A group photo of the conference participants.
Prof. Eric Friginal, Head of ENGL and local organising committee chair of ICAEA 2024, gives a welcoming speech to open the conference.
The International Civil Aviation English Association (ICAEA) Conference 2024 recently concluded a highly successful conference hosted by the Department of English and Communication (ENGL) through its Research Centre for Professional Communication in English (RCPCE). The conference brought together experts from industry and academia to explore a range of critical issues related to training, language assessment, and communicative competence in aviation, generating important insights and advancements to benefit the global aviation sector.
Participants and plenary speakers from over 25 countries included Mr Catalin Popa representing the United Nation’s International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO); Prof. Markus Bieswanger from Bayreuth University, Germany; Dr Malila Pardo from BNU-HKBU United International College, Zhuhai, China; Ms Jennifer Roberts from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Florida, USA; and ICAEA president Mr Michael Kay from Aeronautical Radio of Thailand. Key topics covered at the conference included recognising factors that determine communicative competence in aviation, identifying training needs to develop communication strategies, and advancements in assessment methods, including test design and delivery.
"The ICAEA conference was a tremendous success, providing a platform for industry and academia to come together and tackle the critical issues surrounding English communication in aviation domains, especially targeting the strategic locations of Hong Kong and China’s Greater Bay Area,” said Prof. Eric Friginal, Head of ENGL and local organising committee chair. “The synergistic discussions and exchange of ideas have generated valuable insights that will significantly benefit the global aviation industry. ENGL and RCPCE researchers and staff are honoured to host ICAEA 2024!”
Some of the key outcomes and contributions from the conference include recommendations for updates to the ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements to enhance aviation communication standards worldwide; workshops on innovative assessment methods and online testing capabilities to improve the evaluation of aviation English proficiency; and curriculum development and teacher training strategies to better prepare aviation professionals for effective cross-cultural communication.
Mr Popa emphasised the importance of collaborations and knowledge-sharing between industry and academia to accelerate progress in this critical field. The insights and outcomes from the conference will be shared through publications and ongoing collaboration among the attendees, driving meaningful improvements in aviation communication globally.
ICAEA 2024 was supported by the Jiangsu-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance (JHMUA) Open Bid Funding. For more information about the ICAEA and its activities, please visit https://www.icaea.aero/.
