Intelligent and Adaptive Traffic Light System Course
Online course of 300 hours in intelligent and adaptive traffic signal control, structured in 6 modules covering signal control fundamentals, fixed-time control and coordination, actuated and adaptive control, connected traffic signals, and evaluation and maintenance, with an assigned technical tutor.
Intelligent and Adaptive Traffic Light System Course — studying from Malta
Malta's civil engineering sector is active, driven by ongoing construction, infrastructure upgrades, coastal works and urban regeneration projects across the islands. Demand for civil engineers is closely linked to public works, land development and the modernisation of transport networks. Smart city initiatives, including digital mapping, traffic management and sustainable urban planning, are increasingly relevant. Engineers typically find employment with contractors, consultancies, government departments and utility providers managing infrastructure in a densely populated environment.
Fees for Malta: €644 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which Maltese bodies regulate civil engineering and related professional practice?
The Chamber of Engineers (KSU) regulates the use of the title 'engineer' in Malta under the Engineering Profession Act. Planning and development matters fall under the Planning Authority, and public works and transport infrastructure involve government agencies including Transport Malta. A SEIUM qualification does not itself grant a regulated title; recognition is decided by employers or the relevant body.
What employers in Malta would value civil, rail or smart city engineering skills?
Malta's construction, infrastructure, consultancy and public sector firms are the main employers, along with transport and utilities bodies. Smart city and digital infrastructure work is growing in some areas. Employers typically look for chartered-level experience and licensing, so a private qualification should be seen as supporting your professional development rather than a substitute for those requirements.
How can I study this while working on site, and what support is there?
The programme is delivered entirely online in English, so you can study from anywhere in Malta without a student visa. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, and the course ends with a final project. Time commitment depends on the programme length, from 300 to 1,900 hours. Ask about instalment payments and employer sponsorship to help manage costs.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Calculate phases, cycles and intergreens for signalised intersections.
Design coordination schemes and green waves on arterials and networks.
Apply actuated and adaptive control strategies.
Integrate connected traffic signals using SPaT and MAP messages.
Incorporate accessibility criteria and priority for vulnerable users.
Evaluate signal control performance with automated metrics.
Develop an intelligent traffic signal project for an urban corridor.
Who it's for
- Traffic signal engineers.
- Municipal traffic technicians.
- Signal controller programmers.
- Adaptive systems consultants.
- Traffic centre operators.
- Cooperative systems engineers.
- Engineering or science graduates looking to move into local government.
What you'll work with
- UNE-EN 12368 (traffic control equipment: signal heads)
- UNE-EN 12675 (traffic signal controllers: functional safety requirements)
- UNE-EN 50556 (road traffic signal systems)
- Royal Decree 1428/2003 (Spanish General Traffic Regulations)
- Order TMA/851/2021 (accessibility of urbanised public spaces)
- ETSI TS 103 301 (C-ITS facilities layer: SPaT, MAP and related messages)
- SAE J2735 (V2X communications message set dictionary)
- NTCIP 1202 (object definitions for actuated signal controllers)
- PTV Vissim
- TRANSYT
- Aimsun Next
- SUMO
- LISA
6 modules
1.1Elements: signal groups, phases, cycle, split1.2Saturation flow and lost time1.3Intergreen and clearance times1.4Webster’s method1.5Phase diagrams and sequences1.6Signalisation of pedestrian crossings1.7Equipment: controllers, signal heads, detectors1.8Requirements of UNE-EN 12368 and UNE-EN 126751.9Warrants for signalising an intersection1.10Case study: calculation of the optimum cycle for a junction
2.1Time-of-day plans2.2Arterial coordination and green waves2.3Time-space coordination diagrams2.4Offsets and bandwidth2.5Network optimisation with TRANSYT2.6Coordination in grid networks2.7Public transport priority2.8Emergency vehicle priority2.9Data collection for signal plans2.10Lab: optimisation of a green wave
3.1Detector-actuated control3.2Green extension and demand calls3.3SCOOT and SCATS adaptive systems3.4Next-generation adaptive systems3.5Model predictive control3.6Reinforcement learning in traffic signal control3.7Performance measurement with high-resolution data3.8Detection requirements3.9Limitations of adaptive control3.10Practical exercise: actuated control in microsimulation
4.1SPaT and MAP messages4.2ETSI and SAE J2735 standards4.3GLOSA speed advisory4.4AI-based pedestrian and cyclist detection4.5Accessible signals with audible devices4.6Cyclist priority and cycle green waves4.7Integration with the traffic management centre4.8Cybersecurity of signal controllers4.9Power supply and LED energy efficiency4.10Workshop: publishing SPaT messages for a junction
5.1Indicators: delay, stops, queues5.2Automated performance metrics5.3Emissions associated with signal control5.4Audits of signal plans5.5Preventive maintenance of controllers5.6Periodic retiming of signal plans5.7Road safety and conflicts during green5.8Communication with the public5.9Cost-benefit analysis of adaptive control5.10Case study: audit of the signal plans of an urban corridor
6.1Selection of the corridor or network6.2Data collection and diagnosis6.3Design of phases and timings6.4Coordination and priorities6.5Adaptive control proposal6.6Connected components and SPaT messages6.7Evaluation with microsimulation6.8Implementation and maintenance plan6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable materials, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme fits alongside your job.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is PTV Vissim, TRANSYT, Aimsun Next, SUMO and LISA, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Exercises are based on real procedures: the optimisation of a green wave on an urban corridor, the simulation of actuated and adaptive control and the audit of existing signal plans. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: UNE-EN 12368, UNE-EN 12675, UNE-EN 50556, Royal Decree 1428/2003 (Spanish General Traffic Regulations), Order TMA/851/2021, ETSI TS 103 301, SAE J2735, NTCIP 1202.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification is required.
- An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with PTV Vissim, TRANSYT, Aimsun Next, SUMO and LISA, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
No prior qualification is required: just an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
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