ECNU was founded in October 1951 on the site of Great China University with most of its faculties from Great China University joined by some faculties from a number of other universities such as Fudan University and Tongji University. In 1972, ECNU was renamed Shanghai Normal University, when other four institutes including Shanghai Teachers Institute, Shanghai Education Institute, Shanghai Physical Education Institute, and Shanghai in-Service Teachers Institute were merged with it. In July 1980, it regained its original name of ECNU as the other four institutes separated again and resumed their original status one after another in 1978. Over fifty years of development has shaped ECNU into one of the key institutions of higher learning under the direct auspices of the Ministry of Education, influential both at home and abroad. The University has 18 full-time schools and 39 departments offering 61 undergraduate programs. Besides, the University has 6 state key programs, 1 state key laboratory, 5 key laboratories under the Ministry of Education and 6 key research bases for humanities and social sciences approved by the Ministry of Education, and over 100 research institutes and a number of multi-disciplinary research, experiment, computing and testing centers. The Graduate School offers 94 doctoral programs and 139 Master's programs (including Master's Degree of Education and MPA). Among the total staff of over 4,500, there are nearly 1,600 full-time teachers, including 9 national academicians and nearly 1,100 professors and associate professors. Since its founding, the University has already educated over 100,000 students who have been well received by their employers. Meanwhile, in its effort to give full display to its academic superiority, the University has undertaken a great number of key scientific research projects, consultant projects and training projects from the central government and the local authorities, as well as those from business companies and other institutions. Department of Geography is one of the most significant research units in ECNU. It is the largest department of geography in China in terms of its numbers of staffs and students. GIS is one of three concentrations in this department. A Key Lab of Geographic Information Science approved by the Ministry of Education, which is the only one in Shanghai, is based in this department.