The International Institute of Aerospace Survey and Earth Sciences (ITC), a leading Dutch institution of higher learning founded in 1950, is dedicated to advanced research in geographic information science and earth observation, and is known for its quality international education, with departments of spherical surveying science, geographic information processing, urban and regional planning and geographic information management It has six departments: the Department of Global Observation Science, the Department of Geographic Information Processing, the Department of Urban and Regional Planning and Geographic Information Management, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Hydraulic Resources, and the Department of Earth System Analysis.