FIG Bulletin

No. 70, October 1999

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Contents

Editorial
News
Working week 2000
Working week 2001
Task forces
Commissions
Short notices
New publications

Handover from UK to USA

The handover meeting between the current UK Bureau and the incoming US Bureau will take place at the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. on the 8th of November 1999. 

The handover is also the formal date when responsibility of the administration of FIG will be handed from UK to USA.

The US Bureau will be chaired by Mr. Robert W. Foster as President of FIG. His team will consist of three Vice Presidents Tom Kennie (UK), Jerome Ives and Holger Magel (Germany), Secretary General Christian Andreasen, Treasurer Charles Challstrom and Congress Director Mary Clawson.

Also in this issue…

• IUSM disbanded. Chris Andreasen reports from the ICA Congress in Ottawa. In conjunction to the Congress there was held the last meeting of the International Union of Surveys and Mapping. As a result from the meeting IUSM disbanded.
• FIG attends the CODI meeting in Addis Ababa. Jes Ryttersgaard, Chair of FIG Commission 3 attended the first meeting of the Committee of Development Information in Addis Ababa in June discussing the problems of GIS in Africa.

• Historical instruments on exhibition. One of the highlights of the next FIG Working Week in Prague in May 2000 will be the exhibition of historical surveying instruments from the 16th and 17th century. 

• Korea launches their team to prepare the Working Week 2001. The Korean Cadastral Survey Corporation has launched their team to prepare the FIG Working Week 2001 in Seoul to guarantee the high quality of the conference. 

• Certification of Surveyors? Iain Greenway, Chair of FIG Task Force on Standards discusses the current situation of ISO TC211 from surveyor’s profession point of view. 

FIG to the new Millennium

by Prof. Peter Dale, President of FIG

The new Millennium will soon be upon us. During the past decade the world has seen enormous changes taking place both politically, socially, economically and environmentally. These changes have not, however, been universal. In some areas, and especially in parts of Africa, the pace of change has not been so pronounced. Beset by poverty, rapidly expanding populations and, all too often, civil war, there are many people whose standard of living has declined. Those of us who live in the more developed countries of the world may be excited or apprehensive at the prospects of further change. Those who are less fortunate are often ignorant of what is taking place in other areas of the world. The gap between the rich and the poor, between the haves and the have-nots, is growing wider.

Is there anything that we in FIG can and should do to narrow this gap? Why should our member associations be asked to help the rest of the world when they have more than enough problems of their own to face at home? The answer of course is simple. No survey activity is disconnected from that which surrounds it and all surveying is about the future not the past. It is incumbent on all of us to apply our skills in ways that ensure sustainable development and a better future not just for ourselves but for all humankind. The problems of the Third World are not just issues for politicians, bankers or charity organisations. They are issues that we as surveyors need to address.

This should not be too difficult. One of the most encouraging things that I have witnessed during my eight years serving FIG, first as Vice President and then as President, has been the generosity and dedication of an enormous number of our active members. FIG needs to take advantage of these people’s skills and help to direct their energies to the service of all humanity, not just to the benefit of the elite. We must promote the work of the surveyor in the interests of our members and of their clients. In so doing we must not lose sight of the help that we as surveyors can bring to those who are less fortunate. My final appeal before I hand over the Presidency of FIG to Robert Foster is to ask you all to see what you can do to help those from Third World countries. Many I know are trying to help; many more could also try.

As this is the final Bulletin that will be prepared by the UK Bureau I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported us over the past four years especially the past and present Commission Chairmen, Vice Chairmen and Secretaries, and the Chairs and Members of Commission and Bureau Task Forces. A great deal of voluntary work has been done for FIG by surveyors who have put back into the profession some of the things that they have got out of it. We are extremely grateful for what they do or have done. There is absolutely no doubt that the profession as a whole has benefited enormously from their efforts.

Finally, we in the UK Bureau wish our successors well. The US Bureau will have many challenges to face but if they are given only half the support that we have been privileged to receive then they will have no cause for concern. The FIG family is in good health. Long may it remain so.

IUSM disbanded as of the International Cartographic Association Conference

Chris Andreasen, Secretary-General of the US Bureau (1999–2003), represented FIG during a meeting of the Council of the International Union for Surveys and Mapping (IUSM) held on the Saturday preceding the 19th International Cartographic Conference of the ICA (International Cartographic Association). In addition to the remaining members of IUSM, both ISPRS and FIG attended.

IUSM was originally formed for co-ordination of the activities of international organisations involved with geospatial science and technology. IUSM variously included ISPRS (International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing), IHO (International Hydrographic Organization), IAG (International Association for Geodesy), ICA and FIG. SORSA (Spatial Oriented Reference Systems Association) was an associated member of IUSM and hosted the meeting in Canada.

IUSM had been considered to be too much of a “top down” organisation and ineffective. ISPRS withdrew from membership a year ago and FIG similarly withdrew from membership under the rationale that FIG preferred to enter into bilateral arrangements with the individual organisations as appropriate. FIG decision to withdraw was adopted at the FIG General Assembly in Sun City in June. Multi-lateral arrangements are often complex and ineffective whereas bilateral arrangements are less complex and typically very effective. Just prior to the IUSM Council meeting, IHO also advised that it would end its membership in IUSM in favour of bilateral arrangements as outlined by FIG.

At the meeting in Ottawa IAG expressed the opinion that IUSM would not work as a concept. FIG, ISPRS and IHO all supported that IUSM be disbanded. Thus, as of 14 August 1999 IUSM ceased to exist. Remaining funds will be returned to member organisations in accordance with the IUSM terms of reference.

Attendees at the IUSM meeting discussed the need for some level of co-ordination between the heads of the organisations. In general, attendees favoured a return to an annual meeting of the organisations’ principals to co-ordinate scheduling of conference/ assembly meetings and to seek out areas of possible co-operation between the organisations. It was agreed that there would be no IUSM web site and that the organisations would simply develop links between their web sites. Complementary registration to congresses, which was often an item of dispute under IUSM, will be left to the organisation that hosts each meeting. The decision as to whether the meeting should be before or after the host organisation’s congress/assembly is to be left up to the host organisation. The Secretariat of IUSM is currently at IGN in Paris, France . It was agreed that there should be a permanent archive of the records of these meetings and IGN is investigating the possibility of continuing in this role at no cost. It was also agreed to invite the International Society of Mines to participate in the joint board meetings.

ISPRS has agreed to host the first meeting of the joint board in conjunction with its XIX Congress to be held 16–23 July 2000 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. There will be no formal terms of reference for the joint board.

