By: Sulaiman Stom Koroma
To bridge classroom learning with real-world experiences, Master’s students from three departments, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Marketing, and Project Management, at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), University of Sierra Leone, on Saturday undertook a practical learning visit to the Freetown International Airport in Lungi.
The educational tour was designed to expose students to firsthand insights on spotting and exploring business, marketing, and project opportunities within a thriving infrastructure environment like an international airport.
Dr. James Kollie, lecturer in the Entrepreneurship and Innovation department, encouraged students to approach the airport not just as a travel hub, but as a fertile ground for opportunity discovery. “Entrepreneurs must develop the eye to see opportunities even in the busiest places. The airport and its surrounding communities are rich with potential business ideas waiting to be tapped,” he said.
Mr. Abdul Karim Koroma, who lectures in the Marketing department, focused his talk on identifying niche markets and branding possibilities. “There is a strong marketing ecosystem at the airport, from tourism to hospitality and local crafts. As marketers, you need to think beyond the obvious,” he advised.
On project execution, Mr. Alex Thomas from the Project Management department emphasised the importance of planning, implementation, and monitoring in such large-scale infrastructural environments. “Every structure you see here was once a project, learn to think in phases and timelines,” he told the students.
Students from IPAM were received and given a guided tour of the airport by Vincent Emmanuel Davies, HR & Administration Manager of Freetown International Airport Limited and his team. He shared the airport’s vision and recent transformation efforts aimed at modernising facilities and boosting efficiency. “We are proud of the growth we have made and are open to future partnerships with institutions like IPAM,” he noted.
The students expressed deep appreciation to the university for facilitating the tour, describing it as enlightening and inspiring. They also lauded the administration of the airport and the three lecturers who made the trip possible.
The lecturers expected the visit to spark student-led projects, research ideas, and business concepts tailored around the realities and potential of the aviation industry in Sierra Leone.
