User:Ihsmktg/Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies

Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
IHS is the international institute on urban management of the Erasmus University Rotterdam, based in the Netherlands. IHS was founded in 1958. Operating on a global scale IHS offers post graduate education and training, advisory services and applied research in the field of urban management.

History
In 1958 Jan van Ettinger, managing director of the Bouwcentrum, established the first International Course Building (ICB). The objective was to acquaint planners, engineers and architects from developing countries with the methods required to achieven a systematic solutions to building requirements. In June 1972 ICB's educational activities were transferred to Bouwcentrum International Education (BIE), which remained located in the round building in the heart of Rotterdam. In addition to the standard course available more and more specialised courses were added to the teaching programme, aimed at mid-career professionals.

A new phase was welcomed in 1982 under director Cor Dijkgraaf, when BIE changed its name to the Institute for Housing Studies (IHS). The institute redesigned its courses to promote skills development with which to solve problems in the local context. In 1990 the name changed again to Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies, but the acronym IHS remained. At the same time the institute began linking its short courses to the development of a Master's programme entitled Urban Management and Development.

During the 90s activities overseas intensified. Longer-term institutional development programmes were grown. IHS was responsible for the establishment or strengthening of more than a dozen international training, research, and capacity-building institutions abroad. There was also a significant increase in projects involving multilateral and bilateral organisations, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. Cooperation with UN-HABITAT and its various programmes brought the parties involved especially close.

In January 2000 IHS moved premises to a new building on the Woudestein Campus of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. The move coincided with IHS undergoing a comprehensive reorganisation. Its activities were organised - as they are today - around the triangle of research, training & education, and advisory services, where each feeds the other.