Chris Andreasen also attended the ICA Conference and Assembly meetings. At the ICA Assembly meeting on Sunday 15 August he presented best wishes to ICA on behalf of FIG and he also represented FIG during the ICA Conference opening ceremonies.

He made also a presentation during a session titled “Maps and Mapping in the New Millennium: Views from ICA and its linked Organizations”. At this special session of ICC, he presented the structure of FIG and generally addressed the work of the FIG commissions and task forces. In concluding, he pointed out topics that are often common between the organisations, e.g. education; standards/ quality/metadata; geographic names/ dictionary committees; professional standards/practice/ethics; positioning/ datum; history; modelling/visualisation; image analysis; legal/copyright; land information and systems; marine/ hydrographic information and systems and engineering/mining surveys.

Harnessing Information for Development

Jes Ryttersgaard, chair of Commission 3, represented FIG at the first meeting of the Committee on Development Information (CODI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 28 June – 2 July 1999. More than 100 delegates and observers, among them FIG, ICA and ISPRS, attended the opening ceremony of the first CODI meeting on 28th of June.

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has subsumed the functions of the former Cartographic Conferences for Africa by the newly created Committee on Development Information (CODI). CODI, to be considered as a common channel for information and knowledge management, has been organised in a structure with three sub- committees:

1. Information and Communication Technologies

2. Statistics

3. Geoinformation

The first meeting of CODI was an interesting event with a lot of well-prepared presentations. Several speakers were worried about the general development in Africa compared to the  general development outside the African continent and to the development of information and knowledge in particular.

Their concerns were expressed with phrases like:

• fragmented data sets have none or only limited value,

• there are tools available to work out and analyse the data, but the relevant data is missing,

• less than 0.4% of all information on the Internet comes from Africa - and leaving South Africa out of the accounts the figure is only 0.02%,

• earlier there was lack of data, now the data available is not used,

• only eight out of 53 African countries have released statistical data newer than 1990,

• brain drain is an essential problem, there is a permanent need for human resources,

• the African Information Society Initiative is a very essential activity,

• there is a demand for support to establish a national based private sector, 

• do we fight for “the well being” of Africans or for the new technology?,

• how can we create understanding and awareness at a local level?, 

• the maps should be considered as a part of national infrastructure that has to be updated, 

• there is a need for an African economical model for spatial data and information.

A number of countries produced national progress reports for the meeting and, if we ignore South Africa, they all have the same problems: at the same time they are extending and consolidating their cartographic institutions and services and facing the challenges in building a market for spatial data and information.

In respect of cartography most of the African countries still have to be considered as developing countries, whereas in respect of spatial information they are more in the same line with the countries in transition. This dualism has become a source of conflicts and frustrations.  At the CODI meeting the sub-committee on geoinformation expressed its interest to co-operate with FIG, ISPRS and ICA. Among the five resolutions of the sub-committee there is one on capacity building. It is recommended that FIG, ICA, ISPRS and ECA should held in co-operation two seminars, one in the Anglophone and the other in the Francophone Africa in 2000 and 2001. Now it is up to the different bodies to accept the challenge.

Dr. K.Y. Amoako, UN Under Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ECA (left), Orlando Nino Fluck, Senior Cartographer ECA and Jes Ryttersgaard, FIG at the CODI meeting in Addis Ababa.

Vice President Robert Foster visits Intergeo’99

International Licensing Standards for Land Surveyors?

The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying NCEES has send a questionnaire on licensing to FIG and many of its member associations. The Bureau discussed the need on international licensing standards for surveying at its meeting in September.

The Bureau considered that FIG as such has no involvement in the area of licensing, but is working with these issues especially in Commissions 1 and 2. Furthermore FIG has just established a Task Force in these topics to address the issue of Mutual recognition of Professional Qualifications. This, however, does not include licensing, but looks more generally into preparing FIG member countries for liberalisation of trade and services. In this regard, the Task Force will work closely with WTO.

The Task Force will work to develop and implement threshold standards for surveying in general and standards of competence within the individual sectors of surveying. This again is not about licensing. The aim is to facilitate mutual recognition and to enhance professional competence in general. 

The Bureau suggests to NCEES that initiatives regarding international licensing procedures should be examined on the basis of the broad understanding to be provided through the results of the FIG Task Force. Therefore, to create a new organisation for international licensing is not timely. However, FIG is willing to co-operate with NCEES regarding any further initiatives in this area. Because there are so many initiatives going on regarding these issues, the Bureau recommends to the members of FIG to send a holding letter on any initiative about establishing any licensing standards for surveying profession at this stage.

10th Anniversary of the DVW Working Group “Women in Surveying”

The German member association of FIG Deutscher Verein für Vermessungswesen DVW established a Working Group “Women in Surveying” (AG FiV) in 1989. After years of work the Working Group is now accepted and supported financially by DVW, but has unfortunately not been integrated in the structures of DVW, says Gabriele Dasse, chairperson of the Working Group. To promote and support women in the field of surveying profession the AG FiV organised several activities during the INTERGEO’99 – the German national congress and international trade fair – in Hannover 1-3 September 1999.

AG FiV arranged also a panel discussion to pay attention and get support to women in surveying in Austria, Switzerland and Germany. AG FiV was represented at the DVW booth in the exhibition area which offered a good opportunity to get in contact with female and male colleagues. The 10th Anniversary was further celebrated with a reception at the booth. Among others this event was visited by Vice-President Robert W Foster, Director Markku Villikka, Prof. Stig Enemark, chair of FIG Task Force on Mutual Recognition and DVW Vice-President Andreas Drees.

1999 good year for the FIG Education Foundation

Contributions to the FIG Education Foundation during fiscal year 1999 – ending 28 February – were $16,274.74. Total current assets held by the Foundation as of 28 February, 1999, were $27,790,55.

Sixty-one people registering for the Working Week in Sun City, South Africa each contributed R200 to the Foundation through check-off on their registrations for a total of R12,200 (approximately $2,000 – not included in the 28/2/99 balance). For future Congresses and Working Weeks registrants will be invited to contribute to the Foundation by voluntary mark-off on their registration forms the equivalent of either $25 or $50.

The directors of the Foundation met during the Working Week at Sun City. Elected as President of the Foundation for the coming four years was Prof. Holger Magel, incoming Vice-President of the American Bureau and future President of FIG during the term of the German Bureau from 2004 through 2007.

The directors have established as policy to begin making distributions from Foundations funds when the principle balance reaches the $100,000 level, after which annual earnings on the principle will be distributed according to the stated purposes of the Foundation which are:

• To provide education in surveying,
• To promote the development of national associations of surveyors,
• To promote high standards of education in surveying,
• To assist in the development and use of appropriate technology,
• To encourage research in all disciplines of surveying,
• To promote the exchange of surveying personnel,
• To promote the role of and educate surveyors in the management of natural and man-made environments, and
• To support FIG in providing an international forum for the exchange of information about surveying and for formulating policies in respect of the use, development and management of land and marine resources.

