ITC is the University of Twente’s Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation. Our mission is to develop capacity, particularly in less developed countries, and to utilize geospatial solutions to deal with national and global problems. Our vision is that spatial solutions will play an increasingly important role in meeting many of humanity’s complex challenges (often wicked problems), such as climate change, population growth, and related claims for sufficient and secure food, water, energy, health, land and housing provision.
Therefore, our goal is to enhance our standing as an internationally recognized knowledge hub in the spatial domain, renowned for its collaborative educational and research activities, particularly in the global South.
Knowledge domain
The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ambitious and inspiring as they are, reveal a vulnerable planet. Ending poverty and hunger; coping with climate change; ensuring clean water and sanitation, responsible production and consumption, and sustainable cities and communities – goals like these call for new and broader perspectives, new tools, a new way of working. Technology, while sometimes disruptive and even causing new complications, plays a leading role in providing today’s solutions. The development of new technologies from an action-oriented design perspective, can sustainably contribute to the long-term resilience of people, planet and profit.
Our expertise lays in the field of:
Data - Technology - People
The diverse disciplines in which our scientists, educators and students operate embody three vital knowledge domains that we believe together can reshape our planet and societies for the better over the next decades:
- Data; Our researchers are developing data technologies capable of unlocking exciting new sources of insight, knowledge and information about causes and consequences.
- Technology; In an age of science-based engineering, our multidisciplinary design approach to problem-solving results in technologies that immediately impact society where it matters.
- People; In all of our work, we integrate science and engineering with social and behavioral sciences to ensure the solutions we come up with will work in the real world and answer to people's needs.
International knowledge hub
Currently, Geo-ICT technology is rapidly changing society everywhere − mobile, sensor and internet revolutions are touching Africa and Asia equally forcefully. These developments require adaptive and well-coordinated responses. Following the core values of the UT, ITC’s strategy is to expand our role as an international knowledge hub for capacity development in our fields of expertise. Societal impact will be achieved by honing our efforts to have a real impact in the global South. Synergy will be achieved by further fostering our international collaborations and by moving to the campus. A new location for the faculty and its student housing on the university campus will not only enhance the international character of the UT, but also facilitate collaboration with other faculties within the supporting environment of the design centre and other available facilities.
Worldwide network
We will continue to interact closely with our alumni as preferred partners in our capacity development activities. Entrepreneurship and innovation will be specifically targeted in our new capacity development activities and education programmes. Internationalization will be stimulated even further by offering new programmes that are also open to EU students in order to achieve a more global student mix. In general, we will facilitate internationalization activities within our University.