THE EDUCATION AND PRACTICE OF THE GEODETIC SURVEYOR IN WESTERN EUROPE
Comité de Liaison des Géomètres Européens / The European Council of Geodetic Surveyors
APPENDIX D9 - Netherlands

(Population 15 million)
( Refs. A9, B9, C9 )
Section Contents
9.1   SURVEYING AND RELATED ORGANISATIONS
9.2   FIG member organisation
9.3   Other related organisations
9.4   BACKGROUND
         9.4.1   Private companies
         9.4.2   Cadastre
         9.4.3   National level network
9.5   HIGHER EDUCATION
         9.5.1   University First Phase
         9.5.2   Student grants
         9.5.3   New Universities
         9.5.4   Higher vocational education
         9.5.5   University Second Phase
         9.5.6   Internationalisation of universities
         9.5.7   Hydrographic Surveying
         9.5.8   Cartography
         9.5.9   Curricular regulations
         9.5.10   Educational standards
         9.5.11   Technicians: Land Surveying Federation (NLF) 1943-1971
9.6   Professional Practice
9.7   Acknowledgements
9.8   References
9.9   Useful addresses



9.1  SURVEYING AND RELATED ORGANISATIONS

As is the case in most countries, in the Netherlands there are four types of groups into which surveyors are organised:

(1)   Professional associations (PA)

(2)   Trade associations (TA)

(3)   Learned societies (LS)

(4)   Umbrella organisations. (UA)

(For an explanation of these terms refer to the Glossary)


9.2  FIG member organisation

NVG (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Geodesie) (PA)
NVG has 525 members, of which some 60 are students. Membership is restricted to geodetic engineers, persons of a comparable position admitted by special decision, students of the Faculty of Geodetic Engineering, Delft University of Technology and surveying students of polytechnics and colleges (hogescholen).


9.3  Other related organisations


9.4  BACKGROUND


9.4.1 Private companies

In the Netherlands 50% of survey specialists are employed by official agencies (state, province, community). In the private sector there are several large and small firms which deal exclusively with survey work. Furthermore, various engineering offices or large firms which are also involved in building, agricultural engineering, aeronautics or in offshore industry have a department which functions as a survey company.


9.4.2 Cadastre

In so far as boundary survey and administration processing are involved, cadastral surveying is implemented solely by the national cadastral service. Parcel processing is being done by pre-qualified companies under supervision of the Cadastre. The Dutch cadastre was originally a tax or fiscal register but is now of a much greater significance with respect to legal guaranty, although from a legal point of view the geometric cadastral records constitute only a statutory presumption.
The owner is not obliged to maintain boundary marks. The Dutch Cadastral Office is responsible for the basic geodetic surveys (primary triangulation with densification levels of up to an interval of approximately 2.5 km between the control stations). In all provinces the Cadastre is responsible for the co-ordination of the production of large-scale basic maps (1:1000, occasionally 1:500) which are the result of project co-operation with the communes, provinces and other users (e.g. water, electricity and gas supply companies) effected on a contractual basis. The technical work is frequently implemented by private firms.

The Dutch Cadastral Office was formerly a government service with a budget determined in the political decision process. Since 1994, the Cadastre is a ZBO (Zelfstandig Bestuurs Orgaan) a legally established special organisation. A characteristic of the Cadastre ZBO is, that its financial costing is said to be equal to that of a private company. This is disputed, because the Cadastre is a monopoly, prices and quality are still under supervision of the Government.


9.4.3  National level network

The responsibility for the national level control lies with the Ministry for Transport and Public Works which has a large Survey Service. This Service likewise uses private firms to conduct some of its survey work.


9.5  HIGHER EDUCATION (See appendices A9 and B9)


9.5.1  University First Phase

In 1982 a new law on university education came into force, by which all university curricula were divided into two phases. The first phase consists of a four year curriculum and leads (in engineering studies) to the degree of ingenieur (ir.). In certain branches (such as Medicine) a second phase of two years is necessary before entering practice. This is not the case for engineering studies.
Since the standard engineering curriculum used to take five years, the introduction of the new system caused considerable reprogramming. It was a condition that the academic level of graduates was to be at least as high as it used to be under the five year system. Obviously this goal could not be reached by a simple compression of the programme to four years. A solution was found mainly by reducing the basic common part of the curriculum from 4 to 2 years and by introducing three directions the students can choose from for the final half year. In the old curriculum a differentiation was possible too, but only in the fifth year.