Institution for the History of Surveying & Measurement

The International Institution for the History of Surveying and Measurement was officially ratified as a Permanent Institution of FIG at the General Assembly in Brighton, and at the General Assembly in Sun City its title was agreed as above.

The Board of the Institution meets regularly and has frequent contact with colleagues both inside and outside the world of surveyors and this will hopefully create new initiatives. It is in addition looking to future conferences, exhibitions and other work that falls within its remit.

The Institution would like to enlarge its circle of colleagues interested in the history of both surveying and measurement and would invite each member association of FIG to nominate a corresponding member. He/she will be kept informed of the activities of the Institution and will form a personal link between FIG members around the world who have like interests. It is also hoped that such personal contacts will improve the services expected from the Institution, improve the communications network and also raise new and interesting projects.

The cooperation of member associations in this would be much appreciated. The Secretary can be contacted: Jim Smith, 24 Woodbury Ave, Petersfield, Hants GU32 2EE, UK, e-mail 101765.332@compuserve.com or by telephone and fax +44 (0)1730 262619.

Vice President Lindsay visits Papua New Guinea

Vice President Grahame Lindsay visited Papua New Guinea and attended the 34th Annual Congress of the Association of Surveyors of Papua New Guinea (ASPNG) in Port Moresby in July 1999 representing FIG.

The Congress commenced on 8th July with the opening conducted by Dr Moseley Moromoro, the Deputy Managing Director of Chevron Niugini Ltd, a major resources company, followed by a key note address from the Secretary for Lands, Morris Alaluku, a former planner. Some 70 surveyors were present, representing a good proportion of the membership of ASPNG.

Vice President Lindsay gave a keynote presentation at the opening ceremony with the title “Surveying – The New Generation”. He also participated in the annual meeting of ASPNG and the Saturday morning forum sessions and the social events of the Congress. He describes that it was a great pleasure to be present and the welcome and hospitality of the surveyors was warm and friendly.

He noticed that It is clear that the publications of FIG are being noticed and used in PNG. The publications on Ethics and Codes of Practice, Constituting a Professional Association and Cadastre 2014 were each the subject of discussion. CPD is a vexed question for ASPNG since quite a number of surveyors live and work in very isolated places. Use of the Internet and e-mail is not common, even in the larger centres, although some of the private firms do use these methods of communication. The political instability of the country, the very poor state of the economy in a country rich in natural resources and the consequential poor state of the country’s infrastructure, public service and communications all contribute to the creation of a difficult environment for the profession, yet the surveyors are trying their best to cope, to move forward and contribute to their country’s development.

The theme of the Congress was “Time for Surveyors to Regain the Ascendancy”. Grahame Lindsay was also able to meet with a number of key people in the profession, in government and in private enterprise. The future directions of the government administration are similar to those elsewhere in the world with downsizing of the public service, a reduction in the services provided by government and a greater reliance on the private sector for the delivery of services and higher education coming under very great financial pressure.

The visit of FIG to their annual conference was very much appreciated and it gave the opportunity to encourage them to understand that their problems though pressing were not unique and that they should still be looking forward and outward rather than walking backwards into the future as Wolfgang Grulke said in South Africa. A significant review of legislation affecting the surveying profession is in progress and is providing the opportunity to review practices affecting land titling, customary land, the registration of surveyors and the relationship with the University of Technology at Lae. All of this has been worthwhile. Customary native land has posed and still is posing intractable problems.

ASPNG values its membership of FIG and, despite a devalued currency, is appreciating this vital link with the outside world. The Institution of Surveyors Australia has given great support to ASPNG over many years and is continuing to do so. It is a very good example of a “twinning” relationship. At the annual meeting of ASPNG, Mr Luther Sipison was elected as the president for the next two years.

Grahame Lindsay was pleased to be able to share in the Congress and give FIG a human face!

Quality Assurance in Surveying Education
– a new report in the FIG publication series

Read the report

The issue of quality relates to all aspects of our professional life. And it is clearly an international trend within the university world. Quality assurance allows for a refocus from traditional control to a more managerial approach to university education. Over the last decade it has become an important vehicle for securing change in higher education institutions, with a view to enhancing the total teaching and learning environment. Additionally, more stakeholders, such as the professional institutions, are drawn into the debate and seek to exert influence.

As a part of this process, the issue of quality assurance was given high priority in commission 2 during the period 1994–98. A working group has examined models of quality assurance capable of meeting the demands of education within the international surveying community. The results of these efforts is presented in new report on Quality Assurance in Surveying Education, publication no 19 in the FIG series. FIG Commission 2 is grateful especially to Prof. Peter Morgan and Prof. Robert Hodgkinson, Liverpool John Moores University, UK, for all their efforts in this regard.

The publication seeks to expose some of the quality issues related to surveying education and to propose a model of quality assurance which can help institutions in member countries to enhance their educational programmes for the future. In this regard, guidelines are also given through examples of good practice from member countries throughout the world.

Stig Enemark
Chair of Commission 2 1994–98

New academic members

The number of FIG academic members increases constantly. The first members were adopted by the Bureau during the working week in Sun City. By the mid-September next four applications to become an academic member of FIG has been approved by the Bureau. After the latest Bureau meeting further applications e.g. from Finland and Romania has already been received.

The new academic members are: Dublin Institute of Technology, Geomatics Unit (Ireland); University of Otago, Department of Surveying (New Zealand); Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Real Estate Planning and Land Law (Sweden) and University College London, Department of Geomatic Engineering (UK).

The academic members of FIG become members of an academic network receiving all material and publications produced by FIG. They have also the opportunity to nominate a correspondent to each of the 10 technical commissions. The new version of the FIG Surveying Education Database will be launched in the beginning of the new Millennium.

Getting ready for the FIG Working Week in Prague 2000

Vice President Foster with the the members of the Organising committee of the WW 2000 from left Josef Weigel, Milan Klimes and Petr Polák, President of CUSC and the Organising Committee.

The Czech Union of Surveyors and Cartographers (CUSC) will host the FIG WW Prague 2000 from 22 to 26 May 2000. The preparations are now in full swing.

The venue of the Working Week will be the National House of Vinohrady in the centre of the city while the opening ceremony will be held at the Betlehem Chapel, the Ceremonial Hall of the Czech Technical University, in the old town. All venues are located in the centre of the city within walking distance from Wencesla’s Square like the secretariat of CUSC which is located next to the famous Charles Bridge just opposite the Prague Castle across the river Vltava.

