FIG PROFILE 2007-2010
The FIG Profile
and the benefits of being a member
2007 - 2010
The International Federation of Surveyors is an international,
non-government organisation whose purpose is to support
international collaboration for the progress of surveying in all
fields and applications
What is FIG?
FIG is the premier international organization representing the
interests of surveyors worldwide. It is a federation of the national member
associations and covers the whole range of professional fields within the global
surveying community. It provides an international forum for discussion and
development aiming to promote professional practice and standards.
FIG was founded in 1878 in Paris and was known as the Fèdèration
Internationale des Gèometres. This has become anglicized to the International
Federation of Surveyors. It is a UN-recognized non-government organization
(NGO), representing more than 100 countries throughout the world, and its aim is
to ensure that the disciplines of surveying and all who practise them meet the
needs of the markets and communities that they serve.
The role of FIG
FIG’s activities are governed by a work plan, which is regularly
reviewed against a longer-term strategic plan. The current work plan, titled
“Building the Capacity”, which guides the Council and Commissions activities,
focuses on the surveyor’s response to social, economic, technological and
environmental change. FIG recognises the particular needs of capacity building
in developing countries to meet the challenges of fighting poverty and
developing a basis for a sustainable future. FIG also recognises that markets
for surveyors’ services are constantly changing. The plan accordingly lays
emphasis on strengthening professional institutions; promoting professional
development; and encouraging surveyors
to acquire new skills and techniques so that they may be properly equipped to
meet the needs of society and the environment.
In general, FIG will strive to enhance the global standing of the
surveying profession through both education and practice, increase political
relations both at national and international level, help eradicating poverty,
promote democratisation, and facilitate economic, social and environmental
sustainability.
Who are the members of FIG?
Members of FIG consist of:
-
member associations – national associations
representing one or more of the disciplines of surveying;
-
affiliates – groups of surveyors or surveying
organizations undertaking professional activities but not fulfilling the
criteria for member associations;
-
corporate members – organizations, institutions or
agencies which provide commercial services related to the profession of
surveyor;
-
academic members – organizations, institutions or
agencies, which promote education or research in one or more of the
disciplines of surveying.
An individual may be appointed as a correspondent in a country
where no association or group of surveyors exist that is eligible to join FIG as
a member.
Commission activity
Ten commissions lead FIG’s technical work. Each member
association appoints a delegate to each of the commissions. Detailed information
on the work of the commissions, their work plans, working groups, seminars,
newsletters and publications can be found at
www.fig.net/comm/comindex.htm.
The terms of reference are as follows:
Commission 1 - Professional Practice
Chair: Mr. Yaacoub Saade (Lebanon)
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.
Commission 2 - Professional Education
Chair: Professor Bela Markus (Hungary)
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
Chair: Dr. Chryssy Potsiou (Greece)
Management of spatial information about land, property and marine
data; spatial data infrastructure – data collection, analysis, visualisation,
standardisation, dissemination, and support of good governance; knowledge
management for SIM; business models, public-private-partnerships, professional
practice and administration.
Commission 4 - Hydrography
Chair: Mr. Andrew Leyzack (Canada)
Hydrographic surveying; hydrographic education, training and CPD;
marine environment and coastal zone management; data processing and management;
nautical charting and bathymetric maps - analogue and digital, including
electronic navigational charts.
Commission 5 - Positioning and Measurement
Chair: Professor Rudolf Staiger (Germany)
The science of measurement including 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
Chair: Professor Alojz Kopacik (Slovakia)
Acquisition, processing and management of topometric data;
quality control and validation for civil engineering constructions and
manufacturing of large objects; modern concepts for setting-out and machine
guidance; deformation monitoring systems; automatic measuring systems,
multi-sensor measuring systems; terrestrial laser systems.
Commission 7 - Cadastre and Land Management
Chair: Mr. András Osskó (Hungary)
Cadastre, land administration and land management; development of
pro poor land management and land administration; development of sustainable
land administration as an infrastructure for sustainable development to underpin
economic growth; applications of innovative and advanced technology in cadastre
and land administration; promoting the role of surveyors in land administration
matters to the public and stakeholders.
Commission 8 - Spatial Planning and Development
Chair: Dr. Diane Dumashie (United Kingdom)
Regional and local structure planning; urban and rural land use
planning and implementation; planning policies and environmental management for
sustainable development; re-engineering of mega cities; public-private
partnerships; informal settlement issues in spatial development, planning and
governance.
Commission 9 - Valuation and the Management of Real Estate
Chair: Professor Kauko Viitanen (Finland)
Valuation; investment in real estate and investment planning;
real estate investment vehicles; real estate, development finance and land use
feasibility planning; real estate economics and markets and market analyses;
management of property and property systems; management of public sector
property.
Commission 10 - Construction Economics and Management
Chair: Mr. Andrew Morley (United Kingdom)
Construction economics, including quantity surveying, building
surveying, cost engineering and management; estimating and tendering; commercial
management including procurement, risk management and contracts; project and
programme management including planning and scheduling.
How does FIG operate?
The commissions prepare and conduct the programme for FIG’s
international congresses, held every four years, and annual working weeks, held
in the intervening years. The last congress was held in Munich (Germany) in
2006; and the next congress will be in Sydney (Australia) April 9-16, 2010.
Congresses attract several thousand participants from all over
the world and are the most important events in the FIG calendar. The technical
programme, which marks the culmination of each commission’s four-year programme
of work, is complemented by a major international exhibition.
Working weeks combine meetings of FIG’s administrative bodies
with technical conferences organized by the commissions and the host member
association and as such provide the opportunity for commissions to implement and
develop their work programmes and for FIG to network at a more regional level.
