What is the Basisregistratie Grootschalige Topografie (BGT)?
The Basisregistratie Grootschalige Topografie (BGT)—or Large-Scale Topography Key Register—is the Netherlands’ official large-scale digital map. It provides up-to-date, standardized data on roads, railways, waterways, buildings, land use, and green areas.
As a core geospatial dataset, the BGT gives professionals reliable insight into the physical environment. Thanks to its consistent structure, government agencies, planners, and engineers can work together more efficiently on spatial projects.
In this course, you’ll learn how to work confidently with topographic data. First, you’ll explore how the BGT is structured, who supplies the data, and what standards it follows. Then, you’ll apply that knowledge to real-world projects—such as urban development, infrastructure planning, and public space management.
Although we use the Dutch BGT as a case study, the tools and methods go beyond national borders. As a result, you’ll gain skills that easily transfer to similar datasets in your own country—so you can start applying them right away.
What will you learn in this blended learning course?
This course helps you apply large-scale topographic data in your daily work. You’ll learn how the BGT is structured, what legal standards it follows, and how it links to key national registers like BAG (addresses and buildings) and BRO (subsurface data).
Next, you’ll use common geo-ICT tools to work through real-world examples in spatial planning, infrastructure, and public services. You’ll collect, check, and apply geospatial data to better understand and improve the physical environment.
By the end, you’ll have practical skills you can use right away—whether you work in government, consulting, or urban development.
Why choose this BGT Basis course?
Blended learning gives you the best of both worlds—live sessions and flexible, self-paced modules—so you can build real, job-ready GIS skills.
In this course, you’ll work directly with BGT data to solve real-world spatial challenges. Although the Dutch BGT is used as the base example, the course structure and assignments can easily be adapted to topographic systems in your own country.
We start with a live session, where you’ll immediately begin working with topographic datasets. With support from experienced trainers, you’ll learn how to validate data quality, interpret map features, and use geodata to solve problems such as infrastructure planning or managing public space.
Then, at your own pace, you’ll go through interactive online modules. You’ll explore how the BGT is structured, how it connects with other national registers like BAG and BRO, and how regulations influence data use. You’ll also use geo-ICT tools to access, analyze, and apply this data in real projects.
Later, in a second live session, you’ll apply your skills to realistic case scenarios. You’ll fine-tune your workflows, troubleshoot challenges, and get feedback as you create maps and analysis tools that reflect real-world needs.
One of the course’s biggest strengths is its hands-on, case-based approach. The scenarios mirror the kinds of tasks geo-professionals face every day—making it easy to take what you’ve learned and apply it in your job right away.
By combining expert-led guidance with flexible learning, this course helps you go beyond the basics.
You won’t just understand topographic data—you’ll know how to use it to make smarter, evidence-based decisions in your own work, using the datasets and tools that match your national context.