CHANGES IN SWEDISH HIGHER EDUCATION
IN PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING
Kennert Torlegärd
Prof. Dr., Department of Photogrammetry, KTH
Stockholm, Sweden
Commission VI
ABSTRACT
The surveying and mapping profession in Sweden is changing from production and up-dating of map
series to establishment and maintenance of digital databases which are parts of geographical and land
information systems. In addition to urban information, environmental monitoring has become more
important. The development towards fully digital photogrammetric systems require more education in image
analysis. This has influenced the contents of courses taught to students in surveying and mapping, as well as
the general trend to emphasize basic disciplines such as mathematics, statistics, numerical analysis, physics
and computer science. The role of engineering in society is included to make the students more conscious
about needs and goals of the profession.
INTRODUCTION
Higher education in disciplines of surveying and
mapping is in Sweden concentrated to the Royal
Institute of Technology, KTH, and its School of
surveying in Stockholm. It has eight full professors,
three of which are within surveying and mapping,
namely Geodesy, Photogrammetry, and
Environmental and natural resources information
systems. Technical universities in Lund and
Gothenburg teach the basics of surveying and
mapping to civil engineering students. Faculties of
natural sciences, agriculture and forestry at other
universities teach remote sensing, photo
interpretation and parts of photogrammetry with
emphasis on applications. There is a chair for
remote sensing at the department of physical
geography of the Stockholm University, and another
one for forestry remote sensing in Umeä at the
Agricultural University. This paper will deal with
the changes and trends of the education
programmes at the Royal Institute of Technology
and its School of surveying.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
The School of surveying at KTH was established 1932
with two professor chairs, Geodesy and Reallotment
technology (became 1951 Real estate planning). The
chair of Photogrammetry was established 1945, the
chair of Irrigation and drainage 1952, the chair of
Real estate economy 1964, and the chair of
Environmental and natural resources information
systems 1986.
The curriculum comprised four years of compulsory
courses until the late 1960s, when the last two years
were changed into optional courses. Students were
advised to combine courses with emphasis either on
surveying and mapping, real estate planning,
natural resources management, or real estate
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economy. In the late 1970s the curriculum was again
organized in compulsory courses, but after two
years, the students could select one of three
branches, surveying and mapping, land law and
planning, and real estate economy. The development
in the 1980s lead to an earlier differentiation between
the branches, because the amount of common
courses for the mapping and economy branches
decreased. The common curriculum is 1,75 years for
all surveying students, then the mapping students
are separated, while the planning and economy
students have still more courses in common. Today
the school accepts 105 new students per year and the
curriculum is 4,5 years. Approximately 20 students
select mapping, 35 planning, and 35 economy.
EDUCATION IN ENGINEERING AT KTH
The Royal Institute of Technology has eleven Schools
which organize educations leading to a degree,
Master of Science in its field of Engineering. The
schools are: Engineering physics, Computing
Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical
Engineering, Industrial Economy, Vehicle
Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Materials
Science, Civil Engineering, Surveying Engineering,
and Architecture. Each school has its separate
curriculum. The students apply for and are accepted
to a school and they belong to that school all the time
until graduation. It is very exceptional that students
change school and curriculum during their studies.
Each school has 3 -7 specializations, branches at the
end of the curriculum. For most schools the students
select specialization after three years. The School of
Surveying has a very deep differentiation; the
students in mapping have make their choice already
after 1,75 years. At the end of the studies the students
do a diploma work and write a diploma project
report. The general outline of the studies at KTH is
shown in Fig. 1.