The College of Law (CLAW) participated in the 2026 AERO South Africa Expo, held at Lanseria International Airport from 10 to 12 June 2026. The Expo has become an important strategic platform through which the College advances the University of South Africa’s (UNISA’s) Catalytic Niche Area (CNA) agenda, particularly in Aviation and Aeronautical Studies. As in previous years, the event provided an opportunity not only to showcase the College’s existing academic offerings, but also to engage industry stakeholders on the future direction of aviation education, research and innovation at UNISA.

The College’s exhibition stand attracted significant interest from aviation professionals, prospective students, regulators, industry representatives and members of the general public. Throughout the three-day exhibition, the marketing team, led by Mr Mokgotho, responded to a broad range of enquiries from current and prospective students. These included registration-related matters, postgraduate supervision opportunities, graduation processes and general programme information. Notably, there was considerable interest from prospective postgraduate students seeking supervision in Aviation Law, reinforcing the growing recognition of UNISA as a leader in this emerging field.

The Aviation Law Working Group, led by the College’s distinguished professor of Aviation, Prof Angelo Dube, actively engaged with exhibitors, aviation professionals and aspiring aviators throughout the Expo. Notably, many young people visited the UNISA exhibition seeking information on academic pathways into the aviation industry following the completion of their secondary education.

New qualifications under development

These engagements provided an excellent opportunity to promote the College’s aviation-focused curriculum, including the aviation-related modules offered within the LLB programme, while also creating awareness of the proposed Master of Laws (LLM) and Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Aviation Law currently under development. The consistent interest demonstrated by prospective students confirms the increasing demand for specialised legal education aligned to the rapidly evolving aviation industry.

According to the organisers, the 2026 AERO South Africa Expo attracted more than 2 400 visitors and featured approximately 65 exhibitors representing various sectors of the aviation ecosystem. These included charter operators, flight training organisations, aircraft manufacturers, aviation software developers, logistics companies, aircraft leasing businesses and aviation service providers. Significantly, UNISA remained the only higher education institution exhibiting at the Expo. This unique position afforded the University exceptional visibility and enabled it to demonstrate its leadership in aviation education and research. The exhibition further highlighted the University’s multidisciplinary approach to aviation by showcasing opportunities that extend beyond CLAW into other academic disciplines across the institution.

Strengthening existing partnerships

The Engaged Scholarship Project on the Rural Aviation Economy (Project ESRAE), led by Adv Konanani Raligilia, also maintained an active presence throughout the Expo. The project used the platform to strengthen existing partnerships and explore new collaborative opportunities with stakeholders operating within South Africa’s rural aviation ecosystem. Members of Project ESRAE engaged with operators based at rural airfields, flight schools serving remote communities, local aircraft manufacturers producing South African-designed aircraft, aviation fuel distributors, municipal representatives, drone technology companies and youth empowerment organisations.

These engagements align closely with Project ESRAE’s objective of strengthening rural aviation as an enabler of local economic development, entrepreneurship and improved connectivity. Discussions also explored opportunities relating to aviation security, skills development and the growing role of unmanned aircraft systems in supporting rural communities. The Expo therefore provided an important platform for expanding the Project’s collaborative network while simultaneously showcasing the innovative engaged scholarship initiatives emerging from CLaw.

Supporting the college research agenda

The exhibition also supported the College’s research agenda. Members of the Aviation Law Working Group administered a research questionnaire as part of ongoing empirical research within the aviation law programme. The opportunity to collect data directly from aviation stakeholders in an industry environment adds considerable value to the College’s research output. It ensures that future scholarship is informed by contemporary industry perspectives and practical experience.

Beyond student recruitment and stakeholder engagement, participation in the Expo reinforced the importance of sustained collaboration between academia and industry. Aviation is a highly specialised and rapidly evolving sector requiring responsive academic programmes that remain informed by developments in regulation, technology, sustainability and industry practice.

Overall, the College’s participation in the 2026 AERO South Africa Expo successfully advanced several strategic objectives. It enhanced the visibility of the UNISA brand, promoted existing and future aviation law programmes, strengthened relationships with industry stakeholders, supported the University’s engaged scholarship agenda through Project ESRAE and contributed to ongoing research activities within the Aviation Law Working Group. Equally important, the Expo reaffirmed CLaw’s leadership in advancing Aviation and Aeronautical Studies as one of UNISA’s CNAs and demonstrated the growing national interest in specialised aviation legal education. The positive engagements recorded during the exhibition provide a strong foundation for future partnerships, programme development and research collaboration as the College continues to position itself at the forefront of aviation scholarship on the African continent.

*Compiled by: Prof Angelo Dube: CLAW’s distinguished professor