2.1 FIG member-organisation
Den Danske Landinspektorforening. The Danish Association of Chartered Surveyors is a professional association for all geodetic surveyors in Denmark. Furthermore, the association is an umbrella organisation grouping three affiliated associations:
- The trade association for the private surveying firms,
- The trade union for surveyors employed in the private surveying firms, and
- The trade union for surveyors employed in the public sector and those employed in other positions.
2.2 Relevant factors
(1) Professional surveyors in Denmark have a university degree, Landinspektor (MSc level).
(2) The profile of the Danish surveyor is formed by the integration of three professional fields:
- Surveying and large scale mapping
- Cadastre and land management
- Spatial planning
(3) In 1995 there are about 750 active surveyors in Denmark. About 40 % of them are working in private surveying firms concerned with cadastral works, engineering surveys and mapping, as well as consultative tasks on land use issues. About 20 % are employed in other private companies, engineering firms and limited companies, concerned with work areas such as mapping, computer systems and planning. The rest, about 40 %, are employed as civil servants by the ministries, national agencies, counties and municipalities with tasks such as real estate administration, GIS-systems, land use control and spatial planning.
(4) Cadastral work, or surveying for legal purposes, in Denmark is a monopoly for licensed surveyors in private practice. Licenses are granted to the surveyors after they have completed the university degree, M.Sc., in Geodetic surveying and worked for a surveyor in private practice for three years. In 1995 there are about 140 private surveying firms with about 300 surveyors in total.
(5) The Danish cadastre was put into force 1844 and consisted from the very beginning of two parts: the cadastral register and the cadastral maps. The cadastre has since the 1860's covered the whole country and has been continually updated. The main purpose of the cadastre was originally to levy land taxes but it is now of a much broader significance with regard to control and security of legal rights and economic interests of land as well as control of the use of land in conformity with the statutory land use provisions.
(6) The land tenure system then is formed as follows:
- the cadastral register identifies the real properties by cadastral number and area
- the cadastral maps shows the position of the land parcels
- the legal survey measurements identifies the position of the property boundaries
- the Land Book identifies and secures the legal rights of ownership, mortgage and easements, based on the cadastral identification.
In this way the Danish cadastre is basically a legal cadastre, maintained by the National Survey and Cadastre. The cadastral work, however, is carried out by private licensed surveyors.
For historical reasons, the cadastral work in the southern part of Jutland is attended to by surveyors employed by the State. Furthermore, the cadastral work in the two municipalities in the capital of Copenhagen is attended to by surveyors employed by the municipalities.
(7) The National Survey and Cadastre is an Agency of the Ministry of Housing. Besides of maintaining the cadastre the Agency is also responsible for the National Geodetic Network and for the topographic mapping of Denmark (to a scale less than 1:10,000). Furthermore the Agency is responsible for the hydrographic charting while the hydrographic surveys are carried out by navy personnel under the Ministry of Defense.
(8) Large scale mapping (to a scale of more than 1:10,000) is produced as a response```` to users needs. E.g. the natural gas companies have produced technical maps to a scale of 1:1000 for planning and registration of utility network. The counties and municipalities produce large scale maps as a basis for land use administration and supply of local infrastructure. These mapping tasks are mainly undertaken by the engineering mapping firms using photogrammetry etc. The maps are often co-produced and maintained by field work carried out by the private surveying firms. Maps and site-plans for specific development projects are mainly produced by the private surveying firms.
(9) Physical planning and land use administration are the responsibility of the 14 counties and 275 municipalities. Surveyors are employed as civil servants to undertake these tasks together with other professionals such as architects and engineers.
2.3 Education
There are two types of education of surveyors (i) University level (ii) Technical level.
2.3.1 University Education
(1) Surveyors can only obtain their education at Aalborg University as a five year course of study for a M.Sc. as Geodetic surveyor. About 30 students graduate each year.
(2) The education is based on problem-oriented project work, supported by lectures to instruct them in the necessary disciplines and theories. In the curriculum 50 % of the study time is spent on project work, 25 % on courses related to the project and 25 % on general courses related to the curriculum. The project work is carried out in groups of about four students having a teacher appointed as supervisor.
In order to provide for the use of project work, as the basic educational element, the curriculum is organised in general subjects or "themes", normally covering a semester. The themes provide for studying the core elements of the subjects included (through the courses given) as well as explore (through the project work) the application of the subjects in professional practice and society.
