University Aviation Degree Courses: A Study of Labour Market and Student Retention Challenges for Sustainable Course Development

Universities offering aviation degree courses face a dilemma when integrating flying training, which is vocational skills training, into an academic degree programme. Whilst flying training for a pilot's licence is provided by flying schools regulated by a country's Civil Aviation Authority, the HE sector is responsible for the academic standards of related degree courses. Consequently, integrating these two aspects becomes a complex task. This paper examines the systems of three universities in Australia using a survey designed to identify the issues involved in such integration and its feasibility; and features of the courses. The paper highlights risks and opportunities for universities while considering how far they can proceed with the integration and what benefits it brings for students and universities respectively in employment and course sustainability. The findings may provide guidance for the future sustainable development of aviation courses and support the case that HEIs need to restructure aviation education by responding to rapidly shifting aviation industry requirements and international standards. The study suggests that flying training should be run independent of university degrees, and that the academic curriculum should be restructured to address aviation skills and the knowledge requirements of non-flying jobs in the aviation industry.