In August 2024, the ITC Faculty of the University of Twente and the Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC) came together in Fortaleza for a week that strengthened academic ties and opened new pathways for collaboration. What began as an initiative to explore shared interests in geo‑information management and urban planning quickly grew into a rich exchange of ideas, experiences, and possibilities for the future.
From 19 to 23 August, staff from both institutions worked side by side, discovering how their different perspectives could complement one another. The visit had three main goals: to deepen institutional collaboration, to identify new research and project opportunities, and to explore the potential for staff and student exchanges. Each of these goals took shape through conversations, training sessions, and meetings with local stakeholders who brought their own insights into the region’s urban and environmental challenges.
One of the highlights of the week was the technical training on integrating local knowledge into urban planning. UFC researchers shared their experience working closely with communities in Ceará, showing how local perspectives shaped planning decisions in meaningful ways. Public officials from IPPLAN (Research and Planning Institute of Fortaleza) contributed knowledge and insights about current urban and regional development challenges in Fortaleza. The visiting staff from ITC contributed with a hand-on workshop on how geo‑information management techniques could help reinterpret and strengthen these local insights and address local and regional challenges. The exchange revealed how combining spatial data with lived experience could lead to more inclusive and effective planning approaches.
ITC visits IPLLAN
The mobility also played an important role in the internationalisation strategies of both universities. Working in a multicultural environment allowed the teams to gain a clearer sense of how to make their curricula more globally relevant and inclusive.
By the end of the workshop, the impact of the mobility was clear. Participants returned home with new insights, new professional connections, and a renewed sense of purpose. The collaboration had not only strengthened ties between the two universities but also laid the groundwork for future initiatives that benefit students, researchers, and communities in both Brazil and the Netherlands.
Workshop: ITC, UFC and IPLLAN teams with UFC students
