ITCFACULTY OF GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION

EQUIPPING STUDENTS TO TACKLE ONE OF MANKIND’S GREATEST CHALLENGES...

USING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE TO CREATE REAL CHANGE

One of mankind’s greatest challenges is to achieve a healthy balance between harnessing natural resources and maintaining an optimal natural environment. At the University of Twente’s Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation, ITC, our goal is to equip individuals from all over the world for tackling this challenge. Our students, though from widely differing backgrounds, have two things in common: academic excellence and a drive to create change in their world. In this brochure, we present fi ve of these change agents, each of whom has completed a Master’s programme at ITC with a scholarship from the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJWGSP).

‘ ITC IS PROUD TO CONTINUE OFFERING A PREFERRED PROGRAMME UNDER THE JOINT JAPAN/WORLD BANK SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM’

ITC IN A NUTSHELL

INNOVATING GEO-INFORMATION MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDEAt the Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) at the University of Twente, we are among the world’s leading pioneers in our fi eld.

• International postgraduate education, research and project services in the fi eld of geo-information science and earth observation using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS)

• Recognized worldwide for our achievements in teaching, research and capacity development

• Strong focus on earth observation, generating spatial information, and developing data integration methods

• Experts in providing tools designed to support planning and decision-making processes • Aimed at sustainable development and poverty alleviation in developing countries

and emerging economies

“ Geo-information is a rapidly growing industry worldwide. Geographical

information systems and remote sensing tools can be used for solving

real-world problems and complex issues concerning healthcare,

food security, climate, water, urban planning, security and land scarcity.”

TOM VELDKAMP, DEAN AT ITC

UNIVERSITY OF GLOBAL CHANGE LEADERS.

FROM PROFESSOR TO STUDENT TO CHANGE LEADER‘For a professor to sit in class among students was an altogether different experience’, Derrick recalls. ‘I had to switch from ‘prof. mode’ to student mode.’ This role shift was tough, but he pressed on. ‘With the help of ITC’s encouraging and highly professional staff I bounced back, scoring higher grades as I progressed. All in all, studying at ITC was wonderful. It made me feel young. And being part of a unique community of citizens from all over the world changed my perspective forever.’

WHEN DERRICK M. DENIS OF ALLAHABAD, INDIA, FIRST SAT DOWN IN AN ITC LECTURE HALL IN THE DUTCH CITY OF ENSCHEDE, HE HAD SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO MAKE. LATER, HE BECAME AN AGENT FOR CHANGE HIMSELF.

NAME: PROF. DR. DERRICK M. DENISPOSITION: PROFESSOR AND DEAN AT VAUGH SCHOOL OF AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY COUNTRY: INDIASTUDENT AT ITC: 2011-2013

A FRESH ORGANISATIONAL PERSPECTIVEWhile studying, the professor from Allahabad

was fascinated by the operational excellence

of what he calls ‘one of the best institutions

in Europe’. He observed ITC’s academic

and administrative performance closely and

with deep interest. Thus, when he returned

home, he took with him not only a Master’s

degree in Geo-Information Science and Earth

Observation, but also a fresh organisational

perspective. ‘Back In India I was appointed

Dean of Vaugh School of Agricultural Engi-

neering & Technology, an institute with 2,000

registered students and around 52 faculties

– and the first school in the whole of Asia to

offer a Bachelor of Technology programme

with specialisation in Agricultural Enginee-

ring. The many recommendations I made for

academic and administrative improvement

– based on my experiences at ITC – were

gladly embraced.’

A BURNING DESIRE TO USE REMOTE SENSINGDerrick has always been fascinated by maps.

In 2011, a ‘burning desire’ to learn how to

process and use the resources made availa-

ble by remote sensing led him to sign up for

ITC’s Master’s course on Water Resources

and Environmental Management (WREM).

‘ITC was the best option among many,’

he states. He was accepted and began to

search for funding. To his delight, he found

an offer on the World Bank website. ‘The

scholarship I was awarded, along with the

constant support given me by my wife, made

it all possible.’

