Stakeholder Perceptions of Specialized Accreditation by the Aviation Accreditation Board International: Part Three – Level of Awareness and Perceived Value

Abstract

In an effort to understand the current status of specialized accreditation in collegiate aviation and the reasons why so few aviation programs are accredited by the Aviation Accreditation Board International (AABI), a comprehensive study was undertaken to determine the perceptions held by the following four stakeholders of collegiate aviation regarding specialized accreditation by AABI: administrators of both AABI accredited and non-AABI accredited aviation programs, aviation program students, and aviation industry employers. This article is the third in a series of three reporting the results of this nationwide study. Recommendations specific to part three of this nationwide study include: (a) AABI should develop a comprehensive marketing program aimed toward the various stakeholders of collegiate aviation, (b) AABI should seek enhanced collaboration with industry, and (c) AABI should explore the intrinsic merits of accreditation to truly determine how beneficial AABI accreditation is and the degree to which AABI is fulfilling its original purpose.