EDUCATION IN REMOTE SENSING AND PHOTOGRAMMETRY IN HUNGARY
Pof. Dr. Sc. Ákos Detrekói
Head of Department, Technical University of Budapest, Dept. of Photogrammetry, Hungary, ISPRS commission VI.
ABSTRACT:
In Central-East Europe undergoes essential economical-political changes. Conversion to market economy requires im-
portant changes in education too. The paper gives a survey of instruction at university level in photogrammetry and
remote sensing in Hungary. The present situation and the essential of developing are discussed. The author separates
the education of Surveying Engineers and the education of Specialists for different domain. The place of the education
of Surveying Engineers is the Technical University of Budapest. The author presents the features of Survey Engineering
Education, the instruction in Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, the material and personal condition of the education.
The paper gives the characteristic of a new study program being developed aimed the information of surveying and space
informatics engineers.
KEY WORDS: Education, Eastern Europe.
1. REMOTE SENSING IN HUNGARY
Central-Eastern Europe undergoes essential economical-
political changes. Conversion to market economy requires
important changes in education, too. This is why survey
of instruction at university level in photogrammetry and
remote sensing may be of interest. The specialty of pho-
togrammetry has important traditions in Hungary. Ap-
plication of photogrammetry started already by the turn
of this century. Since the early '30s, photogrammetry
has been systematically applied for making topographic
maps. World War II brought about a significant setback
in photogrammetry in this country. No important appli-
cation of photogrammetry took place before the mid’50s.
Actually, photogrammetric methods have been applied to
make topographic maps at different scales. Photogram-
metry is relatively frequently applied in large-scale map-
ping. Also architectural and civil engineering applica-
tions of photogrammetry have been generalized. Actu-
ally, in photogrammetry, technologies relying on analog
photogrammetric instruments prevail. A wider extension
of remote sensing has started by the late 70s, mainly
in connection with space images. Among space images,
various LANDSAT images are the most frequently ap-
plied. Also SPOT images and Soviet space photos are
much used. Remote sensing has been frequently applied
in cartography, agriculture, environmental engineering,
geology, hydrology, and civil engineering. Among pro-
cessing methods, analog interpretation and digital image
processing occur in about equal proportions.
2. EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITY LEVEL
In Hungary, higher education in photogrammetry and re-
mote sensing is expected to provide specialists for pho-
togrammetric and remote sensing activities. University-
level education will be discussed in two parts:
— education of surveying engineers;
— education of specialists for different domains (e.q.
architecture, civil engineering, geography).
3. EDUCATION OF SURVEYING ENGINEERS
3.1 Function of the T. U. Budapest
University-level education of surveying engineers takes
place at the Technical University of Budapest, originally
established in 1782, beginning to surveying engineers ed-
ucate in 1948. After several reorganizations, since 1959,
surveying engineering education belong to the Faculty of
Civil Engineering. Among three geodetic departments at
250
this Faculty, the Department of Photogrammetry estab-
lished in 1953 imparts knowledge in photogrammetry and
remote sensing.
3.2 Features of the Program
Education of surveying engineers at university level lasts
ten semester, 32 to 36 lessons a week. Most of the sub-
jects are mandatory, with about 6Lesson numbers of sub-
jects are conform to the international average. Three fea-
tures of the actual education are:
— a relatively high number of lessons.
— rather rigid program.
— an essential proportion of civil engineering knowl-
edge.
3.3 Education of Remote Sensing
Within the program above, photogrammetry and remote
sensing are mandatory subjects for three semesters, be-
sides of some chapters delivered as optional subjects.
Semestral lesson numbers and main chapters of the man-
datory subject are: Semester 5: Geometrical and opti-
cal fundamentals, Seniors, Terrestrial photogrammetry,
Single-picture photogrammetry. 3 lessons + 2 exercises a
week. Semester 6: Stereo-photogrammetry, Photogram-
metric instruments, Aerotriangulation, Fundamentals of
digital image processing. 3 lessons + 2 exercises a week.
Semester 7: Remote sensing sensors, Interpretation, Dig-
ital processing. 2 lessons + 1 exercise a week. After
semester 6 the subject is complemented by a 3-day pho-
togrammetric measurement exercise. Optional subjects
related to photogrammetry and remote sensing are:
— Geometrical fundamentals of photogrammetry.
— Digital image processing.
— Case studies in engineering photogrammetry.
— Case studies in remote sensing.
Certain elements of photogrammetry and of remote sens-
ing occur also in other subjects delivered at the Depart-
ment of Photogrammetry, such as:
— Topographic surveying.
— Cartography.
— Geoinformatics.
90-60 percent of the about surveying engineers graduat-
ing à year elaborate diploma works at the Department
of Photogrammetry. In addition to regular education,
instruction in photogrammetry and in remote sensing is
delivered also at different post-graduate courses. Since
1978, so-called specialist engineering courses in the scope
of remote sensing are launched every three years in the