‘ITC TAUGHT ME TO THINK GLOBAL’Today, Derrick is still Dean at Vaugh School

of Agricultural Engineering & Technology. He

is also involved in ‘water budgeting’ with the

Uttar Pradesh Council of Agricultural Rese-

arch and working on the River Ganges’ water

quality with the Indian Space Research Orga-

nisation. His studies at ITC are a huge help in

all of this. ‘Remote sensing brings everything

together, providing solutions in many areas

of life. ITC’s global outlook makes its alumni

truly global problem solvers. Studying at

ITC certainly helped me personally to think

global. It increased my sensitivity to the

challenges around us. My time at ITC also

taught me that good people exist worldwide

– and that together we can combat poverty,

hunger, drought and disasters with the hope

of overcoming them one day. It taught me to

work hard to give others a better life.’

‘ STUDYING AT ITC CHANGED MY PERSPECTIVE FOREVER’

URBAN DEVELOPER WITH A HEART FOR PEOPLE

BOLATITO DAYO-BABABTUNDE MANAGES LAND USE AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA’S CAPITAL CITY. STUDYING AT ITC WAS A MAJOR STEP IN MANAGING HER OWN DEVELOPMENT AS A FEMALE PROFESSIONAL.

Bolatito followed a Master’s programme in Geo-Information Science and Earth Obser-vation for Urban Planning and Management at ITC. One of the challenges, she recalls, was coping with a heavy workload. ‘The ITC curriculum requires you to take exams almost every 3 to 4 weeks. At the same time, we

were learning to work with various kinds of new software, such as Scenario 360, Erdas and ArcGis. It was hard work.’ Bolatito still benefits from this rigorous academic program-me. ‘Studying at ITC really taught me how to work efficiently and to stick to my schedules,’ she says.

NAME: BOLATITO DAYO-BABABTUNDEPOSITION: DEVELOPMENT CONTROL OFFICER AT THE ABUJA DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENT CONTROL COUNTRY: NIGERIASTUDENT AT ITC: 2013-2015

HELPING COMMUNITIES THROUGH LAND USEAs a Development Control Officer at Nigeria’s

Abuja Department of Development Control,

Bolatito’s responsibilities include guiding and

controlling land use in the Garki District, loca-

ted in the southwest of the capital city. ‘My

job is to keep tabs on illegal development

and to propose policies for effective urban

management based on global best practices.

Resolving land use conflicts is also part of

my work.’

Bolatito daily draws on what she learned and

experienced at ITC. ‘Studying at ITC gave me

access to best practices in my profession

as well as an opportunity to engage with

colleagues from other parts of the world

facing similar challenges.’ She adds that field

trips during her studies in the Netherlands

were also eye-opening. ‘We visited flagship

projects in Rotterdam, where brownfield land

was used for the creation of iconic buildings

that providing housing, generated jobs, at-

tracted investors and improved the quality of

life of people living in the area. One striking

example I remember was an old factory that

had been transformed into a school.’

In Abuja, where urban settlements all too

often face demolition, this kind of innovative

land use is much needed, says Bolatito. ‘I

hope that someday in my country we will be

able to use old, abandoned buildings and fac-

tories to create something beneficial to the

community – something that will alleviating

suffering and improve the quality of life of the

people living there.’

‘BE COURAGEOUS, ESPECIALLY IF YOU’RE A GIRL’Bolatito is grateful for the positive growth

and development she has experienced in

her own life. ‘The Joint Japan/World Bank

Graduate Scholarship Programme has had

a huge impact on my life,’ she says. ‘I was

motivated to persevere and I feel incredibly

fortunate to have been selected from among

thousands of applicants. It is a great thing

that the programme emphasises the educati-

on of women and girls, especially in coun-

tries in the southern hemisphere, where girls

tend to be given far fewer opportunities for

education. My advice to future scholarship

applicants is: be courageous and determined,

especially if you’re a girl from a country in the

south, where financial resources for studying

are limited. My story proves dreams can

come true.’

