New ACI-ICAO Airport Safety Professional qualification programme launched
The first and only joint international airport safety professional designation
Montreal, 4 November 2020 – Airports Council International (ACI) World and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have today launched a new global qualification programme for airport safety professionals and civil aviation regulators.
The ACI/ICAO Airport Safety Professional (ASP) programme is the first and only joint professional aviation programme of its kind and will help to support global airport industry recovery by assisting airports to align safety practices with ICAO.
Designed by industry leaders from both organizations, it validates an individual’s dedication and expertise by promoting professional excellence in the field of airport airside operations. Graduates will be able to use the industry designation of ASP which is a welcomed addition to the global ACI-ICAO International Airport Professional management designation of IAP.
“The safety of our passengers and collaborators is our number one priority, and this new programme promotes ACI’s leading practices alongside ICAO industry safety standards and recommended practices giving students an invaluable/extensive learning experience,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. “This programme was developed through our strong relationship with ICAO and our joint efforts to offer only the highest quality of training in the industry. Partnerships like this, forged with our global partners, are key in promoting the development of the entire aviation ecosystem and providing the skills and expertise need to carry the industry through recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“The successful recovery and resumption of global air transport operations relies significantly on the technical and managerial skills of airport safety professionals and airport civil aviation regulators, and on their capacity to innovate in the face of the many challenges now confronting our sector and the societies and industries it serves”, remarked ICAO Secretary General Dr. Fang Liu.
“This new ICAO-ACI initiative will help assure we maintain a safe, secure, and efficient aviation system supporting both current essential air cargo and other services, and pandemic air transport recovery more generally.”
The new ASP, while the first in the area of safety, is the second successful initiative jointly offered by ICAO and ACI. The Global ICAO-ACI Airport Management Professional Accreditation Programme (AMPAP) was first introduced in 2007 and has since recognized more than 1,000 International Airport Professionals (IAPs) globally.
To be accredited as an Airport Safety Professional and awarded the ASP designation, candidates must pass the online validation exam within one year after successfully completing the required mandatory courses and elective course. The mandatory and elective courses must be completed within a three-year timeframe.
Each course is delivered exclusively by certified ICAO and ACI instructors and based on ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) and ACI industry best practices.
The pilot programme took place in Brazil, with several others already lined up. While initially delivered in English, ACI and ICAO plan to expand the number of languages offered for each course using global and local case studies.
Notes for editors.
- View full details of the ACI/ICAO Airport Safety Professional (ASP) programme.
- Stay up to date with ACI World’s COVID-19 communications through its dedicated news hub.
- Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world’s airports, was founded in 1991 with the objective of fostering cooperation among its member airports and other partners in world aviation, including the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Air Transport Association and the Civil Air Navigation Services Organization. In representing the best interests of airports during key phases of policy development, ACI makes a significant contribution toward ensuring a global air transport system that is safe, secure, customer-centric and environmentally sustainable. As of January 2020, ACI serves 668 members, operating 1979 airports in 176 countries.
Media contacts
Anita Berthier
Director, Communications
ACI World
Telephone: +1 514 373 1254
Email: mediarelations@aci.aero