Professional Profile

Geomatics, as an academic discipline, has been introduced worldwide in a number of institutes of higher education during the past few years, mostly by renaming what was previously called "geodesy" or "surveying", and by adding a number of computer science- and/or GIS-oriented courses. Our design of the study plan goes beyond that concept. We combined the forward-oriented and future-relevant components of rural and surveying engineering into new - "geomatics". Therefore, in our notion, geomatics is the science of acquisition, management, modeling, analysis and representation of spatial data and processes under specific consideration of problems related to spatial planning, land use/land development and environmental issues. As such, geomatics bridges a wide arc from geosciences through engineering sciences and computer science to spatial planning, land development and the environmental sciences.

The task of the geomatics engineer consists in recording, managing, designing, developing and securing the structures of our living space and economic environment. Herewith he/she contributes to the better understanding of the planet earth, its resources and environmental processes and directly supports rational decisions concerning a future-oriented existence and a sensible sustainable development of our environment.

This requires, more than ever, basic geodata and access to relevant information, which have to be generated using modern techniques for acquisition, analysis and communication. In this context, an ever increasing role is played by spatial information technology, in particular by geoinformation systems.

The geomatics engineer is a graduate with an education based on science and engineering, which enables him/her to make good use of complex modern technology as well as to develop new models, procedures and systems for the solution of demanding problems in geodetic sciences, land development and spatial planning. This requires also a fundamental education in law, economics and management.

We foresee a great variety of professional activities for the geomatics engineer, including positions like:

• Head of acquisition, management, analysis and representation of data for geoinformation systems for private bureaus and public administrations
• Responsible expert for measurement tasks in engineering offices, industry and authorities
• Developer and marketing expert in system- and software houses
• Expert for development and realization of activities in planning, land management and rural engineering
• Head of projects for the improvement of the rural infrastructure in developing countries
• Leader and collaborator in research and development