‘ I HOPE THAT SOMEDAY IN MY COUNTRY WE WILL BE ABLE TO USE OLD, ABANDONED BUILDINGS AND FACTORIES TO CREATE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL BENEFIT THE COMMUNITY’

INFLUENCER WITH A BROAD HORIZON

K.C. Bhawana works for the government of Nepal’s Multi-Stakeholder Forestry Programme, which is jointly funded by several European government agencies. Her responsibilities are broad. They include Programme Planning, Management and Facilitation, Human Resource Management and Capacity Building, Knowledge Management, Documentation and Communi-cation, and Coordination, Collaboration and Networking. She designs annual programmes and leads forestry, climate change and disaster risk reduction interventions, contributes to capacity development in technical forestry and climate change, engages in knowledge management in the field of climate change adaptation and resilience building, and works closely with other climate change experts.

WHEN IT COMES TO THE MANAGEMENT OF NEPAL’S NATURAL RESOURCES, FORESTRY AND CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERT K.C. BHAWANA IS AN INFLUENCER WITH A WIDE REACH. HER STUDIES AT ITC INTENSIFIED HER IMPACT.

NAME: K.C. BHAWANAPOSITION: FORESTRY AND CLIMATE CHANGE EXPERT AT THE MULTI STAKE-HOLDER FORESTRY PROGRAMME COUNTRY: NEPALSTUDENT AT ITC: 2013-2015

mensions of natural resources management.

As a result, I am able to design and imple-

ment project interventions and strategies

that address the issues of poor people,

women and discriminated or vulnerable

communities in Nepal. The ITC programme

equipped me to make a positive contribution

in the area of climate change. My work helps

climate-vulnerable households become more

resilient and improve their livelihoods.’

‘ITC ENCOURAGES YOU TO PRESENT YOUR OWN OPINIONS’Studying at ITC was a wonderful experience,

Bhawana says. ‘I would encourage anyone

interested in a career in Remote Sensing

and GIS to choose ITC as a starting point. In

addition to academic rigor and excellence,

ITC and the University of Twente organise

a lot of social events, such as international

evenings and food festivals, sports days and

module end parties – it is all really refreshing

and memorable.’

While she learned vital lessons on time ma-

nagement and meeting deadlines, Bhawana

especially appreciated ‘the way in which

University of Twente staff deal with students

and how they encourage you to present your

own thoughts and opinions. Interacting with

scholars from different countries, exchanging

ideas and working on a challenging project as

a team really boosts your learning attitude,

your team building capacities and your ability

to listen to others. The many vigorous discus-

sions we had during fi eld visits and assign-

ments really strengthened my ability look at

things critically and developed my understan-

ding and leadership qualities.’

BROADENED HORIZONSOn entering ITC’s Master’s programme

Geo-Information Science and Earth Observa-

tion in 2013, Bhawana decided to specialise

in Natural Resources Management. The

decision has had a lasting impact on her

career – and on the people and resources of

her country. ‘Studying at ITC broadened my

horizons in terms of thinking and problem

solving. I spend a lot of time in my current

job transferring the knowledge and skills I ac-

quired in the Netherlands to others through

training programmes, seminars, workshops

and publications. It all centres on tackling the

challenge of natural resources management

and areas such as climate change, governan-

ce and sustainable forest management.’ The

Master’s programme boosted Bhawana’s

analytical and documentation skills, which

has enabled her to contribute more effective-

ly to policy advocacy. ‘My improved analytical

skills have given me a better understanding

of the pro-poor and governance-related di-

‘ I REALLY LIKE THE WAY ITC INTERACTS WITH STUDENTS AND ENCOURAGES THEM TO PRESENT THEIR OWN THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS’

USING DATA TO RESCUE KIDS FROM HIV/AIDS

Mosa Moseme, or Mampho Mputsoe, followed the Master’s program-me in Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation for Geoinforma-tics at ITC from October 2010 to March 2012. ‘I am from Lesotho, a small country inside South Africa, where I work for the Elizabeth Glazer Paediatric AIDS foundation, EGPAF, in Maseru, our capital city,’ she says. ‘My journey began when I made a decision to follow my dream and further my studies. I had the greatest support structure ever: my hus-band. We started searching for institutions, universities and scholar-ships by browsing the Internet. Having been admitted at ITC in the Netherlands, I was up and about searching for a scholarship, when a friend suggested we try the Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholar-ship Programme. I applied and within a couple of months I received the long-awaited response: I was granted a scholarship.’