Furthermore there was some rationalisation and weeding in the curriculum. However, it has appeared that the program can in fact be described as a 4 years curriculum with a study time of 5 years average. The Technical Universities of the Netherlands have asked the Minister of Education and Science to allow them to have a curriculum of 5 years, what is more according to the situation in Europe. It is decided that the introduction of a new 5 years curriculum for Technical Universities and so also for the Faculty of Geodetic Engineering in Delft, will start in September 1995.

9.5.2  Student grants

Another aspect of the new law was that every student is entitled to a basic financial allowance from the government. A variable additional allowance is possible if the student's parents are unable to provide adequate further assistance.

9.5.3  New Universities

In 1986 another new law on higher education took effect. Specialised academic schools of university level, which were previously called hogeschool, now became universities (such as Delft University of Technology, Wageningen University of Agriculture). Their departments became faculties. Some changes were introduced in the government and management of universities.

9.5.4  Higher vocational education

By the new law, a new organisational framework for the other branch of higher education, i.e. higher vocational education, was set up. Separate schools of this level, such as Higher Technical Schools (HTS), Social Academies, Teachers' Colleges etc. were joined to form a university-like organisation which is called Hogeschool. Degrees are awarded at a B.A. or B.Sc. level (the curriculum takes four years).

9.5.5  University Second Phase

The 1986 law also regulated the second phase of university education. There are several types; the type relevant in this report provides a four year appointment in the university (i.e. the Faculty of Geodesy of the Delft University of Technology). The selected graduate student gets a (low) salary and devotes at least 80% of his time to research which should lead to an academic promotion and the doctor's degree (Ph.D.). Each faculty has to reserve a certain part of its academic staff positions for the appointment of these temporary assistants. Industrial or governmental agencies may sponsor such appointments.
In principle the second phase is also accessible to College graduates Alternatively, geodetic engineers and other persons (e.g. with adequate foreign degrees) may be accepted as candidate for academic promotion (Ph.D.) if suitably qualified. This applies both to persons employed by an university and those working elsewhere. There is no time limit in such cases, since no government finance is involved.

9.5.6  Internationalisation of universities

The government wishes to promote internationalisation of the universities. In the field of surveying, the Delft faculty of geodesy co-operates with the International Institute of Aerial Survey and the Earth Sciences (ITC) in a one year course in land information systems. A one year extension of this course, leading to an M.Sc. (ITC) degree is being planned. It is aimed at students from developing countries. In 1994 the ITC TUD Centre for Cadastral Studies was established in close co-operation between the Delft faculty of geodesy and the ITC. The ITC TUD Centre for Cadastral Studies organises summer courses for Cadastral professionals.

9.5.7  Hydrographic Surveying

In 1980 a course in Hydrographic Surveying was started at the Nautical College in Amsterdam. The course is on the same academic level as the courses in colleges for higher vocational training for other technical branches (HTS) and leads to the degree of ingenieur (ing.) or international B.Sc. The course has been internationally recognised by the International Hydrographic Bureau and FIG (Certificate of Competence, Category A).

9.5.8  Cartography

Also in 1980 the Technical College (HTS) in Utrecht introduced a curriculum in Cartography (ing.). The first year is the same as that for a surveying engineer.

9.5.9  Curricular regulations

In 1993 a new law came into force by which regulations were made the same for both university education and higher professional education (HBO). There are two main types of higher education: university education and higher professional education (HBO), the former being offered at the universities, the latter being offered at polytechnics and colleges (hogescholen). At universities and hogescholen the formal length of study programmes is four years. Programmes are designed to require 40 hours a week (=1 credit point), including both contact hours and hours of independent work. The workload for students is counted in SBU's (studiebëlastingsuren, or study-load hours). A full course programme takes 6720 SBU's to complete (=168 credit points).
The basic courses of the first year, known as the propedeuse, provide a general introduction to the chosen field and lay the foundation for the increasingly specialised main phase of three years. As the students progress they have more freedom to choose their own subjects.

9.5.10  Educational standards

The general standard of education is assessed by the government. Examinations at hogescholen are controlled by a board of external professionals. Students who enrol in HBO degree courses qualify on the basis of one of the following diplomas:
Six years of general secondary education, [which also meets the requirement for university admission].
Five years of general secondary education.
Three years of upper vocational education, following other secondary education. Students who enrol in University degree courses qualify on the basis of a VWO or HBO diploma. In 1993 the course in Land surveying/Cartography at Hogeschool van Utrecht changed its name to Geodesy/Geoinformatics.

