Strong demand for new land surveying programme in Skellefteå: skills the region needs
A new distance-learning programme in land surveying in Skellefteå has already attracted many applicants – not least from northern Sweden. A three-year programme is now starting at Campus Skellefteå to meet the growing skills shortage in the region.
This autumn, a long-awaited programme starts in Skellefteå – a bachelor’s programme in land surveying with a focus on property law and land use. Behind the initiative is the University of Gävle, which, in close collaboration with Skellefteå Universities Alliance (SUA), is now offering the programme by distance learning – with regular on-site sessions in Skellefteå.
Demand is high, with many applicants. Many of them come from northern Sweden, where the need for trained land surveyors is great.
“There is a clear demand for land surveyors in the region. We have worked for a long time with Skellefteå and the local business community to shape a programme that both meets the needs of the labour market and offers students a high-quality study environment. We are very pleased that the collaboration has paid off,” says Jesper Paasch, programme director at the University of Gävle.
“There is a clear demand for land surveyors in the region. We have worked for a long time with Skellefteå and the local business community to shape a programme that both meets the needs of the labour market and offers students a high-quality study environment.”
The term land surveyor often raises questions about what the job involves. The role spans both law and technology, and after graduating you can work anywhere from municipalities and forestry companies to energy companies, consultancies and government agencies such as Lantmäteriet, the Swedish mapping, cadastral and land registration authority.
The programme runs for three years and leads to a bachelor’s degree. Most of the teaching takes place online, but students are invited to Campus Skellefteå to meet teachers, people from the industry – and each other. Some laboratory work also takes place on site in Gävle during the second and third years.
The industry is also directly involved in the programme, with guest lectures and study visits.
“For us, it’s important that students become firmly rooted in the environment where they may end up working. The on-site sessions in Skellefteå play a big role in helping them get to know each other and the region,” says Jesper Paasch.
The initiative is part of Skellefteå’s long-term strategy to become an attractive place to study with a broad range of higher education.
“We are building Campus Skellefteå as a multi-campus together with several universities – to offer more opportunities for higher education where people want to live and work,” says Kenth Johansson, education strategist at Campus Skellefteå.
The strong interest in northern Sweden is seen as proof that the programme is truly needed.
Photo: Alexander Lindström, University of Gävle
Facts: The land surveying programme in Skellefteå
Scope: 180 higher education credits (three years, distance learning)
Degree: Bachelor of Science
Specialisation: Property law and land use
Entry requirements: General entry requirements + Mathematics 2 and Social Studies 1
Careers after graduation: Cadastral surveyor, land negotiator, property economist, property valuer
Further studies: Eligibility for one- and two-year master’s programmes, e.g. geospatial information science
Examples of subjects you will study: Property law, property formation, planning, GIS, surveying technology, property economics. Great emphasis is placed on project work and collaboration with companies and public authorities.
Good job prospects now and in the future: The Swedish Public Employment Service’s occupational barometer assesses job opportunities for land surveyors as moderate today – but expects them to increase significantly across the country over the next five years.