NAME: MOSA MOSEMEPOSITION: STRATEGIC INFORMATION AND EVALUATION ADVISOR AT ELIZABETH GLAZER PAEDIATRIC AIDS FOUNDATION COUNTRY: LESOTHOSTUDENT AT ITC: 2010-2012

MOSA MOSEME’S DECISION TO FOLLOW HER DREAM OF FURTHER EDUCATION CHANGED HER LIFE – AND MANY OTHER PEOPLE’S LIVES, TOO. SHE USES HER KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS TO BATTLE HIV/AIDS AND TO HELP OTHERS REACH HIGHER.

‘I COULDN’T WAIT TO BUILD MY FIRST DATABASE’At ITC, Mosa enjoyed the classes, gaining

new knowledge and skills almost daily. I

couldn’t wait to develop my fi rst database!

I also attended social events and other acti-

vities, such as summer games and cultural

days. One event I enjoyed was the Day of

International Students in The Hague. Seeing

my country fl ag there gave me such a sense

of recognition!

‘MUCH OF MY WORK CENTRES ON DATA’Back in Lesotho, Mosa is Strategic Informati-

on and Evaluation Advisor for EGPAF, whose

mission is to eliminate HIV/AIDS deaths

among children. She provides technical

support to the Ministry of Health in monito-

ring and evaluating the HIV and tuberculosis

programmes in Lesotho. Much of her work

revolves around data: she is engaged in

strengthening data capturing mechanisms,

data management, data analysis, data quality

assurance, data dissemination and reporting

at all levels – including, of course, the use of

GIS data. ‘I use the knowledge and skills I

acquired at ITC all the time here in Lesotho,’

she says. ‘Not only that, but I also regularly

assist colleagues through knowledge sharing

sessions. I feel I have become very helpful to

my peers and to our community at large. My

studies have enabled me to guide them for-

ward in many ways. Somehow I feel I have

become a guru in Internet-based approaches,

as I always give informal lectures on how to

contribute helpful information on social me-

dia and how to extract and use information

– especially location-based, as at ITC I wrote

my thesis on that topic.’

AN INVESTMENT THAT WILL NOT BE WASTEDMosa is thrilled that she was able to obtain

a Master’s degree in a fi eld in which she

can now make a real difference. ‘I’m really

thankful I was one of the few individuals to

be sponsored. The investment will not be

wasted, as I intend to change a lot of lives.’

‘ I FEEL LIKE A GURU ON HOW TO EXTRACT AND USE INFORMATION, ESPECIALLY LOCATION-BASED, WHICH WAS THE TOPIC OF MY THESIS’

MANAGING LAND IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY

SHANTI BASNET OBTAINED A MASTER’S DEGREE IN GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE AND EARTH OBSERVATION FOR LAND ADMINISTRATION AT ITC. SHE NOW HELPS NEPAL’S GOVERNMENT MANAGE LAND IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY.

Shanti Basnet studied at ITC from 2010 to 2012, having been encouraged to pursue a Master’s degree by her employer, Nepal’s Ministry of Land Reform and Management. Leaving her home and family for so long was tough – as was the curriculum at ITC. But Shanti has no regrets. ‘I was lonely so far away from home; I had a one-and-a-half year-old child back home. But it was also a very interesting time and at ITC I made many friends from all over the world – most of them are still online friends today.’

Shanti gave her studies everything she had, she says. ‘The course involved a lot of hard work. But I can honestly say that my efforts paid off: the work I do now is a lot easier because of everything I learned in the Netherlands. One thing that stands out about studying at ITC, is that it makes you a lot more self-reliant.

