THE College of Aviation and Management studies (CAMS) may soon compete favourably with her counterparts across the globe following plans by the management to upgrade the institution to university standard.

Meanwhile, the school which has engaged the training partnership of Forgers Flight Academy in South African and Schiller International university, London, has also been appointed by some foreign Aviation Schools in South Africa, England and America to be their sole representative in Nigeria. A Nigerian University, Richmond Open University, Enugu, Pilgritris University USA and concepts University London are also training affiliates of CAMS.. Other Nigerian Universities such as Lagos State University, LAUTECH, FUTO and OOA have equally been admitting grandaunts from the institution for part-time programmes.

Having won recognition by higher institutions in Nigeria, the College is making arrangements to affiliate with more professional institutions within and outside the country in its various courses to upgrade its training standards.

Speaking in Lagos, at the weekend, during the 23rd graduation and anniversary celebration of the college in which over 500 students graduated, the Training Director, Prof. Festus Akanador, revealed that many of the Aviation Universities in Ukraine, through their Educational body - Ukraine Study Services (USS), have concluded plans with CAMS to serve as their agent for admission of CAMS students to Ukraine to further courses in aviation and other professional courses. Some students of the college have benefited from this gesture, he added.

Prof. Akanador, who stated that no meaningful economic development would thrive in the country without giving the educational sector its rightful place, emphasised that CAMS is positioned to raise the standard of education in Nigeria which has fallen over time through training and retraining of its staff and students within and outside Nigeria.

The Director, who believed in quality output, selfless efforts and patriotism, said that the year 2009 had witnessed a lot of increase in the intake of students due to consistent quality of the teaching and training methods in the school propelled by competent and dedicated staff of the college.

"The number of students coming into the school is relatively on the increase despite the economic situation. This is because of the good reputation of the school and the satisfactory performance of the past students in the industry. Therefore, we can say without any fear of contradiction that CAMS has really made a name as the pioneer and leading Aviation Training Institution, not only in Nigeria, but Africa. CAMS students are made up of both Nigerians from the different ethnic groups and also other foreign nationals especially from the West African region", he said.

It could be recalled that the College of Aviation and Management Studies which was founded in 1986 has so far made great impact on the society through the provision of senior and medium-level manpower needs of the aviation, transport and tourism Industry in the country. Since its inception, the school has trained and graduated well over fifteen thousand students in various courses offered at the school including Air Ticketing and Reservation, Travel Agency Management, Aviation Management, Transport and Shipping Management, Flight Attendant's courses, Clearing and Forwarding Computer studies and other Business Courses.

The need to give the best in the Aviation industry may have informed reasons why the College of Aviation and Management studies establish strong ties with higher institutions both foreign and local. Already the impact is already being felt widely, given a steady increase in its student's population and employer's preference for CAMS students, the director maintained.

To further harness the economic and technological development of the country, Prof Akanador re-assured that the management would do its best to ensure that only professional experts were drawn from within and across the nation in the training of its students.

Also speaking in the same event, the President, International faith Institute and Management studies, Prof. Ben Akosa, who stated that some foreign universities have affiliated with CAMS for the training of her students up to Post Graduate and Masters degree levels in Nigeria and abroad, stated that the college has mapped out plans to align with more universities and professional bodies both in Nigeria and abroad in the upgrading of its courses to university standards.

This development, he emphasised, has necessitated the expansion of the institution, through the acquiring of a permanent site and the provision of more training facilities for the training of students.

Akosa, who however, lamented lack of funds as major barrier to the smooth running of the school, maintained that the Aviation College has played a vital role in solving the unemployment problem in the country as the students who leave the institution easily secure good jobs anywhere in the country.

"The school is noted for her academic excellence. The qualities of students who leave here talk a lot of good about the school. The employers have also been pleased with her products and have been pleased with her products and have been employing the graduates for years", he said.

Interestingly, the College of Aviation and Management studies has expanded to twelve branches in twelve states of the federation including, Lagos, Ibandan, Kaduna, Port-Harcourt and Abuja.