Three participants in the IATA-University of St.Gallen Diploma of Advanced Studies in Global Air Transport Management explain how the program has given them a vision beyond their expectations.
An airline is an often large, complex machine with many moving parts. As with any industry, senior professionals who want to grow their career prospects will need greater understanding of how the other aspects of the company work, as well as the larger environment in which it exists.
That’s what motivated Taulant Gjukaj to enroll in the Diploma of Advanced Studies (DAS) in Global Air Transport Management. Having trained in IT, he has worked in aviation for 14 years. As his career has evolved, managing IT applications and platforms, he has seen different aspects of operations at three different airlines, and it is likely he will see more. Currently, he manages the IT platform responsible for aircraft movement at Lufthansa Group. “It’s always really important that you know what others are doing outside of your garden,” he explained. “This diploma program enables you to see most of the processes involved in the airline industry.” The Challenge – Get a better understanding of the way airlines work, the challenges they encounter and how to overcome them
Imoleayo Adebule, an airline pilot since 2008, also wanted to broaden her view of an airline. “As a pilot, you tend to be very focused on the operational side of things,” she admitted. “This program has opened me up to understanding all the things, that go on in the backend and with the other units, that all have to come together to make a flight possible.” After becoming Chief Pilot at Aero Contractors in Nigeria in 2019, Imoleayo was appointed Director of Flight Operations in 2023. As her airline has ambitious development plans, aiming to become the largest carrier in Africa, she could play a key role in its expansion.
Valérie Mercay, on the other hand, doesn’t work in the airline industry at all. Having studied business, she chose insurance, where she has worked for 10 years. Currently, her job is aviation underwriting with Kessler Risk Management, Insurance and Pension Fund Consulting in Switzerland. “I wanted to gain expertise in aviation, as I am specialized in insurance,” she revealed. “The diploma allows me to understand the challenges of the industry and my clients, and gives me the understanding of roles and responsibilities, which will help me when dealing with claims.” Three participants in the IATA-University of St. Gallen Diploma of Advanced Studies in Global Air Transport Management explain how the program has given them a vision beyond their expectations.
The DAS in Global Air Transport Management prides itself on enabling participants to gain knowledge through practice, learning through experience, and applying what is learned in real time. Valérie attributed this to the faculty members: “The quality and knowledge of the instructors is remarkable. They’re people from the industry, who have a lot of expertise, and they put theory and practice together to a high level.” Imoleayo agreed that this practical aspect is extremely valuable, “The simulations give you a near-realistic view of what is going on in the market. You can practice and see the results of your actions. For example, in the Airline Business Models simulation, where you run an airline in competition with other groups, we started off ok, but we changed the business model and it affected our profitability negatively. That was a great lesson!”
This ability to see the impact of your decisions also stood out for Taulant. “The simulation class was a really good opportunity to see how an airline really works. We had a good group of people from around the world, some with more experience, some less, and we got to learn from each other too. The simulation game allowed us to really see the impact of our choices, such as destination or aircraft, and then the reaction of the market. Our airline started well and was the only profitable one after the first year, but we wanted to make even more profit and added an additional destination. And then we lost everything. Afterwards, we wanted to do another simulation, so we could see what would have happened if we’d done it differently.”
Valérie also appreciated the insider knowledge to be gained from other students: “It was amazing to meet all these different people from so many different areas in aviation. They had a lot of knowledge to share and, during the course, people were really able to link it up with the topics, especially during the Airline Business Models simulation game.” Imoleayo echoed the sentiment, “You learn, you transfer knowledge from one person to another, as well as making new friends.” Taulant added that he didn’t just meet people who were also participating in the DAS program, “I also got to know people who are in the public classes, who work for different airlines, airports or even manufacturers. There was a lot of great exchange in this program, and everyone is passionate about aviation, both instructors and participants.”
As for the content, each of our participants appreciated different aspects, even when they had a preference for the same modules. Both Imoleayo and Valérie especially enjoyed the Accountable Aviation Management module. For Imoleayo, it “opened my mind up a lot to what is expected, to the responsibilities of each of the different roles being played in the industry in general.” But Valérie learned that “aviation is very regulated, like insurance, and that is useful for me to know.” Taulant, on the other hand, found Network, Fleet and Schedule Planning one of the most interesting modules. “It really helped me see the complexity of the industry; not just which destination and which aircraft, but all the other processes involved.”
The organization of the program into modules is one of its key features. Valérie told us that “having one week per module spread out over the year is great for managing your time. It’s intensive; you add a new topic every day, so you learn a lot. Also, having the option to do the program over one or two years gives you more flexibility.”
We asked our students how their participation in the DAS program matched up with their original aspirations, and what impact they felt they might have going forward.
Download the syllabus to explore the diploma, its objectives and key topics.
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