Organisation

Meals

From Monday to Friday, a variety of moderately priced meals and snacks are available at lunchtime from the self-service restaurant on the ground floor of the ITC building. Course participants living in single rooms at the International Hotel can make use of common kitchens; those living in apartments have small individual kitchens (crockery, cutlery and kitchen utensils to be provided by the occupant).

State-of-the-art computer facilities

Library

The ITC library supports the primary processes of the Institute by ensuring adequate provision of, and efficient end-use access to, useful scientific material. The ITC library creates an environment in which course participants can learn how to study and conduct research in an independent way. The introduction of information technology into the educational system lessens the difference between knowledge transfer from teacher to course participant and information supply. The influence of information supply on the quality of the primary processes is greater than before. The library supports and can contribute to the entire study process. In this educational environment, the library offers some basic facilities: individual and group study areas with and without multimedia PCs, and convenient opening hours for course participants.

Locally and globally networked resources such as catalogues, scientific databases and electronic journals are available from the library website. Increasingly, the information is available in digital form.

The aim of the library literacy lectures and workshops is to provide course participants with a body of knowledge, practice and experience in the optimal exploitation of the library and its information resource applications and tools. Information literacy competencies include recognising the need for information, accessing information from appropriate sources, developing skills in using information technologies, critically analysing and evaluating information, organising and processing information, applying information for effective and creative decision making, and generating and effectively communicating information and knowledge.

The library also houses a language laboratory for those who want to improve their English language skills.

GeoScience laboratory

The GeoScience laboratory at ITC provides services in the field of education and research activities. The laboratory is equipped with a wide range of instrumentation for spectrometric infra-red determinations of minerals, soils and vegetation, inorganic geochemical water and soil analysis, and sample preparation.

In the laboratory, ITC students can receive hands-on training in analytical determinations to help them to understand analytical procedures and the quality of their analytical data, to help them to optimalise sample collection methods and sample analysis by their team workers in the field or laboratory, and to help them to choose appropriate analytical instrumentation and procedures for their work.

Within ITC's research activities, the GeoScience laboratory can be used to validate existing analytical datasets and generate additional analytical data.

Medical facilities

A general practitioner group is on hand to offer initial medical counselling.

Student Affairs office

The Student Affairs office is the first port of call for course participants when questions arise. The Student Affairs officers support course participants during their stay at ITC and are a veritable mine of information. They offer a comprehensive service, covering such matters as residence permits, social and cultural matters, emergencies at home, consular affairs and general student information.