9.5.11  Technicians: Land Surveying Federation (NLF) 1943-1971

For persons working in land surveying and related practice, but having no formal school education in this field, the professional organisations united in the Netherlands Land Surveying Federation (NLF), have since 1943 provided the opportunity to obtain a diploma at the technician level (surveying technician, computer and draughtsman) and, since 1974, a diploma of field assistant. When NLF ceased to exist in 1971 because of re-organisations, a special Foundation NLF-examinations was created to continue this work. Preparation for these diplomas was by on-the-job training, plus lessons by experienced personnel or by correspondence courses. The examiners are volunteer engineers and higher technicians. The development of technology and the introduction of new school types have reduced the need for such diplomas as well as the number of candidates, which for the technician diplomas has fallen to a point where continuation cannot be justified. The computer examinations have been abolished, as well as those for surveying technicians and draughtsman will follow soon, so that only the examination and diploma for field assistant remains.

The Netherlands Cadastre has abolished the course for its own draughtsmen/computers as well as the course it ran for surveying technicians.


9.6 Professional Practice
(See appendix C9)

The scope of the profession is illustrated in figure C9 It is not necessary to have either a licence or to have passed a special examination to be eligible to conduct survey work in official authorities or on a self-employed basis. It is the objective of the national organisations of surveying engineers and survey technicians to promote surveying and its applications and to look after the general interests of the profession or of the members. These organisations have no authority or responsibilities with respect to the implementation of surveying other than, for example, in the case of the Organisation of Cadastral Surveyors, concerning themselves with working conditions and regulations within the cadastre.

The following data were assembled in 1990:

There are some 1170 active geodetic engineers (M.Sc. and B.Sc. level). Their employ is approximately as follows: 
SECTOR                                 PERCENTAGE
State                                      25
Local government                           14
Education                                  11
Private firms                              27
Miscellaneous                              13
Abroad                                     10
There are some 35 private firms engaged in surveying or related data processing activities. The larger firms usually have survey departments along with civil- or agricultural-engineering departments. In the government there is a tendency towards privatisation of the activities of governmental agencies.


9.7  Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the very considerable assistance of Professor. ir. J.E. Alberda of the University of Delft and of Ir. J.W. Ormel of the Hogeschool of Utrecht for their exhaustive contribution to this study.


9.8  References

(1) Geodetic Engineering Curriculum of the Delft University of Technology, 1992.

(2) A copy of Questionnaire on Surveying Education, including Summary Curriculum
Geodesy/Geo-informatics, Hogeschool van Utrecht, 1993.

(3) A list of geodetic educational institutions in The Netherlands.

(4) A publication of the Association of Netherland's Companies in Geodetic Surveying (VNBG), 1993.

(5) Booklets from Hogeschool van Utrecht, Hogeschool van Hengelo.

(6) A copy of NGTGeodesia, issue October 1993.


9.9 Useful addresses 

REPORT CONTACT

Mr, ir. J C Anneveld
FUGRO-INPARK B.V.
Ingenieurs-en adviesburea
Hogehilweg 18
Postbus 23297
1100 DT Amsterdam-zuidoost


FIG MEMBER ASSOCIATION

Nederlandse Vereniging Voor Geodsie
Waltersingel 1
7314 NK Apeldoorn
The Netherlands


EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS FOR GEODESIE

TU Delft
Faculteit der Geodesie
Thijsseweg 11
2629 JA Delft
The Netherlands

Hogeschool van Utrecht
Opeiding Geodesie/Geo-infromatica
Vondellaan 2
3521 GD Utrecht
The Netherlands

Hogeschool van Amsterdam
Opleiding Hydrografie
Nieuwe Vaart 5-9
1018 AA Amsterdam
The Netherlands

MBO College Arnhem
Sector Techniek
Thorbeckestraat 6
6828 TV Arnhem
The Netherlands

Spectrum College Breda
Sector Techniek
Namenstraat 71
4826 LK Breda
The Netherlands

Stratingh College
Muntinghlaan 3
9727 JT Groningen
The Netherlands

Twents MBO-College
Vestiging Hengelo Centrum
Lokatie Hofstede MTS
Industrieplein2
7553 LL Hengelo
The Netherlands

ITC
PO Box 6
7500 AA Enscede
The Netherlands
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