Our Legacy

What began in 1977 as a single short course on Automatic Flight Controls taught by Distinguished University Professor Dr. Jan Roskam has transformed into a globally recognized, professional training program that has educated over 45,000 aerospace engineers from over 60 countries. Passion for educational excellence has been the backbone of our program since its inception.

Dr. Jan Roskam, a native of the Netherlands, had extensive experience working on notable aircraft at Aviolanda, Cessna and Boeing before joining the University of Kansas in 1967. Roskam saw a need in the industry to bridge the gap between education and practical application, and he was determined to use his experience in both the field and the classroom to train professionals who needed it. At the time of his death in 2022, Roskam had taught over 200 courses and 30 webinars for the program, educating over 11,000 professionals.

This special edition of the KU Aerospace Short Courses catalog features over 50 classes to choose from, all taught by the instructors who have strengthened our program’s legacy of providing comprehensive and cutting-edge education in aerospace training. As we look back and honor our program's history, we are even more excited for what the next 50 years will hold.