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Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Celebrates 50 Years of US Military Education Programs in Europe
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
June 23, 2023
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University graphic. ()
Campus locations throughout Europe will be celebrating this anniversary with their students and colleagues at various registration events and education centers throughout the year to highlight this important milestone.
ERAU is currently a part of the Tri-Services Voluntary Education Program allowing the university to maintain offices in education centers throughout Europe to include Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom. Student services have recently expanded to Romania and Poland. The University was recently awarded another 5 years with the contract and is proud to continue offering high quality student advising and services to our overseas U.S. military community. Within the contract, ERAU is authorized to offer degree programs in aviation-related associates, bachelor’s and master’s degrees. New programs will include degrees in engineering, space operations, logistics/supply chain management and project management.
Back in 1972, there were actually thirteen educational institutions present throughout Europe with a range of differing programs and services. In a 1977 article, Stars & Stripes reported that ERAU held their first ever European Commencement with former ERAU President, Jack R. Hunt, presenting the diplomas and delivering the commencement address. Throughout the years, the number of schools and the implementation of the Tri-Services Contract decreased the number of on-base educational institutions. Over the last 10 years it has been primarily Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, University of Maryland Global Campus, University of Oklahoma, and Central Texas College collaborating as partner schools in education centers.
“The history of ERAU in Europe is a fascinating journey,” said Nancy Tran-Horne, Executive Director. “The changes in military installations in response to world events plus the increase in military members being stationed overseas has certainly evolved since 1973 when we opened our first campus location in Mannheim, Germany.”
“It is a great honor to continue as an education partner under the Tri-Services agreement,” said Dr. John Watret, Chancellor for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Worldwide. “We deeply value our partnership, and over the last 50 years, we have seen incredible growth in the programs we offer and the relationships with the installations where we have a presence. We are very proud to continue to provide exceptional education to service men and women and their families in Europe, and we look forward to their continued growth and success.”
About Overseas U.S. Military Operations
ERAU has had the privilege of serving overseas U.S. military students via our current Tri-Services Contract since the opening of our first European military location in 1973. Campus locations are scattered across Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey, & the United Kingdom. Locations include Aviano AB, NATO AB Geilenkirchen, USAG Bavaria (Grafenwoehr/Vilseck/Hohenfels), USAG Ansbach (Katterbach/Illesheim), Incirlik AB, RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall, Ramstein AB, NAVSTA Rota, NAS Sigonella, Spangdahlem AB, Vicenza (Caserma Ederle), and USAG Wiesbaden, while providing support for students located in the Kaiserslautern Military Community (KMC – Sembach Kaserne, USAG Baumholder, Kleber Kaserne, & USAG Rheinland-Pfalz Landstuhl), USAG Stuttgart, Naples, RAF Croughton, RAF Molesworth, Moron AB, Poland (Poznan/Powidz), & Romania (Mihail Kogalniceanu AB).
Visit the European Military Campus Operations Website here.
ERAU began offering aviation undergraduate and graduate certificates and degree programs, EagleVision Classroom (EVC) courses, and on-site advising/support services, to members of the U.S. military stationed at overseas Pacific locations in US Forces Japan (USFJ) and U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) in 2015 under a Department of Defense Education contract (recently replaced with an Education Services Agreement (ESA). ERAU PACOM’s flagship campus locations, Kadena AFB in Okinawa and Camp Humphreys in South Korea, opened their doors in August of 2015. Since then, ERAU PACOM has expanded to include ten campus locations throughout Japan and South Korea (Camp Humphreys, Kadena AFB, MCAS Futenma, MCAS Iwakuni, Misawa AFB, NAF Atsugi, Osan AFB, Yokosuka NB, and Yokota AFB) and continues to grow. We also support students located in Daegu/Kunsan, Camp Foster, Camp Schwab, Torii Station, Camp Fuji, and Camp Zama. We recently added a location in Guam at Andersen Airbase in March.