Summer School on Geodesy and Land Management 2026: Where the Future of Ukrainian Geospatial Professionals Begins

On 24 July 2026, the Botanical Garden and Sports Complex of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine (NUBiP) transformed into an open campus of cutting-edge geospatial technologies. For the ninth consecutive year, the Faculty of Land Management hosted its Summer School on Geodesy and Land Management — a flagship educational and practical event that has become one of the University's hallmarks in training the next generation of surveying engineers and land management professionals.

This year's Summer School once again demonstrated that modern geodesy extends far beyond measurements and maps. Today, the profession encompasses digital twins, unmanned aerial systems, geographic information systems (GIS), satellite technologies, artificial intelligence, spatial analytics, and engineering solutions that are already playing a vital role in Ukraine's recovery and sustainable development.

The event brought together students of the Faculty of Land Management, academic staff, employers, representatives of government institutions, researchers, prospective students, and numerous industry partners. Throughout the day, participants learned together, exchanged ideas, discussed emerging trends, and tested their professional skills in a dynamic and collaborative environment.

The official opening ceremony was led by Professor Taras IEVSIUKOV, Head of the Department of Geodesy and Cartography, who noted that the Summer School has become one of the Faculty's most valued traditions over the past 9 years and serves as a unique platform connecting education, science, and industry.

The ceremony began with the National Anthem of Ukraine, followed by a nationwide minute of silence to honor those who gave their lives defending the country's freedom and independence. Particular tribute was paid to the Faculty's graduates — Andriy STEPUK, Oleksandr LYSENKO, Oleksandr ZHMUR, Andriy DREBOT, Volodymyr KIRPENKO, Ihor NYKYTENKO, and Dmytro KOCHUK — who lost their lives while defending Ukraine. Their courage and sacrifice make it possible for today's students to study, innovate, and build the future of the nation.

On behalf of the Rector of NUBiP, Professor Vadym TKACHUK, participants were welcomed by Professor Olena HLAZUNOVA, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Digital Transformation. In her address, she emphasized that a modern university must do more than provide knowledge — it must create an environment where students engage with real-world technologies, solve practical challenges, and collaborate with future employers.

During the opening ceremony, Professor HLAZUNOVA presented certificates accrediting practical training facilities to LeaderPlus LLC, GeoFix LLC, and GeoTema LLC, recognizing their outstanding contribution to strengthening practice-oriented education at the Faculty of Land Management.

Welcoming remarks were also delivered by Oleksandr SHEVCHENKO, Dean of the Faculty of Land Management, and Anatoliy POLTAVETS, Chair of the Faculty Employers' Council. They stressed that today's labour market requires a fundamentally new generation of engineers — professionals who confidently work with GNSS technologies, digital terrain models, unmanned aerial systems, GIS platforms, and advanced geospatial data infrastructures. Practical training, therefore, remains one of the Faculty's highest priorities.

One of the defining features of this year's Summer School was the extensive participation of industry partners. Leading companies — including DroneUA, GeoFix, GeoTema, Kyivstar, CHC Navigation, ELnav, and other partners of the Faculty — presented their latest technologies and solutions.

Representatives of these companies, including Dmytro MATVIYCHUK, Hlib LISOVYI, Mykhailo TURYANYTSYA, Kateryna MYKHAILYK, and their colleagues, demonstrated state-of-the-art GNSS receivers, robotic total stations, terrestrial laser scanners, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and modern digital solutions for surveying, mapping, and cadastral applications.

For students, this was a unique opportunity not only to explore world-class equipment but also to interact directly with professionals who apply these technologies in real engineering projects every day.

Another highlight of the event was the participation of students from the Geodesy and Land Management programme at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. Accompanied by Professor Dmytro LIASHENKO and Associate Professor Tetiana MALIK, they joined practical sessions alongside NUBiP students, exchanged experiences, and explored innovative approaches to professional training. Such cooperation creates a professional environment where collaboration prevails over competition and where knowledge is shared for the benefit of the entire geospatial community.

The Summer School also welcomed a large number of prospective students interested in the academic programmes G17 «Architecture and Urban Planning» and G18 «Geodesy and Land Management.» For many of them, this was their first opportunity to experience the profession firsthand by working with surveying instruments, communicating with students and lecturers, and meeting representatives of leading geospatial companies.

Nothing demonstrates the future of the profession more convincingly than practical experience. Today's surveying engineer is a specialist of the digital era, working at the intersection of engineering, information technologies, spatial data, and territorial development.

The traditional geodetic competitions once again became the highlight of the Summer School. Participants competed in a navigation and geodetic quest, topographic map navigation, total station setup, elevation determination, and horizontal and directional angle measurements. Each challenge simulated real engineering tasks encountered in professional surveying practice.

The winners were:

• Vladyslav KUCHMIY and Oleksandr MYRONETS — Navigation and Geodetic Quest;

• Bohdan BOHUSHEVSKYI — Orienteering Competition (16 minutes);

• Daria SPORA and Yevhenii TARHONSKYI — Total Station Setup Competition (2 minutes 44 seconds);

• Artem KRUPELNYTSKYI and Bohdan BOHUSHEVSKYI — Elevation Determination Challenge (deviation of only +8 mm);

• Sofiia NECHYTAILO and Antonina MYHALENKO — Horizontal Angle Measurement Competition;

• Volodymyr PETRENKO and Veronika POLISHCHUK — Directional Angle Determination Competition.

The sporting competitions brought additional excitement to the event. The Summer School Football Cup was won by the first-year students' team, followed by the second-year students, while the combined team of lecturers and employers secured third place.

In the girls' skipping rope competition, Anyuta KONOVAL achieved first place with 147 jumps, followed by Maria YEVSYUKOVA with 140, and Oleksandra YURCHENKO with 136. The pull-up competition was won by Artem MELNYCHENKO with 21 repetitions, while Oleksii SHYLOV claimed second place with 19, and Dmytro FIL and Artem KRUPELNYTSKYI shared third place with 13 repetitions each.

The active participation of students, academic staff, and employers in the sporting events once again highlighted the Faculty's strong sense of community and partnership.

The awards ceremony was conducted by Oleksandr KOROLIUK and Serhii HALAS, members of the Faculty Employers' Council and distinguished graduates of the Faculty. Winners received diplomas, valuable gifts, and professional prizes generously provided by the Faculty's industry partners.

The Summer School on Geodesy and Land Management 2026 once again confirmed the Faculty of Land Management's reputation as one of Ukraine's leading centres for practice-oriented geospatial education. It also demonstrated the effectiveness of NUBiP's close cooperation with employers, government institutions, and the professional community.

Today, geodesy and land management combine engineering, digital technologies, satellite positioning systems, unmanned platforms, geoinformation systems, and spatial analytics. These competencies will play a decisive role in Ukraine's reconstruction, sustainable territorial development, and international competitiveness.

The Summer School has once again demonstrated that the future of Ukrainian geodesy and land management is being shaped here — at NUBiP of Ukraine — where education, science, innovation, and industry come together to prepare a new generation of highly skilled geospatial engineers ready to design the future of modern Ukraine.