The invitation brochure with the preliminary programme was distributed during the FIG Working Week in Sun City and has now been mailed to all FIG members and commissions.

The technical programme that will accompany the FIG General Assembly will consist of two conferences:

• FIG Conference “Quo Vadis Surveying of the 21st Century”
• Czech–Slovak–Polish Surveying Days

One of the technical tours will lead to the new building of the headquarters of the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastral in Prague that is opened in October 1999. The new building is located in Kobylisy, one of the northern suburbs of Prague. The new building will accommodate over 900 employees of not only the Czech Office for Surveying, Mapping and Cadastre, but also the Survey Office, Cadastral Office for the Capital City of Prague and of two other cadastral offices for the neighbouring districts. The building has also special premises for the Central Archives of Surveying and Mapping and for the Computing Centre providing IT services for the Enhanced Cadastre Information System.

The Conference Hall of this new building will be the venue of the Czech-Slovak- Polish Surveying Days 2000 during the FIG working week.

Robert Foster, the incoming President of FIG visited Prague and the congress venues in early September with Markku Villikka, Director of FIG office. Vice-President Foster was very pleased to the visit and expressed afterwards: “Now that I have seen Prague, and have reviewed the plans for FIG Working Week 2000, I wish that every surveyor in the world and in America could come to Prague next May. They would see not only several hundred years of stunning architectural history, but also a national surveying association that has created a unique place for itself in the process of land restitution in only 10 years. They would also see and witness a system that can become a model for what a national cadastre should be. In fact, every surveyor everywhere would find FIG WW2000 to be the experience of a lifetime.”

Updated programme, registration forms, information for participants, technical tours, pre- and post conference tours, accommodation, etc. are continuously displayed and updated at the Internet home page http://www.fig2000.cz/.

During the FIG Working Week in Prague 22–26 May 2000 there will be a unique opportunity to visit an exhibition of the historical geodetic instruments made in Bohemia. The exhibition will be installed on the second floor of the National Technical Museum and it will be open for the public from 17 May to 17 July 2000. It will be a part of the project – Prague City of the European Culture 2000. Most of the exhibited instruments were made in the metropolitan workshops and are not only from the National Technical Museum’s collection but borrowed from the Technical Museum Brno, University of Mining and Metallurgy Ostrava and private collections as well.

On the exhibition there will be instruments from two important periods. The first one is turn of the 16th and 17th century – a period that was ruled by Emperor Rudolf II. At his Prague’s Court worked, besides artists, famous scientists like Tadeáš Hájek from Hájek, Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler. Well-known manufacturers of the astronomic, geodetic and mathematical instruments were first of all Jost Bürgi, Erasmus Habermel and Heinrich Stolle.

The second high season in the production of geodetic instruments was the era of industrial and cultural development in the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century. At this time the instruments were made by three generations of Spitra family, Boñek family, workshops of the Brandeys or Haase & Wilhelm. As highlights of this period can be mentioned Josef Fri… Co. (founded in 1883) and later Srb & Štys Co. (founded 1920) both manufacturing full range of geodetic instruments and accessories. In 1884 the Fri… Co. produced a small series of mining theodolites – Duplex – with horizontal glass circle; angles were read by microscopes places on opposite sides. A detailed paper on this period was given at the FIG congress in Brighton by Prof. Pavel Hánek and Dipl.-Ing. Antonín Švedja.

A sample from the stamp collection of Dipl.-Ing. Ratiborský will be on display showing geodetic instruments on stamps.

On the second floor of the National Technical Museum there is also a permanent exhibition of astronomy. This collection includes the world distinguished evolution collection of astrometric instruments. Next to this room there is another permanent collection of geodetic instruments by manufacturers so that visitors are able to make comparisons.

The National Technical Museum was founded in 1908. The building is an important example of the modern architecture in Prague. The monumental construction was designed by architect Milan Babuška and the house was built in 1938–42.

During the working week there will be a one-day seminar on historical issues at the museum. Ass. Prof. Pavel Hánek and Dipl.-Ing. Antonin Švejda, curator of the National Technical Museum of Prague are responsible for the exhibition and the seminar.

Korea launches their team to prepare the FIG Working Week 2001

Woonji Choi, the Chairman of the Korea Confederation of Surveyors (KCS) and the President of the Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation (KCSC) has appointed his team from KCSC to accomplish the FIG Working Week 2001 to be held in Seoul, Korea from 6 to 11 May, 2001 to become a great success. Several excellent and experienced members of KCSC were appointed to this group in June.

The planning team of the FIG WW2001 has carried out the management on behalf of KCS and has already designed the symbol and theme for the FIG Working Week 2001. They are also communicating with the FIG office on administrative issues. The team is fully responsible for the meeting including the management of the Organising Committee and establishing the home page for the event. Detailed plans for the event will be launched in the near future.

For further information, please contact: KCSC (Korea Cadastral Survey Corporation), 45 Yoido, Yongdongpo, Seoul, Korea, tel.+82 2 780 6714 and fax +82 2 780 1672 or the Organising Committee, 624 Unhak, Yongin, Kyunggi, Korea, tel. +82 335 335 0851/2, fax +82 335 335 0853 and e-mail juhkim@kcsc.co.kr.

Standardisation of the qualifications and certification of surveyors?

The ISO Technical Committee 211 on Geographic Information/ Geomatics is producing a set of about 20 standards covering everything from metadata through reference frames to terminology. Many of these documents are now in a late draft stage, and some should fairly soon see the light of day as ISO-15046.

Much of the driving force behind TC211 has been provided by Canada. In early 1998, they proposed a widening of the work of the committee to include an item on the qualifications and certification of personnel; a detailed proposal recommended three levels of competence (technologist; engineer; manager), with national certifying bodies. This proposal was in response to the difficulties Canadian surveyors have in getting their professional qualifications recognised in other countries – a problem that surveyors from other countries also experience at least on occasions.

Understandably, the international professional bodies involved with TC211 (FIG, ICA, ISPRS, IAG etc) expressed strongly their view that this was a matter for the professions, and that the creation of an international standard would ‘fossilise’ the qualifications process. Interesting debate took place at the March 1998 meeting of TC211 in Canada, and a follow-up meeting was held during the FIG Congress in Brighton in July 1998.

As a result of the July meeting, the Canadians resubmitted their proposal, recommending an investigation leading to an advisory report on the current situation on certification of personnel, possibly then leading to standardisation activity. This proposal went through the procedures of ISO Technical Committees (vote by national member bodies) and was passed by 12 votes to 9, with many of the most active members (UK, USA and Germany) voting against, and several questioning whether the work was within the agreed scope of TC211.

