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FIG Commissions

[ Responsibilities & Terms of Reference ] Chairs ] Chairs Elect 2009-2010 ] Vice Chairs of Administration ] Work Plans ] National delegates ]

Commission Responsibilities

The commissions, under the guidance of their chairs, are responsible for pursuing FIG’s professional and technical objectives, through the implementation of work plans that are adopted by the General Assembly following the FIG Congress and culminate with the delivery of technical programmes at the following congress

Between them, they cover all the activities listed in the FIG definition of a surveyor. Most appoint working groups to progress specific aspects of their work.

Each commission chairman works with the assistance of a Chair Elect and Vice Chairs and a Vice Chair of Administration. Commission Chair and Vice Chairs (working group chairs) serve for a four-year term (Chair Elect for two years), which starts at the beginning of the year that follows the congress and concludes at the end of year of the next congress. Member associations may each appoint one delegate to each commission. Affiliates, sponsors and academic members are encouraged to appoint a correspondent to all commissions of their interest.

In addition to delivering the technical programmes at congresses and working seeks, commissions and their working groups organise other seminars and conferences on technical and professional topics, either individually or jointly (usually in collaboration with an FIG member association or an allied international professional society). Commissions also seek opportunities for participating in events sponsored by United Nations or other funding agency, with a view to assisting professional development in developing countries and those in economic transition.


Commission Terms of Reference 2007-2010

Commission 1 – Professional Standards and Practice

  • Perception of surveying profession
  • Professional practice, legal aspects and organisational structures
  • Standards and certification
  • Code of ethics and applications
  • Under-represented groups in surveying
  • Students and young surveyors
  • Information technology management and professional practice
  • Project-management, quality and best practice
  • Support to under-represented groups

Commission 2 – Professional Education

  • Curriculum development
  • Learning and teaching methods and technologies
  • Educational management and marketing
  • Continuing professional development
  • Networking in education and training

Commission 3 – Spatial Information Management

  • Management of spatial information about land, property and marine data (data, tools, methods, policies, processes, procedures);
  • Spatial data infrastructure – data collection, analysis, visualization, standardization, and dissemination (technical, organizational, personnel, administrative, financial, policy, and legal aspects);
  • Management and transfer of knowledge and skills for SIM (educational, professional development and capacity building aspects);
  • Impacts on organizational structure, business models, public-private-partnerships, professional practice and administration;
  • Management of spatial information supporting good governance (sustainable development, social and economic growth and poverty reduction, environment protection, democracy, freedom, participation in decision making, social security).

Commission 4 – Hydrography

  • Hydrographic surveying
  • Hydrographic education, training and CPD
  • Marine environment & Coastal Zone Management (CZM)
  • Data processing and management
  • Nautical charting and bathymetric maps - analogue and digital, includes ENCs (Electronic Navigational Charts).

Commission 5 – Positioning and Measurement

  • The science of measurement (instrumentation, methodology and guidelines)
  • The acquisition of accurate and reliable survey data related to the position, size and shape of natural and artificial features of the earth and its environment and including variation with time.

Commission 6 – Engineering Surveys

  • Acquisition, processing and management of topometric data and all related information throughout the life cycle of a project (at construction site)
  • Quality control and validation for civil engineering constructions and manufacturing of large objects
  • Modern concepts for setting-out and machine guidance
  • Deformation monitoring, analysis and interpretation, measurement of dynamic loaded structures (general)
  • Prediction of deformation and movements in engineering projects, mines and areas of geological hazard
  • Automatic measuring systems, construction and industry and multi-sensor measuring systems
  • Terrestrial laser systems, their usage in architecture, civil engineering and industry
  • Quality control at the construction site;
  • Standards related to construction and deformation measurement.

Commission 7 – Cadastre and Land Management

  • To provide a forum for enhancing and exchanging knowledge about cadastre, land administration and land management world wide;
  • To encourage the development of pro poor land management and land administration;
  • To promote the importance of development of sustainable land administration as infrastructure for sustainable development to underpin economic growth;
  • To promote the application of innovative and advanced technology in cadastre, land administration;
  • To promote awareness of the role of surveyors in land administration matters to the public and among stake holders.

Commission 8 – Spatial Planning and Development

  • Regional and local structure planning
  • Urban and rural land use planning
  • Planning policies and environmental improvement
  • Land use planning and implementation
  • Public-private partnerships
  • Informal settlement issues in spatial development, planning and governance
  • Re-engineering mega cities
  • Strategy for Environmental Sustainable Development
  • Inter-relationship with commission 9.

Commission 9 – Valuation and the Management of Real Estate

  • Valuation - the estimating of value of real estate by valuers and appraisers for various purposes, including e.g. market value, property taxation, eminent domain, claims of damage or impact on value by some cause or event and acquisitions for public use or public policy;
  • Investment in Real Estate and Investment Planning;
  • Real Estate Investment Vehicles;
  • Real Estate Finance, Development Finance, Land Use Feasibility Planning
  • Real Estate Economics, Real Estate Markets and Market Analyses
  • Management of Property, as single asset or by management companies
  • Management of Property Systems to ensure efficient use of public and private resources
  • Management of Public Sector Property.

Commission 10 - Construction Economics and Management

  • Construction Economics, including Quantity Surveying, Building Surveying, Cost Engineering and Management, Estimating and Tendering
  • Commercial Management including Procurement, Risk Management and Contract Law for construction and non construction activity
  • Project and Programme Management including Planning / Scheduling.


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This page is maintained by the FIG Office. Last revised on 09-08-31.