Wayne Farley's Aviation Blog - Air Traffic Management

Republished from ICAO Bulletin dated 28th September 2010
ICAO has adopted a new training policy featuring an endorsement process of training organizations and training courses. The new training policy addresses all areas of aviation safety and security and will complement the work of the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals (NGAP) Task Force. The ICAO civil aviation training policy enables the implementation of a comprehensive framework to ensure that all training provided by ICAO or third parties will be assessed to ensure it meets vigorous standards for the design and development of training courses.
The civil aviation training policy will be supplemented by an endorsement package including specific criteria which will be developed by the end of 2010. These criteria will extend the
Organization’s ability to implement key activities relating to training and testing derived from its strategic objectives.
Training institutions that are currently endorsed will be reassessed within the next triennium. Those seeking new endorsements of training activities are responsible for developing and/or offering courses that fully meet ICAO standards and methodological requirements, including its current objective of evolving toward more competency- and performance-based training approaches, where applicable.

Scope
1. ICAO has an important role to play in ensuring that the civil aviation community, and especially States, have access to the pool of qualified professionals they need to support the safe, secure and sustainable development of air transport.
2. ICAO’s role shall essentially be achieved through the facilitation, support and harmonization of efforts made by States and industry; the development of Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs), Procedures for Air Navigation Services (PANS), and air transport policies; and the provision of advice and guidance material.
3. The training policy is applicable to all training provided by ICAO Bureaus, Regional Offices and training organizations issuing a certificate of completion or a certificate of achievement with an ICAO logo.
4. Seminars and workshops aimed at informing States and other stakeholders of ICAO SARPs, PANS, air transport policies and guidance material and at facilitating their implementation are not considered as aviation training, education or testing for the purpose of this policy.
5. All ICAO training and testing activities shall be designed, developed and offered in accordance with set standards and best practices for that discipline.

Basic principles

6. The training policy shall be in compliance with Assembly Resolution A36-13 Appendix H and all other Assembly Resolutions dealing with training, recognizing that aviation training is the
   responsibility of the States and that ICAO should not participate in the operation of training facilities but should encourage and advise operators of such facilities.
7. Training delivery is considered as a support function and not as a core function of ICAO. It shall only be undertaken when it is determined that:
   • it is necessary to support States in the implementation of ICAO SARPs, PANS, air transport policies and guidance, the rectification of identified deficiencies, or another ICAO activity; or
   • it can promote and foster ICAO’s strategic objectives and produce adequate revenue to ensure self-sustainability without affecting ICAO’s capability to carry out its core functions.
8. Aviation training activities provided by a third party using the ICAO name or logo shall meet the
   following requirements:
   • be in direct support of the strategic objectives of ICAO;
   • be in full compliance with ICAO SARPs, PANS, air transport policies and guidance;
   • use of the ICAO logo will be in full conformity with the policies concerning the use of the logo; and
   • be subjected to an appropriate ICAO endorsement mechanism.
9. The intellectual property of ICAO shall be protected.
10. No harm to ICAO’s reputation shall result from training activities provided by a third party using the ICAO name or logo.
11. Training activities provided by ICAO may be charged in accordance with paragraph 7.7 of The ICAO Financial Regulations (Doc 7515). This charge, together with interest earnings or earnings from investments thereon, shall be used to fund training activities or reimburse all, or part, of the costs incurred by ICAO in the generation, promotion and administration of these training and testing services.
12. Training activities provided by ICAO may be funded using either funds provided by Member States or organizations or funds generated by ICAO’s own activities.

Implementing policy

13. Aviation training mentioned in the basic principles above includes any training or related testing activities undertaken directly by ICAO or by a third party using the ICAO name or logo.
14. The use of the ICAO name or logo for training or testing activities undertaken by a training institution shall be subject to an ICAO endorsement mechanism.

Endorsement

15. ICAO may endorse any training activity and/or facility which meet established requirements. ICAO also reserves the right to withdraw endorsement of any training activity and/or facility which fails to meet those established requirements.
16. An ICAO endorsement indicates that the delivered training programmes, facilities and instructors meet the criteria of quality and relevance needed to ensure that the skills and knowledge necessary to implement SARPs are provided.
17. The endorsement indicates that training programmes, facilities and instructors are managed in such a way as to effectively support learning for performance improvement.
18. Endorsement is used to extend ICAO’s ability to implement key activities derived from strategic objectives involving training and testing. Institutions endorsed for a training activity remain responsible for fully meeting ICAO requirements.
19. Endorsement will be granted only after an assessment conducted by ICAO confirms that established requirements are met.1 The full costs related to endorsement will be borne by the State or institution.