(3) The curriculum is divided into four phases:
- The first phase,
-
1st and 2nd semester, includes one year of basic studies within Technical or Social Science. The studies include courses in fundamentals (mathematics, physics, computer science, foreign languages etc.), and the basic skills for carrying out problem-oriented project work are trained.
-
The second phase,
-
the under-graduate studies at 3rd to 6th semester, includes two years of studying the main professional areas for surveyors. The themes constitute the main professional profile consisting of
- Land Surveying,
- Cadastral and Land Management and
- Land Use Planning.
The themes provide for teaching the necessary disciplines through courses and for training the professional functions through the project work. Therefore, this phase is characterised by a "know-how" approach. The aim is for all students to acquire the same basic knowledge and skills within the three main professional areas. On the basis of the common knowledge established during the second phase, all post-graduates will have the possibility of obtaining a license for carrying out cadastral work in private practice.
After passing the Undergraduate examination at the end of 6th semester the students continue for two years of specialised studies for a Master's degree.
-
In the third phase,
-
the graduate studies a 7th to 9th semester, the curriculum provides for the possibility of specialisation. At each semester themes are available within the three main fields of (i) surveying, (ii) land management and (iii) planning. The students then can choose their themes for obtaining a specific professional profile and choose their problems within the themes for obtaining special knowledge. The themes in this third phase of the curriculum therefore have a more scientific approach based on "know-why". The themes will provide for teaching the necessary theories and for training the methodological skills of problem analysis and application.
-
The fourth phase,
-
the 10th semester, is only for preparing the master's thesis which is written as project work dealing with a problem chosen by the student group themselves.
(4) The capability and the quality of the educational system is evaluated by a system of internal monitoring as well as system of external censoring.
Internal monitoring serves the purpose of quality management with regard to the relevance and quality of the courses as well as the quality of the entire semester concerning supervising, organisation and resources. A monitoring report is prepared by the students in co-operation with the teachers. The report is assessed by the Board of Studies and used for preparing and improving the same theme the following year.
A system of external censoring at the examinations at the end of each semester serves the purpose of external professional and academic control. One or two external examiners are present, representing the professional world/industry and/or the academic world/universities. This system of quality control then allows for the control of professional relevance and academic standards as well as control of the entire educational system.
(5) The profile of the curriculum is shown on diagrams B2.1, B2.2 and B2.3. A full scale curriculum is offered within surveying and mapping, and planning and land use management. However, it must be noted that the students may specialise within specific professional fields, during the last two years of the studies.
(6) The study programme for Geodetic Surveying is a unique programme which is not a part of or included within the programmes for civil engineering. The engineering programmes are organised with a Bachelor as well as a Master's level. The surveying programme, however, is only for the Master's level. The surveyors in Denmark, this way, constitute a profession of their own.
(7) Student funding is given by a Government Loan Institution. There are no fees for the students to enter the University. However the students have to pay for books and for their housing and living costs.
Funding of Doctoral and PhD work is given by the Ministry of Education allocating a number of positions to the University.
The Teachers are employed by half time education and half time research obligations. In general research then is funded by the University. However, further funding of research projects may be given by the National Research Councils or by other national and international bodies and institutions.
The professors and lectures are appointed by the Faculty based on an assessment of the qualifications of the applicant given by a board of three highly qualified persons appointed by the Faculty. The assessment is based on the presented research work of the applicant as well as his or her teaching experience and qualifications.
2.3.2 Technician Education
A number of surveying technicians are educated at the Technical Colleges in the cities of Horsens and Copenhagen. The education for surveying technicians is available after nine or ten years of primary school and after three years of general training at a technical college. The education then consists of one and a half year of theoretical training at the technical college at Horsens or Copenhagen. The programme includes topics such as surveying and mapping, GIS, and cadastral and land management.
In total about 30 surveying technicians are educated each year. They are employed for undertaking technical surveying tasks in private surveying firms as well as in engineering and entrepreneurial firms and in counties and municipalities.
2.4 Professional Practice
(1) The scope of professional practice is displayed in diagram C2 . The profile contains a broad range of areas whereof some are undertaken within the public sector and others within the private sector.
The structure of the surveying profession as well as the division of tasks between the public and private sector is described above, see section 2.2 : The profile of the Danish surveyor.