The March 1999 meeting of TC211 in Vienna again saw discussion on the proposal, although the debate was now centred on whether the item was within scope. Other organisations such as the Open GIS Consortium were also questioning the work item, feeling that it would distract attention from the technical standardisation work. Political manoeuvring was designed to gain concessions from Canada in return for not formally questioning the scope issue. Whoever said standards activity was pure or dull? This was achieved, with the Canadian delegation leader agreeing to start afresh in the work, rather than starting from the detailed proposals submitted by Canada. A full blown row was therefore averted – just.

The next stage is for Canada to fulfil its promise to provide a team leader for the task, and for member associations and liaison members (the international professional bodies) to nominate members of the team. Canada have, however, struggled to find an individual with funding and time to take on the work - the production of an investigative report on the current situation by September 2001. They have therefore approached some of the international professional bodies to see if one of them is willing to lead the work instead.

FIG’s view is that it is better to be inside the team than crying foul from the sidelines; this is a view shared by some of the other liaisons. After all, 2001 is a good time away; plenty of time for the profession to get its house in order and obviate the need for international standards. There is much work already going on, for instance on a common core syllabus; we also have to recognise the legal licensing system for land surveyors in many countries.

This then is the current situation - the work item proposal by Canada is a part of the work of TC211. FIG discussed the issue at its general assembly in South Africa, looking again at how the FIG Task Force on the Mutual Recognition of Qualifications (led by Prof. Stig Enemark, Denmark) fits with the TC211 work. FIG would like to link the two pieces of work and would introduce a concept how to provide a way for the whole geomatics community to work together to find a way in which the profession can take full advantage of the global market whilst maintaining as much flexibility as possible. This must surely be the aim for all of us. It is certainly the aim of the World Trade Organisation, with whom ISO is working together to look at the whole area of standardisation in service industries (such things as market research standards, and making sure that a 4 star hotel has the same meaning throughout the world).

Iain Greenway
Chair of the FIG Task Force on Standards
iain.greenway@btinternet.com

Task Force on Under-represented Groups in Surveying:
Support to young surveyors

The German Working group of Under-represented Groups in Surveying celebrated its 10th anniversary in Hannover in September.

Since the establishment of the Task Force on Under-represented Groups in Surveying last year the first goal has been to build up a network of experts. Currently there are 55 members from 22 countries attending the work of the network – and it is growing.

Perhaps the most visible platform for the task force is the quarterly newsletter that distributes information on current activities. The fourth issue was published with good response in August and at least by now there has not been lack of articles. Reports have been published on Italian and US associations, further one report on FIG and three on universities from Australia, Germany and Canada. Four papers coming from UK, Sweden, Germany and USA have discussed scientific research. In addition 4 personalities have been introduced. All four issues are accessible by Internet on the FIG home page.

The task force was responsible for a special meeting on the issue “Need for involvement of the new generation of contributors to FIG” during the FIG working week in Sun City. The bright discussion generated a wide range of ideas. E.g. following actions were proposed during the discussion:

The hosts of the FIG Working Weeks and Congresses should be encouraged to introduce a lower registration fee for students (this will happen already in Prague); to enable the attendance of students - like at Brighton - to assist the organisers; to evaluate the participants concerning gender, age and commissions.

Further it was proposed an idea to introduce participants attending the FIG event for the first time with a special badge to assist their integration to the community.

It was also recommended that the member associations should support the attendance of young professionals and students to both the FIG and national events and to include younger people also to the delegations.

The recommendation for the commissions is to help people from under-represented groups to become correspondents and to facilitate their attendance to commission meetings.

It was also considered that the use of web site and promoting of regional meetings of FIG would help students and young surveyors to attend the FIG activities. The task force is going to send out a questionnaire to all FIG Commissions.

The task force contributed further the joint session of commissions 1 and 2 with two papers. These presentations were “The Surveying Industry in South Africa” by Jennifer Whittal and “Gender Aspects in Programmes of the European Union” by Gabriele Dasse.

Commission 1:
Web page launched

The annual meeting of Commission 1 took place during the FIG Working Week in Sun City. Fourteen delegates and interested people attended the meeting where each of the working groups presented an overview of its activities. They are described in detail in the commission 1 newsletter Friends of Commission 1, also accessible on Commission 1 web site.

Commission Vice-Chair Klaus Rürup, Chair of WG 1 has prepared a questionnaire on organisational issues. The questionnaire has been sent to all FIG delegates. It is highly recommended that those who have not yet responded should fill it in and send it back to commission. If you have lost you copy you can ask for a new one from the FIG office.

Iain Greenway, Chair of WG 2 in the period between now and May 2001, wishes to stimulate a debate around business issues, using the Commission 1 newsletter, commission web site, papers at working weeks and elsewhere, and any other appropriate communication tools. Rather than overloading everyone by trying to debate everything at the same time, commission is going to take the items in turn. 

Therefore, the current issue of the commission newsletter contains some ethical dilemmas. You are asked to consider how you would respond to them. All contributions received will – indicating country only – be added to the web site to spark further debate. The debate will continue in the next issue of the newsletter.

Commission 1 launched its own web site in August. Thanks to Stephen Djaba, Ghana, the web site is now available on the FIG home page www.ddl.org/figtree, where you can find it under the Commissions section. Please have a look!

John Parker, Chair of Commission 1, can be contacted by e-mail: park106@attglobal.net. 

Commission 2:
Achievements and plans – issues dealt with in Sun City

Commission 2 organised two commission meetings during the FIG Working Week in Sun City. About ten participants attended the meetings with a lively discussion on several topics.

The focus of the discussions was on the working group themes. WG 1 is finalising its work on “Management skills, professional competencies and CPD policies”. A report on management skills is under work. Unfortunately the chair of this WG Chris Hoogsteden could not attend the meetings in Sun City but he was fluently replaced by Stig Enemark.

WG 2 “Virtual academy” is new and the co-chair of the WG Esben Munk Sørensen was present in Sun City. Working group is aiming to organise a workshop, including also one distance learning session, in Finland in June 2002. The first planning meeting on this topic will be held in Prague during the FIG Working Week, where Chair of this WG Henrik Haggrén will also give a position paper on virtual academy concept.

“University Curricula – Content Competencies, Trends and Assessment” is the theme for WG 3. WG Chair Jud Rouch is preparing a paper ”Summary of Models of Surveying Curricula, which we have seen in the World” that will be presented in the technical programme in Prague.