Working weeks will be held in Stockholm, Sweden (14-19 June
2008), Eilat, Israel (3-8 May 2009), Marrakech, Morocco (April/May 2011) and in
Rome, Italy (2012).
To increase regional activities FIG organizes regional
conferences on a biannual basis. The last conference was held in San Jose, Costa
Rica (November 2007) the next conference will be in Ha Noi, Vietnam in (October
2009).
In addition to their involvement with FIG congresses and working
weeks, commissions and their working groups organize or co-sponsor a wide range
of seminars and workshops, usually in collaboration with member associations or
other international professional bodies.
A key element to the success of a commissions work is the
appointment of national delegates, providing a unique opportunity for
professional development. Member associations, affiliates, corporate members and
academic members are all entitled to appoint delegates to the commissions; and
commission chairs often co-opt additional experts to assist with particular
aspects of their work programmes.
How is FIG administered?
By its General Assembly which meets annually during the FIG
working week or the FIG congress. The General Assembly comprises of delegates of
the member associations and, as non-voting members, the Council, commission
chairs and representatives of affiliates, corporate members and academic
members. The General Assembly debates and approves policies. Policies are
implemented by the Council, which meets several times a year.
The Council is elected by the General Assembly. The Council
consists of the President (elected for four year term of office) and four Vice
Presidents (term of office is four years) with two of the Vice Presidents being
elected every second year, and coming from different countries throughout the
world. In addition commission chairs appoint their representative to the
Council.
The work of the General Assembly and the Council is assisted by
an Advisory Committee of Commission Officers (ACCO); ad hoc task forces
appointed from time to time to review existing work plans and develop new
strategies; and two permanent institutions: the Office International de Cadastre
et du Régime Foncier (OICRF) and the International Institution for the History
of Surveying and Measurement. The FIG Foundation is an independent body under
the Federation giving grants and scholarships to support education and capacity
building especially in developing countries.
The permanent office undertakes the day-to-day management of FIG.
FIG Council members 2007–2010
President:
Vice-Presidents:
-
Mr. G. K. (Ken) Allred (Canada) (2007-2008)
-
Dr. Dalal S. Alnaggar (Egypt)
-
Mr. Matthew B. Higgins (Australia)
-
Prof. Paul van der Molen (Netherlands) (2007-2008)
ACCO Representative:
For details on the current council see:
www.fig.net/council/council_index.htm
FIG Office
The FIG Office is located in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Address:
FIG Office
Kalvebod Brygge 31-33,
DK-1780 Copenhagen V, Denmark.
Tel: +45 3886 1081
Fax: +45 3886 0252
E-mail: fig@fig.net
Further information about the FIG office at:
www.fig.net/admin/office.htm
How does FIG communicate?
-
Through the FIG home page (www.fig.net)
which includes e.g.
-
the work plan of the Council and the commissions
-
contact details of Council members, member associations,
affiliates, corporate members, academic members, commission officers and
commission delegates
-
forthcoming events
-
FIG publications and conference reports.
-
The FIG annual review – an overview of major activities and
achievements and the main medium of external communication (available on
www.fig.net/annual-review/anrew-index.htm).
-
The FIG e-Newsletter – a monthly newsletter and the main
medium of internal communication (available through subscription on
www.fig.net/pub/subscriptions/getnewsletter.htm).
-
The FIG publications series – formal policy statements,
guidelines, and reports (available on-line on
www.fig.net/pub).
-
Proceedings of FIG congresses and of selected technical
seminars sponsored or co-sponsored by FIG’s commissions and member
associations (available on
www.fig.net/news/newsindex.htm).
-
Commission newsletters – for the dissemination of information
specifically concerned with the work of individual commissions (available on
www.fig.net/comm/comindex.htm).
-
Presidents Letter – as required for the successful operation
of FIG.
How is FIG financed?
Members’ annual membership fees largely finance operating costs.
Rates of membership fees payable by member associations are approved annually by
the General Assembly. The Council sets rates of membership fees payable by
affiliates, corporate members and academic members.
Other activities, including congresses, technical seminars and
administrative meetings, are mostly self-financing. In the case of meetings,
income is raised from registration fees, which may be supplemented by income
from an accompanying technical exhibition, by subventions from the host
government or association, or by grants from aid agencies.
FIG international co-operations
FIG international co-operations include:
-
UN agencies, notably the United Nations Human Settlements
Programme (UN-HABITAT), the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), United
Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Office for Outer
Space Affairs (UN OOSA) and the World Bank. Joint workshops and other
collaborative projects help to identify and develop practical solutions to
problems associated with the ownership and management of land. FIG is
officially recognised by the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
-
International professional organizations in surveying
disciplines through the Joint Board of Spatial Information Societies that
includes organisations such as the International Association of Geodesy (IAG),
the International Cartographic Association (ICA), the International
Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the International Society for
Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS), and the Global Spatial Data
Infrastructure Association (GSDI). Furthermore, FIG has formal cooperation
with the International Society for Mine Surveying (ISM) and the
International Federation of Hydrographic Societies (IFHS). FIG is also an
international scientific associate of the International Council for Science
(ICSU).
The benefit of being a member
The benefits for all classes of membership of FIG include:
-
international recognition of the national profession and
enhancement of the profile of the international surveying profession;
-
access to the international surveying community for exchange
of experiences and new developments;
-
access to surveyors and surveying companies throughout the
world who already have established connections with influential
international bodies;
-
opportunities through the commission working groups to take
part in the development of many aspects of surveying practice and the
various disciplines, including ethics, standards, education and a whole
range of professional issues;
-
access to continuing professional development and critical
self evaluation of individual standards and professionalism.
-
access to institutional FIG support - the global surveying
community - when aiming to improve the educational or professional standing
in society; or improving the national systems for land registration and land
management.
For further information about FIG and its activities consult the
homepage at: www.fig.net
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