(2) Cadastral work in Denmark is a monopoly for licensed surveyors in private practice. When land is to be parcelled out, or property boundaries changes, the land owner must apply to a private licensed surveyor for the legal surveys and the preparation of documents needed for submission of an application to the National Survey and Cadastre for updating the cadastral register and the cadastral maps. The application must contain a copy of the cadastral map showing the alteration of boundaries, measurement sheets showing the new boundaries, documentation for legal rights as well as documentation for approvement according to planning regulations and the statutory land use provisions. The approvement from the National Survey and Cadastre is needed prior to registration of title deeds of any new properties at the Land Registry Office.
(3) The work areas within the surveying firms are generally divided as follows:
- 50 % legal surveys and cadastral management
- 30 % mapping and engineering surveys
- 20 % consultancy and planning and land management
Special mapping tasks such as using photogrammetry are mainly undertaken the engineering mapping firms where about 60 surveyors are employed. The mapping firm may employ a private surveying firm for carrying out some field work on contractual basis.
Geodetic and Topographical Surveys ( to a scale of less than 1:10,000) are the responsibility of the National Survey and Cadastre. Hydrographic Surveys are mainly carried out by naval personnel.
Major mapping and surveying tasks are normally tendered. E.g. the National Survey and Cadastre tenders for about DKK 100 million per year. All tasks accounting for more than 1.5 million per year must be tendered. The tendering may be offered only to selected firms. The selection of contractors may be based on lowest price as well as other relevant factors.
(4) The structure of the private surveying firms in 1995 is as follows:
Number of firms Number of surveyors
73 1
48 2-3
13 4-5
5 6-12
2 13
In total there are 141 firms employing 300 surveyors where 230 of them are owners. Furthermore a number of technicians and administrative staff are employed.
(5) The annual fees paid by the firm to belong to the association are calculated by a basic amount of DKK 16,000 for the first surveyor (owner) plus DKK 10,000 per additional owner and plus DKK 7,000 per further surveyor employed in the firm. Besides of the fees paid by the firm the employed surveyors (who are not owners) pay DKK 5,000 as individuals out of taxed money. The surveyors employed as civil servants or employed in other positions pay DKK 6,000 as individuals out of taxed money.
(6) The yearly fees paid by the firms to belong to the mandatory system of indemnity are approx. DKK 5,000 per surveyor in the firm. The insurance covers damage of until DKK 2 mill.
(7) Den Danske Landinspektorforening has adopted the concept of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which was put into force January 1995. The concept includes a requirement for 40 hours of CPD activities per year. Even if the system is not mandatory, the individual member should comply with the standard and the activities should be registered on a personal CAD-record. The concept is supported by a number of activities and opportunities encouraging for life-long learning.
2.5 Publications
In addition to many ad hoc publications, Den Danske Landinspektorforening publishes two journals:
(1) The Danish Journal for Mapping and Land Use. An official scientific journal of five issues per year.
(2) The surveyors journal. A monthly professional members' journal.
2.6 Acknowledgement
The author of this report is indebted to all previous assistants and the 1995 contribution prepared by Prof. Stig Enemark, Head of the Surveying and Planning Programmes, Aalborg University, and Vice-President of Den Danske Landinspektorforening.
2.7 References
(1) FIG leaflet presenting the profile of the Danish surveyor in terms of the nine commissions of FIG. Den Danske Landinspektorforening, 1990.
(2) Landinspektorundersogelsen 1987 (A survey of the surveying profession 1987). The Danish Journal for Mapping and Land Use, 1990. (In Danish).
(3) Kjersdam, F. and S. Enemark: The Aalborg Experiment, -project innovation in higher education. Aalborg University Press, 1994.
(4) Enemark, S.: Evaluation of the Cadastral Reform in Denmark, -training the old lady for the skateboard. Paper 703.3 for the FIG XX Int. Congress, Melbourne, 1994.
(5) The Surveyors Act. English translation of the Act of 1963 as modified 1992.
(6) Land Use Control and Property Registration in Nordic Countries- Erik Stubjaer (Editor) Report in Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish and synoptically in English. AUC: Aalborg University Press 1981.
(7) Ordbok for Kart og Oppmäling; Bjorn Geirr Harsson (Project leader). A multilingual dictionary of technical terms in Mapping and Surveying: Norwegian, Danish, German, English, French and Swedish. Published by Statens Kartverk, Norway, 1989. ISBN 82-90408-97-8.
2.8 Useful addresses
Den Danske Landinspektorforening Aalborg University
Lindevangs Alle 4 Department of Development and Planning
DK 2000 Frederiksberg Fibigerstrede 11
Denmark DK 9220 Aalborg
Denmark
