FIG Commission 1 - Professional Standards and Practice

Title

Professional Practice and Standards

Mr. Klaus Rürup, Chairperson of Commission 1.

Commission 1 is dedicated to all fields of professional activities and therefore has a commitment to raising issues of general interest that apply across the activities of all commissions. There are many areas of overlap of interest and this supports cooperative involvement in other commissions activities. The title 'professional practice' is a clear indication of the wide breadth of aspects to be handled.

Terms of reference

  • Professional practice, legal aspects and organisational structures
  • Standards and certification
  • Project-management, quality and best practice
  • Information technology management as it relates to professional practice
  • Support of under-represented groups and fair competition

Mission statement

  • Capability of development: Changes are affecting the operation of surveying practices, their management and their professional structures under the challenges of widening professional activities.
  • Change of technology: Managing processes and infrastructure with ever changing business infrastructures in the areas of IT, internet, networks and total quality management.
  • Improving surveyors' reputation: Supporting the essential dialogue between politicians and surveyors with regard to further development and setting up the own business in strengthening surveyors' role in economy and politics.
  • Under represented groups: To focus public attention on under represented groups by surveying activities taking place to improve representation.

The Objectives for the Work Plan are to undertake the terms of reference in order to:

  • Involve the wider community in the work of commission 1 recognising it's role in getting the basic professional building blocks in place for practitioners;
  • Develop collaborative work practices between professionals;
  • Build networks with member associations, related societies and organizations to improve professional practice and standards;
  • Foster intercommissional cooperation;
  • Recruit active and enthusiastic people to work with Commission 1 in progressing its mission.

General

These steps outlined in the work program contribute to wider aims to consolidate freedom in society and increase economic growth. They follow the results of UN-campaigns and international declarations. FIG can play an important role to support and enable the essential dialogue between politicians and surveyors. Society needs surveyors' services and their advice with regard to further development of the important resources related to land. It also recognises that that world in which the surveyor operates is diverse and that to participate effectively this diversity has to be recognised and welcomed.

Commissions endorse the underlying concept that respect for Cultural and Linguistic issues is very important and that Commissions will be sensitive to these issues in the way they work. This will be implemented by encouraging multilingual abstracts and presentations in general meetings and through the use of an appropriate regional language during regional meetings.


Working Group 1.1 - FIG Standards Network

Policy issues

  • Developing the involvement of practising surveyors in the development and use of standards
  • Increasing the influence of surveyors on key international standardisation bodies
  • Building the linkage between FIG workplans and standardisation activities
  • Advising FIG officers and members on standards and standardisation
  • Supporting the implementation of FIG's policy on standards

Chair

  • Iain Greenway (Ireland), e-mail: igreenway[at]compuserve.com 

Specific projects

  • Continuing to research the most effective way to influence the standardisation process, building relationships with member associations and sister societies as necessary
  • Coordinating FIG's input to and relationship with ISO (in particular TC211 and TC172 SC6) and IVSC
  • Working with Commissions to provide appropriate briefings to FIG's members on developing and recently published standards
  • Maintaining and updating a standards area on the FIG website and the FIG Guide on Standardisation

Publications

  • At least one paper at each FIG Working Week, providing an update on activities and progress
  • Articles in the FIG Bulletin as appropriate

Timetable

  • The Working Group will continue until at least the Congress in Munich in 2006
  • A recommendation on how best to handle standardisation matters in FIG beyond 2006 will be presented to the Council by the end of 2005

Beneficiaries

  • Surveyors and surveying practices;
  • Other professionals working in land management and development;
  • Member associations and sister associations involved in standard setting;
  • ISO and IVSC;
  • All Commissions;
  • Universities and educational organisations

Working Group 1.2 - Professional practice and organisational structures

Policy issues

  • Widening professional activities, overcome restrictions
  • European and world-wide limitations, monitoring the legal development (i.e. GATS, EC Treaty, other relevant policies)
  • Dialogue between politicians and surveyors, as well as public private partnership.

Chair

  • Michael Keller (Switzerland), e-mail: Mkeller[at]ipg.ch 

Specific projects

  • Fundamentals of legal frameworks to be presented in a paper. (2002)
  • Professional studies, business structures, bans or restrictions to be investigated. Facts to be collected for development of a paper. (2003)
  • Recommendations on behalf of less developed countries, acknowledgement by developed countries, how structural and legal processes might be possible. Models to be proposed. (2004)
  • Acknowledgement of the requirements of governments /survey departments - necessary information provided as a basis for surveyors to deal with the legal developments and future requirements. (2005)
  • Review Publication 29 on Business Practices and determine whether there is a need to update it. (2005)
  • Synthesis of the research undertaken (Munich 2006)

Publications

  • Fundamentals of legal frameworks paper - 2002
  • Professional studies, business structures, bans or restrictions, results of investigations. - 2003
  • Report on work and findings - Munich 2006

Timetable

  • The Working Group will continue until at least the Congress in Munich in 2006.

