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 
290 
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.