Singapore and ICAO establish new programme to develop the next generation of aviation professionals

MOU will provide 40 scholarships and 600 fellowships for young aviation professionals

Singapore and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish a new 5-year Programme for Young Aviation Professionals. The programme will provide 40 scholarships and 600 fellowships for young aviation professionals (aged 35 and below) from developing ICAO Member States to pursue aviation training and leadership development at the Singapore Aviation Academy. Valued at S$6 million, it will help build the next generation of aviation leaders who will be crucial to support the development of civil aviation globally. The new programme will be in addition to the Singapore-ICAO Developing Countries Training Programme (DCTP), which started in 2001 and is in its 6th run. 

The programme supports the ICAO’s No-Country-Left-Behind (NCLB) and the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) initiatives. The MOU was signed by Minister Khaw Boon Wan, Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure and Minister for Transport, and ICAO Council President Dr Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu at the Singapore Airshow Aviation Leadership Summit 2018 (SAALS). 

Mr Khaw said, “To mark the Singapore Aviation Academy’s 60th anniversary and Singapore’s 15th year as an ICAO Council member this year, we are launching this new Singapore-ICAO Programme for Young Aviation Professionals to help build the next generation of aviation professionals. This new programme reaffirms our commitment to support the growth of international civil aviation. Singapore hopes this will provide an added boost to support ICAO’s NCLB and NGAP initiatives.” 

Dr Aliu said, “The global air transport network is poised to double in flight and passenger volumes in the next 15 years, and ensuring sufficient skilled human resources development globally, in support of sustainable future operations, is a very high priority for ICAO today. This new Singapore-ICAO programme for the next generation aviation professionals provides an excellent example of how governments, organizations and other partners can work together to address our network’s need for skilled aviation personnel and managers, and we hope to see many more like it in the years ahead.” 

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About the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) 

The mission of the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) is to grow a safe, vibrant air hub and civil aviation system, making a key contribution to Singapore's success. CAAS' roles are to oversee and promote safety in the aviation industry, develop the air hub and aviation industry, provide air navigation services, provide aviation training for human resource development, and contribute to the development of international civil aviation. For more information, visit www.caas.gov.sg 

About the Singapore Aviation Academy 

Established in 1958, the Singapore Aviation Academy (SAA) is the internationally-recognised training arm of CAAS. It offers a wide range of operational, management and leadership programmes through its four Schools viz Aviation Management, Aviation Safety 

and Security, Air Traffic Services and Airport Emergency Services. In 2013 and 2014, SAA was designated an ICAO Aviation Security Training Centre and ICAO Regional Training Centre of Excellence respectively. To date, SAA has trained over 110,000 participants from more than 200 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.saa.com.sg 

About the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) 

ICAO is a UN specialised agency, established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention). ICAO works with the Convention’s 191 Member States and industry groups to reach consensus on international civil aviation Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and policies in support of a safe, efficient, secure, economically sustainable and environmentally responsible civil aviation sector. These SARPs and policies are used by ICAO Member States to ensure that their local civil aviation operations and regulations conform to global norms, which in turn permits more than 100,000 daily flights in aviation’s global network to operate safely and reliably in every region of the world. For more information, visit www.icao.int 

For more information, please contact: 

Ms Cheryl Ng 

Senior Manager (Corporate Communications) 

DID : (65) 6595 4079 

Mobile : (65) 8118 1562 

Email : cheryl_ng@caas.gov.sg