Commission 2
NEWSLETTER, February 1996
Dear Colleagues
Looking back at 1995
Looking back at the year 1995, I wish to express my thanks to many of you for
the efforts made to promote the work of the Commission. Nice corresponding with
many of you during the year. To those of you who are newly elected delegates I
wish you welcome to the work of FIG Commission 2.
Working groups
Enclosed please find my report to the PC Meeting in April, presenting the
progress made within the working groups. The targets set in the work plan are in
very good hands by the working group chairmen. It has been a busy year, but it
has been a pleasure and included a lot of fun.
The working groups would still welcome delegates to widen the geographic
representation and to make progress by taking part in the ongoing work. So feel
free to contact the relevant working chairman (the addresses are enclosed by the
list of the Commission Officers). It is never too late to get more closely
involved in the Commission`s work. There is an old saying which may be
especially true for international cooperation: "You get as much out it as you
are prepared to put in to it".
Events in 1995
Besides the PC Meeting in Berlin, Commission 2 has been involved in three
international symposia during the year.
Quebec, May 1995
The first symposium was taking place just after the Berlin PC Meeting.
Commission 2 was sponsoring the XVth North American Geomatics Teachers
Conference in Quebec, Canada, May 1995. Commission chairman and the regional
secretary Jud Rouch participated. The conference was most interesting as the
subjects discussed and papers presented were closely aligned to the general aims
and objectives of our Commission.
The list of papers is enclosed and I would be happy to provide copies of papers
which may have your specific interest. The conference organisation has kindly
decided to make FIG Commission 2 a permanent invitee to these events taking
place every second year. Next meeting is scheduled to be held about May 1997 in
New Mexico, USA. Announcement will be disseminated in due time.
Harare, August 1995
The second symposium was held in Harare, Zimbabwe, August 1995 and was jointly
organised by FIG and the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land Economy
(CASLE). The symposium was the first FIG event held in a developing country and
the organisers were delighted to have more than 200 participants of which about
120 attended from 10 different countries in Africa.
The symposium entitled "Sustainable Development: Counting the Costs - Maximising
the Value" included a wide range of topics such as land tenure (especially
focused on customary rights), education, and economic development. The list of
papers is enclosed and copies of papers are available from the Commission
Chairman.
Commission Chairman participated a chaired the workshop on educational issues. A
major outcome of this workshop was to establish educational links in Africa to
promote educational innovation. The links should be established and organised
within geographical/trade groupings and sub-groupings. The role of FIG should be
to facilitate and to assist this process of networking and to provide
institutional support where needs are identified.
Prior to the conference the Commission Chairman was one of those invited to
participate in two Roundtable Meetings with FAO and HABITAT and a number
representatives from African countries. The outcome of these meetings is
presented in the FIG publication no. 13 entitled Land tenure, Land Management
and Land Information Systems.
Sofia, November 1995
The third symposium was held in Sofia, Bulgaria, November 1995. The symposium
was entitled "Professional Practice, Education of Surveyors and new
Technologies", and attracted a number of participants from especially the
Eastern European Countries. The symposium was well organised by our Bulgarian
colleagues. Commission 2 was sponsoring this event and Commission Chairman,
Vice-Chairman, and a number of delegates participated. The list of papers is
enclosed and copies of papers are available from the Commission Chairman.
Forthcoming events
PC Meeting in Buenos Aires 1996
The 63rd PC Meeting and International Symposium will take place on 15-19 April
1996. This is the first PC Meeting to be held in the South American region and
according to the programme this looks to be a great event. Furthermore this is
the first PC Meeting chaired by the UK Bureau and the first Meeting implementing
the concept of a "FIG Working Week". This concept means that there will be
plenty of time in the programme for commission-led symposia.
The session on Professional Education will take place on Tuesday 16 April and
includes seven papers from around the world. The programme is enclosed for your
information. European and South American educational systems will be compared
and the working groups and Management Skills and Quality Assurance will present
there midway reports. There are also sessions dealing with The Contribution of
Surveying to Sustainable Development (Commission 5 and 6), Cadastre and Land
Management (Commission 7) and Planning, Appraisal and the Environment
(Commission 8 and 9). Furthermore there will be a Round Table session on the
liberalisation of trade and services (including mutual recognition of
educational degrees) within MERCUSUR, NAFTA and the European Union.
During the PC working week, we have organised for having a Commission 2 working
meeting for Commission 2 delegates. The aim of the meeting is to discuss the
progress of the working groups and the content of future events, especially the
Helsinki workshop in September 1996. This meeting will probably take place at
Tuesday afternoon (following the Commission 2 symposium). However, this is to be
confirmed - so please watch the notice board for announcement of time and room
number.
If you are planning to participate but need a registration form, please contact
the Conference Secretariat at fax 54-1-343-8423.
Commission 2 workshop in Helsinki, September 1996
At the Commission 2 workshop in Aalborg June 1993 it was agreed that the
Commission should continue to organise a workshop in between the congresses. Our
Vice-Chairman Kirsi Artimo is now organising a workshop on "Computer Assisted
Learning and Achieving Quality in the Education of Surveyors" to be held
September 4-6 1996, at Helsinki University of Technology, Helsinki, Finland. The
workshop will also deal with the general topics of Commission 2 and there will
be time for discussing the future work of the Commission, including the sessions
to be held during the Congress in Brighton.
First announcement and call for papers was disseminated November 1995 and the
response is very encouraging for having an important and interesting event. For
further information please contact Vice-Chairman Kirsi Artimo (see address
enclosed by the list of Commission officers).
We look forward to welcome many of you in Helsinki.
PC Meeting in Singapore, May 1997
Even if this event may seem far ahead, the programme is already discussed and
decided. There will be a half day joint symposium with Commission 1 and 2. The
issues of this session are agreed to be about Geomatics, Quality Assurance,
Continuing Professional Development, and finally to focus on education and
practice in South East Asia.
FIG Congress in Brighton, July 1998
First Announcement and Call for Papers is prepared to be disseminated within a
few weeks. Details of the programme have not been finished yet. However, it is
likely to be very similar to that of the Melbourne Congress. The deadline for
abstracts to be forwarded to the Commission chairman is estimated to be around
30 November 1995. Please take the opportunity, at this early stage, to consider
a presentation of a Commission 2 paper from your country.
Information
The UK Bureau has produced a new leaflet which presents the aims and objective
of FIG, its Bureau and Commissions. A copy is enclosed and you are welcome to
order further copies from the FIG Bureau.
The UK Bureau has also produced a Bulletin in a new and more informal format.
The Bulletin will be quarterly produced and extracts are easily included in
Member Association Journals. Copies are available from the UK Bureau at the
address on the back of the leaflet.
Commission 2 is currently preparing a home page on the World Wide Web on the
Internet to give easy access to general information and news of our activities.
Within a few months, Commission 2 should then be found at:
http://www.i4.auc.dk/fig2/
My best regards and looking forward to see you soon in Buenos Aires
Stig Enemark
Chairman of FIG Commission 2
