University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
3-5 October 2002

2nd International Symposium in Surveying

Sponsored by:

  • International Federation of Surveyors
  • College of Engineers and Surveyors of Puerto Rico
  • University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

Motions and Resolutions

The Second International Symposium in Surveying (Education and Professionalism) was celebrated at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez from October 3 to 5, 2002. With the participation over 150 people from several countries including USA, Latin-America, and Europe, the conference was declared a success by Mr. Robert W. Foster, President of FIG. After an opening magisterial speech by Mr. Foster, 18 technical presentations followed in the topics of education, research and professional practice.

A panel composed of officials from different participating institutions and a student debated motions and resolutions on Saturday. The Assembly of over a hundred participants approved the following motions:


On Education

Bearing in mind that:

  • new technologies facilitate the data capture process.

Bearing in mind that:

  • the new global drivers recommend to widen and update the professional field, the new professional profile should be in “Data Managing”.

Bearing in mind that:

  • “the only constant is change,” we should get:
    • flexible education
    • quick professional adaptability
    • capacity of solving new and unknown problems

Bearing in mind that:

  • “University is the first step in a long life learning process”.

Bearing in mind that:

  • profession should adequately serve the society CPD (Continuing Professional Development) should be compulsory to all professionals.

Seconding to all precedent items:

  • the University is the only appropriate place for education of professionals of surveying.
  • this education can be given as: campus education or virtual education by using subject education and project organized education.
  • to get the best we must reach adaptability of subjects, curricula, and postgraduates.

Bearing in mind that:

  • all above we think that:
    • property (on land Management) is essential for human beings, and
    • infrastructure is essential for property.

Therefore:

  • Technology and Property (Land Management) must go together in Education and Profession.

On the Land Administration

Having regard that:

  • in many countries there is still a tendency to separate land tenure rights from land use rights and topographic mapping activities.

The symposium recognizes that:

  • the economic and social value of developing land policies that effectively and efficiently integrate the land administration/land registration function with the topographic mapping function.

The symposium, therefore, encourages:

  • the surveying education institutions to incorporate this interdisciplinary perspective in their surveying education programmers and thereby enhance the professional profile of the surveying profession curd their service to the public/society.

On Organizational Best Practices

Having regard to:

  • the importance of business management within a professional organization and the challenges of the future.

Recognizing:

  • the role of education institutions and professional associations and further recognition the work of the FIG in this area.

This Symposium recommends:

  • that educational institutions and professional associations promote the benefits of organizational best practice including ensuring the adoption of professional ethical principles and a professional code of conduct within an organization.

On Future Activities of the FIG

With regard to:

  • the celebration of official FIG activities in the future

This Symposium recommends:

  • that the official logo will be provided by the FIG and it will be exposed in every official activity.

Approved on the 5th day of the month of October, 2002 at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Puerto Rico.

Certified by:
Prof. Ismael Pagán Trinidad
President - Technical Committee
Chairman - Department of Civil Engineering and Surveying