UniSQ surveying enrolments pass 1,000 as it adds staff and UAV mapping teaching

The University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ) reports 1,033 students enrolled and active in four surveying and spatial programmes this year: an undergraduate certificate, an associate degree, the Bachelor of Surveying Technology and the Bachelor of Surveying Honours. Equivalent full-time load has risen almost 50 per cent since 2021, with the strongest growth since 2023.

Four academics have been appointed after several long-serving staff retired, covering geodetic surveying, GNSS, LiDAR, UAV photogrammetry, digital twins, GIS, GeoAI and BIM, plus cadastral and engineering practice. The Surveyors' Trust will fund a school liaison coordinator until the end of 2029, replacing support from 19 sponsors.

The curriculum now includes dedicated UAV mapping and photogrammetry teaching, with BIM and digital twins under review. Program Director Dr Armin Agha Karimi says fundamentals such as measurement, reference systems and boundaries remain central.

Why it matters: Growing enrolments and updated curricula show how surveying education is adapting to UAV, GeoAI and digital twin workflows while addressing a workforce shortage. Other training providers, including African institutions, may find the balance of fundamentals and new technology instructive.