NAME: SHANTI BASNETPOSITION: CHIEF SURVEY OFFICER, MINISTRY OF LAND REFORM AND MANAGEMENT COUNTRY: NEPALSTUDENT AT ITC: 2010-2012

A CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR IN ECONOMIC GROWTHLand administration, Shanti’s specialisation,

deals with regulating access to land and the

management of land. It is a critical success

factor in economic growth, food security, na-

ture conservation and poverty reduction, the

protection of vulnerable groups and housing.

Reports of international agencies such as the

World Bank, the European Union, Habitat,

FAO and UNDP all devote considerable at-

tention to land issues and land policies. Land

policy and land policy instruments determine

how a government can provide access to

land, offer tenure security, regulate the land

market, implement land reform, protect the

environment, and levy land taxes. Applying

relevant principles of business administration

and information technology, the ITC course

provides theoretical and practical knowledge

and expertise in building a viable land admi-

nistration organisation.

LAND MANAGEMENT ISSUES IN NEPALNepal faces numerous land management is-

sues. These include pressure on biodiversity

and natural resources, land degradation, poor

productivity of agricultural land, uncontrolled

urbanisation and numerous others. Shan-

ti and her colleagues are front runners in

tackling these challenges. Comments Shanti,

‘The knowledge and skills I gained at ITC are

essential for my organisation. As a surveyor,

my responsibilities are to use geo-informati-

on science and land management principles

to implement the policies of our Ministry of

Land Reform and Management. My know-

ledge has really boosted our organisation’s

capacity in terms of offering effective servi-

ces to land-related stakeholders.’

DEEPLY GRATEFULBefore applying at ITC, Shanti studied geo-

graphy at Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal’s

fi rst national institution of higher education,

located just outside of Kathmandu. Her Mas-

ter’s degree from ITC boosted her career, as

it led to her promotion from Survey Offi cer to

Chief Survey Offi cer. ‘In the future, I would

like to continue studying and get a PhD in

land administration,’ she says. ‘I am deeply

grateful to the World Bank for providing me

with this opportunity.’

‘ THE KNOWLEDGE I GAINED AT ITC IS ESSENTIAL FOR MY ORGANISATION’

Our goal at ITC is to help ambitious students become leading professionals, capable of acquiring knowledge in geo-information science and earth observation and translating it into practical solutions for real-world problems in their field of work. There are many more reasons why students choose ITC for boosting their capacities, skills and careers. For example:

WHY GLOBAL STUDENTS OPT FOR ITC - As an ITC student, you get to tap into our globally acclaimed achievements in teaching

GIS and remote sensing

- We ensure students get stuck into fieldwork abroad in almost all of our courses

- As a faculty of the University of Twente, we offer a multicultural environment with students and staff from over 30 countries

- ITC offers students a means of gaining valuable European and international experience

- At ITC, students can expand their academic network through our strong ties with universities in China, Indonesia, India, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, and many other countries

- ITC graduates move forward in the world with a thriving network of global contacts

- We are ideally located in Europe, just hours away from Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, London or Berlin

- We’re connected to a beautiful university campus with modern accommodation and state-of-art facilities

6 GOOD REASONS FOR COMING TO TWENTEITC is a faculty of the University of Twente, a university that is different than other universities. Here are six reasons why students love Twente:

Developing countries are often hit hardest by the global challenges we face today. In our programmes, we equip students to take a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving in the context of international development, placing a strong emphasis on remote sensing and geo-information science.

UNIVERSITY OF TOMORROW’S PROBLEM SOLVERS.

We rank among the top research universities worldwide

We are an international community with a full range of English-taught programmes

We are among Europe’s most entrepreneurial universities

We combine global ambition with a small scale and a very personal approach

We have a beautiful and unique campus with state-of-art facilities

Our High Tech, Human Touch uniquely combines technology and social sciences

UNIVERSITY OF TWENTEFACULTY OF GEO-INFORMATION SCIENCE ANDEARTH OBSERVATION (ITC)

VISITING ADDRESSHengelosestraat 997514 AE EnschedeThe Netherlands

POSTAL ADDRESSP.O. box 2177500 AE, EnschedeThe Netherlands

T: +31 (0)53 4874 444F: +31 (0)53 4874 400E: info-itc@utwente.nl

I: www.itc.nl and www.utwente.nl/en