Commission Vice Chair Pedro Cavero is also chairing WG 4 and responsible for organising a workshop in Rosario, Argentina in October 2000. The themes of this South American workshop are surveying students and surveying curricula. The main goal of WG4 is to activate young surveyors and students to join FIG. Until now Pedro Cavero has visited two universities (Valencia, Spain and Helsinki, Finland) by given presentations on the topic “Why to study surveying – Why to join FIG?” The aim of WG 4 is to remind organisers of all working weeks and congresses of the importance of special low registration fees and student accommodation possibilities for students to help their attendance to the events. The first results will be seen already in Prague, when the organisers of WW2000 promised to give lower fee and cheap accommodation for students. A special session for students during the working week in Prague is on the agenda of WG 4.

The newest FIG publication from Commission 2 titled “Quality Assurance in Surveying Education” by Peter Morgan and Robert Hodgkinson was published in early September. The report has been mailed to all FIG members and is also available on FIG home page and will be introduced during the technical programme in Prague.

The minutes of Commission meetings as well as the latest commission newsletter are available on the commission 2 web site. Prof. Kirsi Artimo, Chair of Commission 2 can be contacted by e-mail: kirsi.artimo@hut.fi.

Commission 3:
Spatial Information Management in Sun City

With eight invited presentations from Africa, Canada and Europe in two technical sessions and more than 20 delegates and participants from 14 countries attending commission meetings the Working Week 1999 became a real success for Commission 3. A special thanks for the success belongs to Tor Valstad, Secretary of Commission 3 who is in charge of all daily work and communication with commission delegates, speakers etc. Other reasons for the success of the meetings are the commission delegates and correspondents. Like all commissions the work of commission 3 is totally dependent on their involvement. Fortunately so many are keen to put a lot of their effort into the commission work, which makes FIG able to improve the quality of our work. There were two Commission 3 meetings during the working week.

Information management is the hot issue just at the moment. This was underlined both at the keynote presentations during the opening ceremony and in several presentations at the technical programme. 

At the meetings reports from the three working groups were presented:

• In WG 3.1 “Spatial information management: Technical approaches” chaired by Chryssy Potsiou the activity is focused on the workshop on Spatial Information Management to be held on in Athens, Greece 12 – 15 October 2000. The WG has found sponsors and funding for its activities and a lot of interest has been generated by more than 30 persons who have shown their interest to the work.
• WG 3.2, chaired by Bernd Teichert, “Spatial Data Infrastructure” suffered from weak representation at the meetings in Sun City. After some discussion it was decided that the national representatives in this WG should deliver information on the state of art of Spatial Data Infrastructure in their respective countries to the Chair of the WG prior to the Commission 3 annual meeting to be held in Budapest in October 1999.
• In WG 3.3 “Facilitating spatial information and knowledge management for decision support, through appropriate organisational, political, business structure” the WG, chaired by Robin McLaren, has planned to evaluate six projects to find examples on best practises. The results of these case studies will be presented at the Commission 3 annual meeting in Austria, April 2001. WG 3.3 will be involved also in the new plan of action between FIG and UNCHS (Habitat) for 2000–2001 by providing best practises for the Habitat Best Practise Database.

At the meeting it was further discussed how the commission could handle the situation where most of the contributors come either from Europe or North America. It is considered important, when working weeks or other conferences are held outside these regions, to attract as many local representatives as possible. There is also a big challenge for FIG to organise more low-cost conferences in Africa, South America and Asia.

The next Commission 3 event takes place in Budapest from 21 to 23 October. The theme of the two-day seminar is Spatial Information Management. The third day is reserved for the annual meeting and meetings of the working groups. More information about this meeting and commission 3 activities can be found on commission home page: http://fig3.boku.ac.at. Jes Ryttersgaard, Chair of Commission 3 can be contacted by e-mail: JR@kms.dk.

Commission 5:
Activities during the Working Week 1999

In spite of the high profile technical programme in the sessions at the FIG Working Week in Sun City the number of delegates was lower than the organisers had hoped. Especially participation from Southern Africa was a small disappointment. Commission 5 was fortunate, however, to attract a large number of participants. The South African delegate to Commission 5, Richard Wonnacott, played an active role during the planning process and throughout the technical sessions and business meetings. Such local involvement is crucial to the success of the working weeks.

There were three Commission 5 meetings during the event, two Steering Committee meetings and one open commission meeting for all interested participants. The open meeting was attended by 12 participants which was little less than expected. A major problem is that this meeting was held before the technical sessions started and thus attracted only those already arrived to Sun City e.g. for the General Assembly. The meeting was chaired by Matt Higgins, vice-chair of Commission 5. The work of the working groups were introduced by their chairs followed by a general discussion. Dr. Yola Georgiadou presented her ideas on how FIG should help developing countries by participating actively their workshops. Her experiences from such events were encouraging - the three mentioned were arranged with the help from Larry Hothem, Prof. Stig Enemark and Prof. Ian Williamson. She pointed out that such workshops have more credibility if outside participation is unbiased. FIG sponsored involvement is considered more reliable and independent than say that of specific consultants. Dr. Georgiadou’s request for help especially for Latin America will be considered when discussing forthcoming events.

Commission 5 had a very interesting and good technical program. A proof of that was the number of delegates who attended the sessions ranging from 40 to 80 people. All papers from all Commission 5 will be presented on the FIG homepage.

Representatives of Commission 5 attended also the two meetings of the Task Force on Standards, chaired by Iain Greenway. Vaclav Slaboch and Matt Higgins from the Steering Committee together with Larry Hothem and Yola Georgiadou, both aligned to Commission 5, attended the meeting explaining their current involvement in these issues. Two specific developments are worth mentioning; there is a good progress on creating guidelines on standardisation activity for the Bureau, Commissions and members. An outline for the chapters of the guide – together with responsible persons – has been agreed. The second significant development is the presentation of a report on the FIG Questionnaire on Standards.

Commission 5 is involved through WG-5.1 in the preparation of the XIII International Course on Engineering Surveying (Kurs für Ingenieursvermessung) to be held in Munich 13–17 March 2000. This is an event that is organised every 4 years. Commission 5 contact person is Hansbert Heister, e-mail heister@glabse.bauv.unibw-muenchen.de.

Commission 5 will – together with commissions 4 and 6 – will organise two sessions during the FIG Working Week in Prague 22–26 May 2000. These sessions are titled Future technologies and Technical standards and quality. Some of the technical papers will have a cadastral focus, as well.

Since the professional programme in Prague is not so technical oriented as commission 5 would have hoped a special symposium for technical commissions will be arranged in Malta 18–21 September 2000.

Further there will be the 3rd International Workshop on Mobile Mapping Technology in Luxor, Egypt 4–6 January 2001. It is expected that the seminar will go towards the application side of the mobile mapping more than has been the case with the previous two. In connection to this seminar there will be also the meeting of the Steering Committee of Commission 5. Dr. Naser El-Sheimy is responsible for the event in Luxor.