Final report

  • During the Munich Congress.

Beneficiaries

  • Surveyors and surveying practices;
  • Other professionals working in land management and development;
  • Member associations and sister associations;
  • All Commissions;
  • Universities and educational organisations.

Working Group 1.3 - Information technology management as it relates to professional practice and communications

Policy issues

  • Identifying the impact of IT, Internet and e-commerce on the profession and determining strategies for dealing with the impact.
  • Communicating effectively to the FIG community including using the Homepage of Commission 1
  • Development of Knowledge Management concepts as a way of working more effectively.

Chair

  • Yaacoub Saade (Lebanon), e-mail: comandoo1[at]yahoo.com 
  • Co-Chair: Stephen Djaba (Ghana), e-mail: Stephen[at]ghana.com 

Specific projects

  • Produce a communication and marketing plan for Commission 1 activities to support its work and ensure that key messages are being received by member organizations and that two way communication channels are operating. This to be prepared in 2002
  • Impact of IT, Internet and e-commerce impact on the profession to be reported with recommended strategies for dealing with the impact.
  • Ongoing development and refinement of the Commission 1 Homepage to be undertaken by Co-Chair.
  • Review of Knowledge Management concepts and how they could be used in practice.

Publications

  • Communications and Marketing Plan - 2002

Timetable

  • The Working Group will continue until at least the Congress in Munich in 2006

Final report

  • During the Munich Congress

Beneficiaries

  • Surveyors and surveying practices;
  • Other professionals working in land management and development;
  • Member associations and sister associations;
  • All Commissions;
  • Universities and educational organisations.

Working Group 1.4 - International project management (Joint Activity with Commission 10)

Policy Issues

  • Ability of professionals to work as effectively as possible in multifaceted projects as such projects are an important component of professional service delivery.
  • Working with people, communicating messages, moving towards more collaborative work processes as the world of the professional and the type of work undertaken expands into other related areas.
  • Being aware of current good practice, how it can be implemented across a variety of delivery systems and communicating this to professionals.
  • Knowing what quality management is and being provided with resources to assist in applying this in diverse work situations.

Chair

  • Leonie Newnham (Australia), e-mail: Leonie.Newnham[at]nre.vic.gov.au 

Specific projects

  • Development of a project management resource detailing the major facets of project management delivery as it applies to the profession in conjunction with Commission 10 and using an interactive review process with FIG Member Associations.
  • Research case studies in project management across regions of the world in conjunction with Commission 10 with the aim of preparing a resource for use by members in learning about and discussing project management issues.
  • Establish a collaborative work site to develop a community of interest group that can work across member organisations to share information on current good practice and quality management in theory and practice. Outcomes of this to contribute to FIG's approach to world's good practice.

Publications

  • Report at each FIG working week outlining activity against each project.
  • A paper at each FIG working week on one of the aspects of the specific projects.
  • Articles published in industry publications as opportunities arise.
  • Written material that could include a Project Management Resource Guide and Case Studies Booklet

Timetable

  • Establishment of collaborative work site by 2002
  • Project Management Resource Guide and Case Studies Booklet by 2006

Final report

  • During the Munich Congress

Beneficiaries

  • Surveyors and surveying practices;
  • Other professionals working in land management and development;
  • Member associations and sister associations;
  • All Commissions;
  • Universities and educational organisations.

Working Group 1.5 - Under-represented Groups in Surveying (Joint working group with other FIG Technical Commissions)

Policy issues

  • Survey the role of minorities in the world of surveying and the benefit of diversity.
  • Analyse the present status of under-represented groups and be aware of good practices concerning the support of under-represented groups in FIG member associations, in professions and at universities.
  • Enhance fair competition for minority groups.

Chair

  • Gabriele Dasse (Germany), e-mail: g.dasse[at]gmx.de

Specific Projects

  • Continuing with a FIG network for under-represented groups in surveying to enhance the distribution of information.
  • Intensify the work within the FIG Commissions to support women and cultural and language minorities.
  • Evaluation of FIG Washington Congress registration concerning gender, age, commissions and continents.
  • Organise joint Commission working group meetings or workshops during the working weeks.

