Aviation Program Review and Refresh
To remain abreast of industry needs and standards and produce graduates that can lead the future of aviation, UNSW Aviation recently implemented a range of innovations across its programs.
As UNSW Aviation welcomed its 30th cohort of students, the School was also celebrating the start of an exciting new chapter for learning and teaching innovation. In February 2024, UNSW Aviation launched a refreshed undergraduate teaching portfolio, which was designed, consulted on, and implemented by key aviation academics, industry partners, and School students and alumni. The refresh was driven by UNSW Aviation’s commitment to producing high-quality graduates and thought leaders who can adapt and respond to the current and emerging needs of the aviation industry.
Key achievements of the teaching portfolio refresh include:
- Review and redesign of the Bachelor of Aviation in Flying and Bachelor of Aviation in Management programs.
- Creation and launch of a new Bachelor of Aviation in Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) program.
- Introduction of three optional industry-relevant minors in the Bachelor of Aviation in Management program: Human Factors and Aviation Safety, Aviation Law and Sustainability, and Aviation Data Analytics
- Introduction of a suite of 12 new courses to be integrated across the revised Bachelor of Aviation in Flying, Bachelor of Aviation in Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems and Bachelor of Aviation in Management.
- Inclusion of a common core first year of courses across all UNSW Aviation undergraduate programs to ensure students develop the essential skills identified by our academics and industry partners.
- Introduction of an opportunity for students to undertake Work-Integrated Learning with key industry partner as a way to further their networking and on-site work experience.
Despite the programs only being launched very recently, staff, students and industry are already identifying the positive impact of these changes. This includes the potential for further growth of UNSW Aviation as a tertiary education leader on the national and international aviation stage. Mr Rodney Hyde (Head of Operations, UNSW Aviation Flying Operations Unit) has observed that the introduction of the refreshed program was “UNSW positioning itself at the forefront of the new technology and as a leader in the space” with the revision of the Flying program being “something akin to the heady days of early aviation, when the sky was the limit and anything seemed possible.”