Commission 5 proceedings

Proceedings of the FIG Commission 5 Seminar “Geodesy and Surveying in the Future – The Importance of Heights” that was held in Gävle, Sweden 15–17 March 1999 can be ordered from Mikael Lilje, Secretary of Commission 5 by e-mail mikael.lilje@lm.se, fax +46 26 610 676 or tel. +46 26 633 742. The price of the proceedings is US$30 plus mailing costs.

WG 5.1 meets in Munich

Commission 5 working group 5.1 “Standards, Quality Assurance and Calibration”, had an annual meeting in Munich in mid-August. The meeting was arranged by the chair of the WG, Vaclav Slaboch (Czech Republic) and vice-chair Hansbert Heister who were also accompanied by collaborators to discuss the work and future of the working group. Among the topics that were discussed were inter laboratory comparisons and funding of different projects. Detailed information can be obtained directly from the working group. The meeting in Neubiberg was sponsored by UniBW.

Commission 7:
Commission 7 activities since Sun City

Commission 7’s focus on cadastre and land management was an area that clearly struck a chord with many of the delegates at the Sun City Working Week in South Africa in May. The two sessions that the Commission organised were very well attended and provoked a most rewarding set of questions and discussions. The papers provided by Commission delegates (Jürg Kaufmann, Paul Munro-Faure, Andras Ossko, Jungho Kim and Paul van der Molen) and invitees (Clarissa Fourie) gave a breadth of international experience from Asia through the transitional economies of the former Soviet Union and Central and Eastern Europe to Africa. Depth, too, with considerations ranging from current technical problems and their solution, through analysis of options for policy development, to the futuristic voyeurism of the internationally respected Cadastre 2014 produced by Jürg Kaufmann’s Working Group during the 1994–98 session.

As always the Working Week provided an excellent opportunity to plan forthcoming events both within the Commission and in conjunction with other Commissions. Germany, the venue for the Commission’s Annual Meeting in 2000 is well under way. Detailed plans are in hand for the logistics, for the technical sessions, for appropriate technical tours, and for the one-day international symposium organised by the Working Group 7.3 on Land Markets (chaired by Andras Ossko).

The Commission has also been supporting the Maltese member association in the idea of a joint meeting in Malta to look at Mediterranean land related issues. Sun City provided an excellent opportunity to discuss the most appropriate programme and timing for this meeting. Commissions 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 together with the Land Surveyors’ Society – Malta are now well into preparations for a joint programme of presentations and events for 18–21 September 2000.

The Commission acted as sponsor together with the Slovak member association for a one-day seminar in Bratislava, Slovakia on 18 June. The seminar looked at Valuation and the Cadastre, an issue of considerable interest in Slovakia, as in most transitional economies. A wide range of papers was prepared and presented by Slovak and international specialists in this area. It was well attended (although the Commission chairperson was prevented from attending as a result of illness); debate was strong and relevant viewpoints were well aired.

The immediate prospects for Commission activity now turn to Australasia from 10–15 October with agenda papers and plans being finalised for the Commission’s Annual Meeting in the Bay of Islands. Bill Robertson, the Commission’s New Zealand delegate has been preparing a superb venue and programme for this occasion which will allow delegates and correspondents to share current experience and solutions virtually worldwide, and facilitate the Working Groups in progressing their work plans and their implementation. Agneta Ericsson’s task force on Womens’ Access to Land has prepared a one day open international symposium which promises to raise vital issues that are of vital concern in land reform.

Directly after the conclusion of the Bay of Islands meeting on 17 October a significant proportion of the Commission’s delegates will be moving across to New South Wales, Australia, to provide resources for the one week UN/FIG workshop in Bathurst on Rights, Responsibilities and Restrictions on Land. The resulting Statement will be taken on to the Melbourne Conference on Rights, Responsibilities and Restrictions on Land, 24–27 October, for review and debate prior to publication. These events are being organised by teams headed by Don Grant and Ian Williamson, Australian delegate to the Commission and former Commission chairperson respectively.

Their efforts, and those all of our delegacy involved in organising Cadastre and Land Management related meetings, are congratulated and heartily appreciated by the Commission. Commission chairperson Paul Munro-Faure can be contacted by e-mail: paulmunro_faure@compuserve.com.

The Mediterranean Surveyors in the new Millennium

Commissions 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are organising jointly together with the Land Surveyors Society (Malta) a seminar on Malta 18–21 September 2000. This will give a unique opportunity for everyone, not only for those coming from countries around the Mediterranean, to meet and discuss common problems.

Specific commission meetings and seminars are always necessary, but it is also important to arrange joint commission meetings. There is a lot to learn from each other and it is obvious that the daily work of each surveyor covers the expertise of several commissions. Therefore, the seminar in Malta gives an important opportunity for surveyors to meet. The program will cover the state-of-the-art for many of the working fields for a traditional surveyor as well as look forward to foresee where our occupation is heading. 

A number of distinguished international and national speakers will present and discuss their views in areas as education, standards, measuring techniques, engineering surveys, hydrography, land information and cadastre. The event will focus mainly on the application view of these subjects. At the same time the seminar gives a unique opportunity for FIG to meet with representatives from the Mediterranean countries that are currently not FIG members to meet discuss issues on surveying with the Bureau.

Even though the theme is Mediterranean Surveyors in the Future many of these questions are relevant to other areas around the world and we believe that any surveyor in the world will benefit from the interesting program in an excellent environment.

The technical presentations will run for almost three days – 18–20 September – and the seminar ends with a technical tour. There are also plans to organise a post-seminar tour. The presentations are divided in eight different sessions and the discussions focus on the surveyors’ role and activities in the future. The sessions are mainly joint sessions between the commissions. Chair of the technical part of the organisation committee is Jean-Marie Becker, chair of Commission 5, and members are Kirsi Artimo, Dennis St Jacques, Michel Mayoud and Paul Munro-Faure, chairs of Commissions 2, 4, 6 and 7 resp. Responsible for the local organising committee is Randolph Camilleri.

Rest assured that the local organising committee is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that this important seminar will turn out to be a great success from all angles.

Malta is rich in culture, history and architecture. It is rightly regarded as the priceless ‘gem’ of the Mediterranean and is rapidly becoming one of the main tourist attractions of the region. Malta is usually exceptionally beautiful in September. We are sure that Malta will provide each and every participant and their guests with most pleasant memories. The seminar will be held in the St. Julians/Sliema area, which is the top entertainment area in Malta and close to all amenities.

