Embry-Riddle, ISTAT Launch Online Certificate Program in Aviation Finance and Leasing

College students from across the globe now have access to an International Society of Transport Aircraft Trading (ISTAT) University certificate program in aviation finance and leasing via web-based distance learning.

The one-year, six-credit-hour program consists of three courses designed by College of Business faculty at Embry-Riddle’s Daytona Beach Campus in partnership with ISTAT industry practitioners, taught by Embry-Riddle faculty, and delivered online by Embry-Riddle’s Worldwide Campus.

The courses cover aviation finance topics such as aircraft leasing and funding, lease negotiation, risk management, aviation legal framework, transaction modeling and maintenance reserves.

ISTAT University prepares students for internships as well as long-term career opportunities by providing an overview of the many facets of the aviation finance and leasing industries and exposes them to real-world concepts and methodologies.

“This online program will give students from all over the world access to exclusive education that is not offered anywhere else,” said ISTAT Foundation chairman and Embry-Riddle alumnus Damon J. D’Agostino ('94, DB). “These students are the future of our industry, and to that end it is important to give them the tools and resources they need for a successful career.”

Sunder Raghavan, professor of finance at the Daytona Beach Campus and the school’s principal investigator for the ISTAT U project at the campus, added, “This innovative partnership between Embry-Riddle’s College of Business and ISTAT is a one-of-a-kind experience for students, giving them a rich confluence between industry and academia. In more than 20 years of teaching experience, I have never witnessed such enthusiasm and passion in the students.”

To qualify for acceptance, applicants must be enrolled in a graduate-level program (master’s level or above) at an accredited college or university, or enrolled in the final year of an undergraduate (bachelor’s) program at an accredited college or university. The program begins Oct. 20, 2016.

In another recent ISTAT University initiative, Embry-Riddle College of Business faculty and ISTAT expert members developed and delivered two graduate-level finance courses last year at the Daytona Beach Campus. This year, the ISTAT Foundation awarded $10,000 scholarships to four College of Business students.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary, Embry-Riddle’s College of Business is leading the new frontier in business education. The College of Business boasts 26 degree programs, ranging from associate to Ph.D.