The von Karman Institute is a non-profit international educational and scientific organisation, hosting three departments (aeronautics and aerospace, environmental and applied fluid dynamics, and turbomachinery & propulsion). It provides post-graduate education in fluid dynamics (the diploma course, doctoral program, lecture series) and encourages "training in research through research" . Created in 1956 following Theodore von Kármán's proposal, it is currently supported with subsidies from most of the member countries of NATO and with an income derived from contract research.