Following an official presentation that took place on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, the establishment of the first Postgraduate Program in Greece, focusing on air transport management, was announced.
More specifically, as announced, two Greek universities are joining forces to establish an innovative English-language Postgraduate Program titled MBA in Air Transport Management (MATVA). This new MBA was created by the Department of Tourism Economics and Management of the University of the Aegean and the Department of Civil Engineering of the Democritus University of Thrace, with strategic partners the Athens International Airport and the international Non-Governmental Organization Hermes – Air Transport Organisation based in Montreal, Canada.
The program’s goal is to create specialized professionals in air transport through the acquisition of theoretical and applied knowledge and the development of strategic skills. Graduates of the MATVA can be employed as executives in businesses and organizations of the air transport sector in Greece and abroad, as heads of strategic planning and policy in national and international organizations, as well as as researchers on issues concerning air transport.
Thirteen male and ten female instructors (Greek and foreign) participate in the MATVA, who are active in 8 countries (Greece, Cyprus, Germany, United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Slovakia, Canada) and 13 entities. The program is supported by an international external advisory committee composed of significant personalities from the entire air transport ecosystem.
The program has a duration of 1.5 years and provides 90 ECTS credit units. At the start of the first semester, students participate in a one-week in-person teaching session on Chios (February 1 – 5, 2026 for the current academic year). Subsequently, the program is based on distance learning with synchronous teaching via the Zoom platform and asynchronous learning via the Moodle platform, where the educational material is posted. In the first semester, the program is common, while in the second, one of the following three specializations is mandatory: airports, airlines, and air navigation service providers (air traffic control). In the third semester, the postgraduate thesis (MBA Thesis) is completed.
The presentation of the new Postgraduate Program MBA in Air Transport Management (MATVA) was made by Professor Mr. Andreas Papatheodorou, Chairman of the Department of Tourism Economics and Management of the University of the Aegean and Director of the MATVA. As Mr. Papatheodorou mentioned, “this is an innovative English-language postgraduate program at the MBA level – the first Postgraduate Program in Greece (out of approximately 1,500 programs) in the academic field of air transport management. The collaborating departments of the MATVA are the Department of Tourism Economics and Management of the University of the Aegean (as the leading department) and the Department of Civil Engineering of the Democritus University of Thrace, while the strategic partners are the Athens International Airport and the international Non-Governmental Organization Hermes – Air Transport Organisation.
These specific collaborations are indicative of the direct connection with the market of an MBA program in a subject area that “bridges,” reducing geographical isolation and enhancing extroversion and internationalization.
Professor Stylianos Xanthopoulos, Vice Rector of Administrative and Academic Affairs, University of the Aegean, stated: “With the MATBA – the first MBA in Air Transport Management in Greece – Greece gains a point of reference in the education of air transport executives. The University of the Aegean confirms its international orientation and innovation in postgraduate education, creating this internationally competitive program in collaboration with the Democritus University of Thrace and with the tangible support of leading bodies, such as Athens International Airport, combining academic quality, research documentation and practical value.”
Associate Professor Petros Kavassalis, Vice Rector of Research and Innovation, University of the Aegean, stated: “The University of the Aegean has been collaborating for a long time with the Greek and international aviation industry. The new MBA in Air Transport Management is precisely a product of this long-term cooperation. At the same time, the University of the Aegean leads in research in the same area, as shown by the relevant publications and the conferences it organizes and participates in. And, of course, I note our distinct participation, recently, in the major European projects-Consortia (Large Scale Pilots) that organize the digitalization of travel and related documents (DTC, boarding passes, invoices, etc.), at a European level and possibly beyond, in combination with the new (pan)European digital identity (European Digital Identity), which the European Commission and the member states of the Union foresee providing to European citizens soon.”
Professor Vassilis Profillidis, from the Department of Civil Engineering of the Democritus University of Thrace, initially referred to the characteristics of the Program which “constitutes a joining of forces of almost all Greek scientists involved in the aviation field as well as many distinguished European colleagues, has an orientation towards the needs of the labor market, allows for the segmentation of the aviation market with targeting to cover the needs of each individual category, utilizes the high added scientific value and great experience of the scientists who will teach and finally will be a field of continuous interaction between instructors and postgraduate researchers. The Raison d’ Etre of the Program is for specialized knowledge to meet the needs of production. The Program is addressed to executives of airports, airlines, tourism, Ministries but also to graduates of economics, engineering, and tourism schools who are interested in working in the aviation sector. The geographical area to which the Program is addressed is not only Greece and neighboring countries, but also the Middle East, North Africa, Central Europe and (why not) the rest of the world. The online operation of the Program makes it compatible with the professional obligations of postgraduate researchers.”
Dr. Yiannis Paraschis, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of AIA, stated: “Athens International Airport has consistently placed at the core of its strategy investment in knowledge, in young people, and in the advancement of the air transport sector.
The establishment of the first English-language MBA in Air Transport Management in Greece is a significant and necessary step for shaping the next generation of top professionals, with an international approach and a significant contribution to the development of human capital for the sector. Acknowledging the broader role of the CAA for the economy and society, we participate as strategic partners in this initiative that combines academic knowledge by connecting it with the needs of the air transport market.
Dr. Kostas Iatrou, Director General, Hermes – Air Transport Organisation, stated: “The MATBA aspires to shape the next leaders of the air transport sector, providing a combination of academic knowledge and practical experience. During the program, distinguished personalities from the field of air transport will offer lectures, transferring valuable knowledge and experiences from the real market to the participants.”
You can watch the full presentation of the new MBA in Air Transport Management (MATBA), here.
