1 Ph.D. Studies in Geomatics and Surveying in Belgium Alain De Wulf (1) , Greta Deruyter (2) , Philippe De Maeyer (1) , Rudi Goossens (1) , Nico Vande Weghe (1) , Timothy Nuttens (1) (1) Ghent University (Belgium) (2) University College Ghent (Belgium) ABSTRACT In 1990 a “Licence in Geography – Main Subject: Surveying” was introduced at Academic Universities in Belgium. But the Ph.D. title that could be obtained after this 4 year curriculum was a “Ph.D. in Geography”. In 2004 a “Bachelor in Geography – Main Subject: Geomatics” was introduced, followed, in 2007, by a “Master in Geomatics and Surveying" and subsequent “Ph.D. in Geomatics and Surveying”. The paper will discuss the current Ph.D. program and the Ph.D. topics “in the pipeline” that should be finalised in the next years. 1. PH.D. STUDIES IN GEOMATICS IN BELGIUM 1.1.- Historical situation of Geomatics education in Belgium In view of the opening of the European Market in 1992, a level of Surveyor with a 4 year curriculum instead of the in Belgium traditional 2 year curriculum was considered a high priority by the professional confederations of surveyors in Belgium. As a response, in 1990, 2 high-level surveying educations were installed: one at University Colleges called "Industrial Engineer in Construction option Land Surveying" and one at Academic Universities called "Licence in Geography option Land Surveying". The Bologna declaration of June 1999 was introduced to create a common reference frame within the European Union to induce comparable education and diploma degrees. The structural decree of the Flemish Parliament of 4 April 2003 introduced the BaMa programs that started in October 2004. As a result, at the Academic University of Ghent (ca. 30 000 students), the biggest Public Academic University in Belgium, the old 2+2 year curriculum "Candidate/Licence in Geography - Main subject: Surveying" was transformed, according to the BaMa philosophy, into a 3 year curriculum "Bachelor in Geography and Geomatics" followed by a 2-year curriculum of "Master in Geography" or a "Master in Geomatics". The first Master diplomas in "Geomatics and Surveying" at Academic Universities will be delivered in July 2009. The first Ph.D. diplomas in "Geomatics and Surveying" will be delivered even before, during 2008, to Ph.D. students who obtained before the older diploma "Licence in Geography option Land Surveying". 1.2.- Actual situation of Geomatics education in Belgium In the paper "Education in Land Surveying at Belgian University Colleges: Master in Applied Engineering Sciences in Land Surveying" (Deruyter, G., et al. [1]), the context of education in Belgium, and more specifically the surveying education in Belgium, has been analyzed and commented in detail. The complex situation in Belgium results in the fact that three quite different types of surveying education are offered, all leading to acceptation by the official national "Institute of Surveyors": - The degree of "Professional Bachelor in Real Estate Option Surveying" obtained after a 3 year curriculum (180 ECTS credits) at a University College (= "Technical University"). This degree is offered by 2