Publications

  • Quarterly Newsletter to publish good practices
  • Provide guidelines for FIG (Congress 2006)

Final report

  • In the Munich Congress

Co-operation with Sister Associations

Commission 1 intends to continue co-operation with Sister Societies by including its work in the provision of a strong foundation for professionals and so supporting the activities of all other FIG Commissions. In its activities over this period it will be working cooperatively with Commission 10 in the Project Management area and also Commission 2 exploring and building on Knowledge Management concepts. The Inter-Commission activities include formal cross Commission structures established by the FIG Standards Network undertaken in Working Group 1 and the Working Group of Under-represented groups in FIG. It will build relationships with Member Associations and Sister Societies to assist in ongoing development and promotion of professional practices and standards.

Co-operation with the United Nations Agencies

Commission 1 intends to locate and establish co-operation with UN agencies of relevance.

Other Activities

Communications

The Commission will produce a communication and marketing plan for Commission 1 activities to support its work and ensure that key messages are being received by member organizations and that two way communication channels are operating. This will be prepared in 2002.

Commission 1 will develop and maintain a web page with linkages to other relevant web pages to keep Commission delegates, other FIG members and the public informed. Mr Stephen Djaba of Ghana will be Co-Chair of the Information Technology and Communications Working Group and will have responsibility for managing the website.

Commission 1 will provide an annual newsletter with input from the working groups, continue the information sharing newsletter already produced by the Working Group of Under-represented groups in FIG and will issue updates when a significant activity is completed. These will either be distributed by e-mail or included on the web pages.

Structure
  • There will be four different "Liaison Groups" established according to their geographical, cultural, etc. similarities with an aim of having diversity in representation. This recognises the diversity of FIG with its many representative organisations. The Vice-Chairs will have a dual responsibility for their working group activities and also to ensure that Commission 1 activities are communicated to people in the region they represent. This arrangement has been developed to promote easy access by FIG members to Commission 1 office holders. It will facilitate the Commission being able to have access to this combined knowledge when it meets to discuss issues and undertake its work.
  • The leaders of each Group will be those who appear in the following diagram.
  • All of them there will be in direct contact with the Commission Chair and the Commission will work as an integrated team with regular opportunities being provided to share and develop ideas.

Calendar of Events

2002
  • Co-sponsoring Conference in Puerto Rico, 3-5 October 2002
2003
  • FIG Working Week, venue and dates to be determined
  • Working meeting in Ireland , (WG1.1)
2004
  • FIG Working Week 23 - 28 May 2004, Athens Greece
  • Workshop in Arabic world (WG1.3)
2005
  • FIG Working Week 7-12 May 2005, Cairo, Egypt.
  • Working meeting in Switzerland (WG1.2)
2006
  • Workshop in Australia (WG1.4) taking the form of a Conference dealing with Project Management and co-sponsored by Commission 10.
  • FIG Congress Munich, August-September.

Commission Officers

Commission Chair

Klaus Rürup
Droste-Hulshoff StaBe
846236 Bottrop
GERMANY
Tel. + 49 20 411 8830
Fax + 49 20 411 88316
E-mail: Klaus.Ruerup@t-online.de

Commission Chair Elect 2004-2006 and Chair 2006-2010

Yaacoub Saade
c/o Order of Surveyors – Lebanon
Dekouane Danay Centre
Floor 5
Beirut
LEBANON
Tel. + 961 1 489 605 – 6 – 7
Fax + 961 1 489 605-6
E-mail: comandoo1@yahoo.com 

Vice Chair Administration

Dr. Dietmar Sperling
Veilchenweg 3
D-42579 Heiligenhaus
GERMANY
Tel. + 49 2054 84 856
Fax + 49 201 12 23197
Email: Dietmar.Sperling@rwesystems.com

Chair Working Group 1.1 - FIG Standards Network

Mr. Iain Greenway (United Kingdom)
E-mail: igreenway@compuserve.com

Chair Working Group 1.2 - Professional practice and organisational structures

Michael Keller (Switzerland)
E-mail: Mkeller@ipg.ch

Chair Working Group 1.3 - Information technology management as it relates to professional practice and communications

Yaacoub Saade (Lebanon)
E-mail: comandoo1@yahoo.com

Co-Chair: Stephen Djaba (Ghana)
E-mail: Stephen@ghana.com

Chair Working Group 1.4 - International project management

Leonie Newnham (Australia)
E-mail: Leonie.Newnham@nre.vic.gov.au

Chair Working Group 1.5 - Under-represented Groups in FIG

Gabriele Dasse (Germany)
E-mail: g.dasse@gmx.de

10 October 2002