RMIT Aviation Academy Named Flight Training Business of the Year and Training and Mentorship Program of the Year at 2026 Australian Aviation Awards

Australia – RMIT University's Aviation Academy has been named Flight Training Business of the Year and Training and Mentorship Program of the Year at the 2026 Australian Aviation Awards, in a ceremony held Thursday (announced 14 August 2026). RMIT is one of two Australian universities holding an Air Operators Certificate and an integrated aviation academy — a model widely adopted by leading international institutions — and owns the largest fleet of aircraft in Australia's higher education sector. 

• Aviation has been part of RMIT for more than 80 years, and the University owns the largest fleet of aircraft in Australia's higher education sector.
• RMIT is one of two Australian universities to hold an Air Operators Certificate and an integrated aviation academy — a model widely adopted by leading international institutions.
• The exclusive Leidos partnership provides students with specialised training aligned with special mission aviation operations; the Leidos Aviation Scholarship has since 2024 provided $330,000 in scholarship funding to final-year aviation students, including study support, mentorship, and a guaranteed career pathway upon graduation.
• Global partnerships with Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, and Thai VietJet deliver cadet pilot training, providing students with industry experience and connections and uplifting Asia-Pacific aviation capabilities.
• The McGill University partnership sent RMIT students to Montreal in June 2026 for an international programme covering strategic, operational, and policy challenges shaping the future of civil aviation.
• The RMIT Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Transport Safety Investigation, delivered in close collaboration with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, includes an augmented reality crash site allowing learners to walk around an accident site and identify hazards in a virtual environment.
• The Qantas Group Safety Academy, launched in 2025 with RMIT and Griffith universities, offers online or in-person programmes to upskill leaders, safety professionals, and entry-level workers across safety culture, risk management, data management, cyber safety, and human safety factors including sleep and fatigue management.

Statements

• "RMIT is one of two universities in Australia to hold an Air Operators Certificate and an integrated aviation academy, a model widely adopted by leading international institutions. The Academy is an internationally recognised platform that brings together training, research and industry partnerships to develop professionals and position the Asia-Pacific as a global aviation leader," said Professor Catherine Itsiopoulos, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of STEM College and Vice-President of RMIT.
• "Our goal is not simply to be a leading flight training organisation, but to be among the best, recognised for safety, quality, student experience, industry relevance and the confidence we give our students to see themselves as part of aviation's future," said Lea Vesic, Director of the RMIT Aviation Academy.
• "The partnership with Leidos builds on the training offered by the Academy to ensure graduates are prepared for in-demand jobs in Victoria and across the region. The specialist flying training that students receive not only helps to protect Australia's national interests but also save lives in search-and-rescue operations," said Lea Vesic.
• "This program has been co-designed with industry for rail, marine and aviation accident investigators. We deliver practical and valuable learning through innovative pedagogy, such as our augmented reality crash site, which allows learners to walk around an accident site and look for site hazards without being in that real environment," said Associate Professor Nic Connelly of Aerospace Engineering.
• "RMIT's partnership with Qantas is testament to the quality of our training and leadership – not just in producing job-ready graduates but fostering collaboration across the sector, especially when it comes to safety," said Lea Vesic.

About RMIT Aviation Academy
RMIT Aviation Academy is the aviation training arm of RMIT University, one of two Australian universities holding an Air Operators Certificate and an integrated aviation academy. RMIT owns the largest fleet of aircraft in Australia's higher education sector and delivers pilot training, cadet programmes with Vietnam Airlines, VietJet, and Thai VietJet, specialised training under partnership with Leidos, and Transport Safety Investigation programmes co-developed with the Australian Transport Safety Bureau. The academy was named Flight Training Business of the Year and Training and Mentorship Program of the Year at the 2026 Australian Aviation Awards.

Source: RMIT Aviation Academy