, safe and equitable use of Underground Space, enabling the tunnelling industry and its stakeholders to excel in delivering:

  • Technical knowledge in the field of tunnelling and underground space through publication of guidelines, training, and creating platforms for exchanging information and ideas;
  • Best practices in health-and-safety, planning, engineering, contracting, construction, operation, and maintenance;
  • The tools to empower decision makers and allied professionals to make informed choices about the underground;
  • Reliable and economical underground solutions to urbanisation and environmental challenges;
  • Efficient and resilient underground infrastructure for current and future generations.
     

ITA Strategy

ITA vision, mission and activities - aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - are as follows:
 

  • Advocate and raise awareness of the use of Tunnelling and Underground Space;
  • Facilitate more interaction and joint activities between Member Nations and industry for development and sharing of knowledge and experiences between stakeholders;
  • Create a platform for Education and Training of engineers on available technologies for construction and maintenance of tunnels through contribution of Working Groups and Committees; 
  • Streamline the activities of the ITA for efficient interaction between Executive Council, Secretariat, Member Nations, Working Groups, and Committees through restructuring of the organization.

 

Members

Since 1974, ITA has considerably developed. Any independant nation, may through the medium of a National Organization become an ITA "Member Nation". Presently, ITA gathers 79 Member Nations.

Corporations and individuals (as far as they fulfill the conditions) can participate in the activities of the Association by becoming an "Affiliate member". ITA gathers 300 Corporate or Individual Affiliate Members.

Among the Corporate members some are more involved inside ITA being Prime Sponsors or Supporters.

The General Assembly, which met annually, resolves all questions concerning the organisation and conducts of the affairs of the Association; it shall approve the budget of receipts and expenditure, and appoint and organise all Committees of the Association; it shall decide on the admission of new adhering national Organisation and of the new affiliate member.

The General Assembly is host by a Member Nation at the occasion of the yearly World Tunnel Congress.

 

Means

To reach its objectives, ITA has set up international working groups (WG) to study and report on specific topics. Today, 15 Working Groups are active.

ITA has 4 committees:

  • ITA-COSUF, Committee on Operational Safety in Underground facilities with the cooperation of the World Road Association-PIARC and all the major European fire research organizations.
  • ITA-CET, Committee on Education and Training, nicknamed « University Network »
  • ITA-CUS, Committee on Underground Space
  • ITAtech, Committee on New Technologies

ITA has also another group called Young Members Group

ITA by laws and Statutes