A team from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) has won a category prize at an international contest in Moscow with a proposed solution to help autonomous public transport operate reliably when satellite navigation signals are disrupted.

Team TRUST, from KNUST’s Transport Research and Education Centre of Excellence (TRECK), placed first in the “Transport Control in Case of GNSS Failures” category at the International Transport Project Contest, winning 200,000 Russian roubles.

The competition, hosted by the Russian University of Transport (RUT), took place from October 28 to 30, 2026.

The three-member team comprised Benjamin Dagbey, Ebo Biney and Godfrey Mensah. They were accompanied by their mentor, Dr. Emmanuel Dzisi, a lecturer in KNUST’s Department of Civil Engineering and TRECK Innovations Lead.

TRUST, which stands for Transport Resilient Unified Sensor Technology, addressed a challenge set by industry partner FAI Rosdornii. It focused on vulnerabilities in autonomous public transport systems when Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals become unreliable or compromised, including through signal spoofing and jamming.

For the final exhibition, the team developed a computer-based simulation demonstrating how its proposed technology could support transport operations under such conditions.

The contest attracted more than 3,000 participants across over 750 teams in its preliminary stages. Team TRUST was among 29 teams selected for the Moscow finals.

Participants tackled six industry-driven challenges, developing proposed solutions to problems presented by organisations including Gazprom Neft and FAI Rosdornii.

The finalists came from countries including Ghana, South Africa, Namibia, Zambia, China, Azerbaijan, Belarus and Russia. Ghana was also represented by a team from Sunyani Technical University, which competed in a separate category.

Over three days, the teams reviewed their assigned problems, consulted industry experts and refined their solutions before presenting them to judging panels.

On the opening day, participants reassessed their challenges using additional information supplied by the organisers. They then worked with experts to clarify technical requirements and improve their proposals ahead of the final presentations and exhibition.

For Team TRUST, preparations continued shortly after an approximately 16-hour journey from Accra to Moscow, with the competition beginning the following day. Members worked late into the night to refine their concept and prepare their presentations.

Assigned interpreters and a team moderator supported their engagement with industry experts throughout the contest.

The final exhibition featured computer applications, physical models and interactive demonstrations from participating teams. Team TRUST’s simulation earned it the top award in its category. The competition also offered an overall grand prize of one million roubles.

The team acknowledged the support of KNUST Vice-Chancellor Prof. Christian Agyare and TRECK management during its preparations and participation.

It also thanked Prof. Edmund Ekuadzi, Director of KNUST’s International Programmes Office; Prof. Mrs. H.M.K. Essandoh, Director of TRECK; and the Dean of Student Affairs. Members credited Dr. Dzisi with providing mentorship and technical feedback throughout the development of their solution.

The team further acknowledged RUT Rector Prof. Pokusaev, Ms. Alena Akulinicheva of RUT, and interpreters Ms. Anna and Ms. Eleonora for their assistance during the competition.