Kirsi Artimo becomes Vice-President of ICA

Prof. Kirsi Artimo, chair of FIG Commission 2 was elected to one of the seven Vice-Presidents of the International Cartographic Association ICA at the ICA Congress in Ottawa in August. Prof. Bengt Rystedt (Sweden) was elected as the new President of ICA for 1999–2003. The President, Vice-Presidents and new Secretary-General Ferjan Ormeling (Netherlands) form the new Executive Committee of ICA that will also be attended ex-officio by the immediate Past-President Michael Wood (UK).

1,540 participants from 79 countries attended the ICA Congress. They had the opportunity to join technical sessions with 500 presentations and a large cartographic exhibition.

FIG Technical Dictionary Volumes 3 and 11 are published

Two further volumes of the FIG Technical Dictionary series are now available. They are part of the project being undertaken by FIG, in which German surveying and mapping terms and definitions are being translated into English and French.

The new version of Volume 3 on Geodetic Surveying is based on the basic updating of the German entries made in 1985–86 by three German Working Groups. From 1994 to 1997 the entries to be accepted were rechecked in order to be supplemented by newly developed terms in geodetic surveying as well as to be harmonised with the already published new editions of volumes 4 (Cadastral Surveying and Cadastre), 5 (Geodetic Instruments) and 10 (Engineering Surveying). Those entries that were out of the fields of geodetic instruments and accessories and methods of engineering surveying were left out from the volume unless they were also typical for geodetic surveying. This left about 560 terms and definitions to the final version.

Volume 11 is entitled “Hydrographic Surveying”. Its compilation was in substance completed by working group 4 Hydrographic surveys of DVW. The terms of the provisional edition of 1971 are integrated and considerably enlarged. A further check of the contents took place after 1993 together with the integration of some additional terms.

Volumes 3 and 11 as well as previously printed volumes 4, 5, 6, 10, 12, 13, 14 and 15 can be ordered from Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie, Aussenstelle Berlin, Stauffenbergstrasse 13, D-10785 Berlin, E-mail: wti@leipzig.ifag.de or fax + 49 3 41 56 34 415. The price for Volumes 3 and 11 is 15 DM and 19 DM respectively, plus postage.

Commission newsletters

Following commission newsletters have been published recently and are available on Internet. There are also printed copies available from commission secretaries:

• Commission 1 Newsletter, August 1999, http://www.ddl.org/figtree/
• Commission 2 Newsletter, September 1999, http://www.hut.fi/Units/Cartography/Fig2/
• Commission 3 & 7 Newsletter, August 1999
• Commission 5 Newsletter, August 1999, http://www.lm.se/fig5/

New issue of Task Force Newsletter

The forth Newsletter of the Task Force on Under-represented Groups in Surveying, no 3/99, is now available on the FIG web site or you are welcome to contact Ms. Gabriele Dasse, the Chair of the Task Force to receive a copy either by e-mail gabriele.dasse@gv.hamburg.de, fax + 49 40 428 26 5250 or telephone + 49 40 428 26 5965. 

The topics of the latest issue are: Gender in the Habitat Agenda: Implications for the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) by Diana Lee Smith and Dr. Sylvie Lacroux; Engineering Education: for Ourselves and for the Public by Wendy J. Woodbury Straight. The personality of this issue is Prof. Kirsi Artimo from the Helsinki University of Technology, chairperson of FIG commission 2 and the just elected vice-president of ICA.

The home page of the Task Force together with the previous issues of the newsletter can also be found on the FIG home page.

Working Week 2000

The Czech organising committee of the FIG Working Week 2000 has now delivered the invitations and registration forms to all FIG members and commissions. If you have not received your copy, you can get it by sending a request to the Conference Secretariat: FWW 2000/Guarant Ltd., Opletalova 15, 110 00 Prague 1, Czech Republic, tel. + 420 2 2421 0650, fax + 420 2 2421 2103 or by e-mail: vojtekova@guarant.cz. You may find the technical programme and all updates in the conference programme on the home page of the working week: http://www.fig2000.cz.

Journals from member associations

• Geomatica (Canada), 2/1999.
• Landinspektøren (Denmark), 2A/1999.
• Geodeet (Estonia), 19/1999.
• Géomètre (OGE, France), June, August-September 1999.
• XYZ (Association Française de Topographie, 3/1999.
• Zeitschrift für Vermessungswesen (Germany), July, August, September 1999.
• The Hong Kong Surveyor, August 1999.
• Surveying Newsletter (Hong Kong, China), May, June, July 1999.
• The Journal of Building Surveying (Hong Kong, China), 1/1999.
• Geodesia (Netherlands), 9/1999.
• Survey Quarterly, June 1999.
• Kart og Plan (Norway), 2/, 3/1999.
• Geodetski Vestnik (Slovenia), 1, 2 1999.
• Topografía y Cartografía (Spain), July/August 1999.
• VPK/MPG (Switzerland), 7/, 8/, 9/1999.
• Civil Engineering Surveyor (UK), July/August, September, October 1999.
• Surveying World (RICS), July/August, September/October 1999.
• Professional Surveyor (ACSM, USA), September 1999.
• Appraisal Institute’s Wall Street Report (USA), June 1999.

Other journals and publications

• ISPRS Highlights, September 1999.
• Science International (ICSU newsletter), June 1999.
• FIABCI Press, July/August 1999.
• CIB Information, 2/, 3/1999.
• International Roundup - ICEC Newsletter, October 1999.
• OEEPE Newsletter, 1/1999.
• UN Development Update, June/July 1999.
• Natural Resources Forum – A Special Issue on Small Island Developing States – A UN Journal, August 1999.
• UNESCO Sources, May 1999.
• ISO Bulletin, June, August, September 1999.
• GIM, August, September 1999.
• Hydro International, July/August, September 1999.
• GeoInformatics, July/August, September 1999.
• Land and Liberty, Summer 1999.
• Proceedings of the FIG Commission 5 Seminar “Geodesy and Surveying in the Future – The Importance of Heights”, 15–17 March, Gävle, Sweden.
• CIB Report Publication 237 “Agenda 21 on Sustainable Construction”.

For copies of these and other titles received by the bureau, contact the FIG Office in Copenhagen, e-mail FIG@ddl.org or fax: + 45 3886 0252.

The FIG Bulletin

Compiled and edited by the FIG Office, 
fax +45 38 86 02 52 and e-mail: FIG@ddl.org

Printed by Atelier Skt. Annae
ISSN Number 1081-6522

Material from this bulletin may be reproduced freely

Bulletin deadlines

The next deadline for the FIG Bulletin will be Friday 20 August. Please send your copy to the FIG Office, Lindevangs Allé 4, DK-2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark, fax: +45 38 86 02 52, e-mail FIG@ddl.org.

The FIG Bulletin will be issued this year in December.

This page is maintained by the FIG Office. Last revised on 06-09-18.