Diploma in Airport Risk Management
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in airport risk management. 8 modules covering the airport as a system, safety management systems (ICAO Doc 9859), apron operational risks, aviation security, emergencies and continuity, quantitative risk analysis and insurance and risk transfer, with an assigned technical tutor.
Diploma in Airport Risk Management — studying from South Africa
Mining, agriculture and construction make off-road and specialised machinery central to South Africa's economy. Mining equipment manufacturers and service providers support the country's extensive gold, platinum and coal operations, while agricultural machinery serves commercial farming. Engineers working on heavy vehicles and special machines focus on hydraulics, drivetrains and durability under harsh conditions. The South African Bureau of Standards and the Mine Health and Safety Council set relevant standards and safety requirements.
Fees for South Africa: R 16 700 (South African rand), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in South Africa
Typical roles
Questions from South Africa
Will a SEIUM qualification be recognised by the professional bodies in South Africa for this area?
SEIUM qualifications are private and not accredited by any South African body. Engineering registration is handled by ECSA, and machinery safety standards are linked to SABS and the Department of Employment and Labour's regulations. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by employers or the relevant body, so confirm this with them before you enrol.
How might this qualification be used by employers in South Africa in off-road and special vehicles?
Mining, agriculture, construction and vehicle-conversion firms value practical machinery knowledge and proven problem-solving. A private qualification can support your application, especially with hands-on experience, but it carries no official status. Its weight depends on each employer, so ask potential employers in your field how they would view it.
Can I study this programme alongside full-time work from South Africa, and is there a time zone or language issue?
The programme is 100% online and in English, so you can study from home without a student visa. Master's programmes take 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship is possible. Check time-zone and workload expectations with SEIUM directly.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Understand the airport as a complex risk system.
Implement a safety management system.
Identify and mitigate risks in the movement area.
Apply security measures against acts of unlawful interference.
Plan for emergencies and service continuity.
Quantify risks to prioritise investment.
Manage risk transfer through insurance and contracts.
Who it's for
- Airport safety managers running or improving an SMS.
- Airport risk managers who need quantitative tools to prioritise action.
- AVSEC security officers responsible for screening and access control.
- Airport emergency coordinators planning exercises and response.
- Aerodrome certification consultants.
- Safety data analysts working with occurrence reports.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to work at airports.
What you'll work with
- Regulation (EU) 139/2014 (aerodrome requirements and administrative procedures)
- Annex 14 to the Chicago Convention (aerodromes)
- ICAO Doc 9859 (Safety Management Manual)
- Regulation (EU) 2015/1998 (detailed aviation security measures)
- Annex 17 to the Chicago Convention (aviation security)
- Regulation (EU) 376/2014 (reporting, analysis and follow-up of occurrences in civil aviation)
- ICAO Doc 9981 – PANS-Aerodromes (procedures for air navigation services at aerodromes)
- ISO 31000 (risk management guidelines)
- BowTieXP
- Q-Pulse
- ArcGIS Pro
- Palisade @RISK
8 modules
1.1Airside and landside1.2Runways, taxiways and aprons1.3Passenger and cargo terminals1.4Annex 14 to the Chicago Convention1.5Regulation (EU) 139/2014 on aerodromes1.6Aerodrome operator and certification1.7Ground handling agents and service providers1.8Rescue and firefighting service1.9Airport capacity and operations1.10Workshop: map of an airport's stakeholders and risks
2.1ICAO Doc 9859 Safety Management Manual2.2Safety policy and objectives2.3Hazard identification2.4Risk assessment and mitigation2.5Occurrence reporting and Regulation 376/20142.6Internal occurrence investigation2.7Safety performance indicators2.8Management of change2.9Safety promotion2.10Practical exercise: assessment of a change on the apron
3.1Runway incursions3.2Foreign object debris (FOD) damage3.3Vehicle-aircraft collisions3.4Jet blast and personnel strikes3.5Refuelling and fuel spills3.6Wildlife and bird strike risk3.7Low-visibility operations3.8Surface contamination3.9PANS-Aerodromes procedures, Doc 99813.10Case study: analysis of a runway incursion
4.1Annex 17 and Regulation (EU) 2015/19984.2Passenger and baggage screening4.3Access control and airport identification4.4Air cargo security4.5Insider threat4.6Unauthorised drones4.7Airport cybersecurity4.8Contingency plans4.9Coordination with law enforcement4.10Workshop: vulnerability assessment of an access point
5.1Airport emergency plan5.2ARFF category and response times5.3Full-scale and partial exercises5.4Aircraft accident management5.5Terminal evacuation5.6Pandemics and health crises5.7Power supply outages5.8Airport business continuity5.9Crisis communication5.10Exercise: accident at the runway threshold
6.1ICAO risk matrices6.2Bow-tie analysis of occurrences6.3Runway excursion risk models6.4Runway end safety areas (RESA)6.5Occurrence data analysis6.6Leading and lagging indicators6.7Simulation with @RISK6.8Geographic information systems6.9Investment prioritisation6.10Lab: bow-tie of a wildlife strike
7.1Third-party liability of the airport operator7.2Material damage to infrastructure7.3Business interruption7.4Ground handling insurance7.5Contractual indemnity clauses7.6War and terrorism risks7.7Claims management7.8Relationship with airline insurers7.9Insurance programmes for airport networks7.10Practical exercise: review of a ground handling agreement
8.1Selection of the airport or area8.2Hazard identification8.3Risk assessment8.4Mitigation measures8.5Safety indicators8.6Emergency and continuity plan8.7Risk transfer strategy8.8Conclusions8.9Report and presentation8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so the programme is compatible with full-time work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original regulation and applied exercises. The working software is BowTieXP, Q-Pulse, ArcGIS Pro and Palisade @RISK, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for runway incursion analysis, risk assessment of apron changes and airport emergency exercises. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.
Standards covered: Regulation (EU) 139/2014, Annex 14 to the Chicago Convention, ICAO Doc 9859, Regulation (EU) 2015/1998, Annex 17 to the Chicago Convention, Regulation (EU) 376/2014, ICAO Doc 9981 (PANS-Aerodromes), ISO 31000.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
- English sufficient to read technical standards.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with BowTieXP, Q-Pulse, ArcGIS Pro and Palisade @RISK, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.
Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.
Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.
Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.
Related programmes
Diploma in Off-Highway Inverters and Power Electronics
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in inverters and power electronics for off-highway machinery. 8 modules covering power semiconductors including SiC and GaN, inverter topologies, electric…
Diploma in Advanced Off-Road Hydraulics
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in advanced off-road hydraulics. 8 modules covering mobile hydraulic circuits, electrohydraulic control, steering and brakes, hydrostatic transmissions, fluids and filtration,…
Diploma in Direct Injection and Ignition for H₂ ICE
Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in direct injection and ignition for hydrogen internal combustion engines (H₂ ICE). 8 modules covering hydrogen as an engine fuel,…
More in Off-Road, Special Vehicles & Machinery
All Off-Road, Special Vehicles & Machinery programmes → · How to apply · Fees & financing · Scholarships