Tel Aviv University and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) have signed a first-of-its-kind collaboration agreement on the establishment of a joint center for innovation in aviation, the aim of which is to develop knowledge and technologies that are relevant to safety in airlines and airports.

IATA, the global trade association for the airline industry, incorporates 260 airlines that represent about 83% of the world’s passenger and freight traffic. The association handles a wide variety of aspects of the world of flight, including safety, security, financial issues, regularization, the environment and a variety of steps that aim to simplify processes and improve efficiency in the air and on the ground.

In the agreement, IATA joined the companies’ forum of Tel Aviv University’s cyber center and was among the sponsors of the organization of the international cybersecurity conference that took place recently at Tel Aviv University.

Among the fields in which IATA and Tel Aviv University will collaborate: big data analysis, cybersecurity, authentication for security purposes, and safety and security checks. As part of the joint activity, IATA’s representatives, together with Ramot and Tel Aviv University’s international cyber center, will identify technologies and information that are relevant to the field of international flight.

Prof. Raanan Rein, Vice President of Tel Aviv University, who signed the agreement on behalf of the University, said that this is another important step in the university’s links with international companies and industry. The agreement with such a large and important organization as IATA demonstrates Tel Aviv University’s leading role in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation, as well as in research, emphasized Rein. Kobi Zussman, CEO of IATA Israel, added that like hundreds of international bodies, IATA and the world of flight also wish to benefit from Israeli high-tech academic capabilities. “We are convinced that our collaboration with Tel Aviv University will be most valuable for the flight industry,” he said. According to him, the collaboration between Tel Aviv University and IATA will be based on specific investments in relevant technologies that IATA hopes to develop and advance.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)