ACI announces new ACI Fund Scholarship for Women in Aviation

ACI and Dr. Luigi G. (Joe) Sulmona partner as award originators and financial co-contributors

Montreal, 12 November 2024 - Today, Airports Council International (ACI) is proud to announce the creation of a new ACI Fund scholarship for Women in Aviation. ACI and Dr. Luigi G. (Joe) Sulmona will serve as the award originators and financial co-contributors for this prestigious scholarship initiative.

The new scholarship aims to provide targeted support to women in aviation who hail from countries designated by the United Nations as Least Developed Countries (LDC), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), or Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDC) - all nations that are supported by the ACI Fund.

The one-time scholarship will recognize five outstanding women who have demonstrated exceptional achievement while participating in the ACI Airport Management Professional Accreditation Program (AMPAP) Graduate Airport Management Studies (GAMS) course, or, in their AMPAP application portfolio. Each recipient will be awarded a grant of US$10,000 to assist with their professional development in ACI aviation training courses.

The scholarship is part of the ACI Fund's broader mission to advance airport safety, security, management, economics, environmental sustainability, and service excellence through targeted assistance and human resources development at member airports in developing nations. Through this scholarship, the ACI Fund seeks to open doors to career development for women in aviation while enhancing capacity building and professional standards within the global aviation community.

"This scholarship is a significant step forward in our commitment to supporting diversity and inclusion in aviation," said Justin Erbacci, Director General of ACI World. "We are proud to be part of this initiative that will help empower these talented women, providing them with the financial support they need to advance their careers and contribute to the growth of the aviation industry."

The scholarship is a reflection of ACI's ongoing efforts to drive positive change and ensure that airport professionals have the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving global aviation industry.

About ACI

Airports Council International (ACI), the trade association of the world's airports, is a federated organization comprising ACI World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific and the Middle East, ACI EUROPE, ACI Latin America and the Caribbean and ACI North America. 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, efficient, and environmentally sustainable. As of May 2024, ACI serves 814 members, operating 2110 airports in 169 countries.

Editor notes

1. Learn more about the ACI Fund and how you can contribute.
2. Learn more about the ACI Airport Management Professional Accreditation Program (AMPAP).