Commission 2
NEWSLETTER, October 1996
Dear Colleagues
Since the last newsletter, February 1996, a lot a progress has taking place
within our Commission. A short update is given below. However, the main focus of
this letter is on preparation for the FIG Congress in Brighton , July 1998.
FIG Congress in Brighton, July 1998
I would like to ask you to give consideration to either personally
present a paper or seek a paper from a colleague on the status or development of
the educational methods for surveyors in your country. Any educational topic may
be appropriate such as:
- course-profile on specific professional areas, land surveying, cadastre,
planning etc;
- development of educational systems and methods;
- implementation of CPD concepts and provision of CPD opportunities;
- quality aspects of surveying education;
- educational challenges, e.g the changing role of the surveyor based on
technological development or the need for management skills;
- programmes and methods for computer assisted learning and distance
learning;
- international exchange and mutual recognition for achieving educational
and professional progress.
I enclose the brochure on pre-registration and call for papers. If you or a
colleague do wish to submit a paper, please apply by completing the form and
mail it to the mentioned RICS address by 30 November 1996. However, selection of
papers will be the responsibility of the Commission chairman. Therefore, you may
send your proposal directly to me and to reach me no later than 1 February 1997.
The final selection of papers will take place at the PC Meeting in Singapore in
May 1997, and the authors will then by advised. The manuscript of the paper will
have to reach me by 15 December 1997. Please be aware, that the paper must be
presented by its author. Printing of the paper, therefore, depends on payment of
the registration fee.
Commission 2 would of course like to publish all papers that are submitted.
However, the number of sessions in the Congress programme is limited, and some
choices will have to be made. E.g. we should ensure that there is to be an
equitable spread of papers around the world and that a full range of issues are
addressed.
The structure of the programme in Brighton will be much like in Melbourne. The
final decision on the number of sessions within each Commission and the number
of joint sessions between two or more Commissions will be taken at the PC
Meeting in Singapore.
Commission 2 intend to have 5 sessions of 90 minutes with 4 papers in each
session. These sessions will each have a theme relating to the general work of
Commission 2 and to the topics of the working groups. Therefore, the chairmen of
the working groups will be responsible for creating and conducting the session
within their specific topic. Furthermore, there will be a number of Joint
Sessions, e.g. with Commission 1, 3, 5, 7 and 8. And, in addition, there will be
a number of "Small Group Sessions" to be held at the separate "Commission 2
Room" which will be available during the whole Congress.
I look forward to receiving proposals for papers. There is no doubt that the
Congress in Brighton will be a unique event, - carefully prepared with a high
professional standard and with a lot of fun as well.
FIG Publication on Continuing Professional Development
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) has been a main topic
addressed by Commission 2 for a number of years. A working group was established
at the Congress in Helsinki 1990 to be chaired by Tom Kennie, UK. The working
group conducted a survey of CPD concepts in member countries and prepared a
number of preliminary papers on CPD at PC-seminars and workshops during the
years. The work on CPD was completed by preparing a draft for a FIG Policy
Document on CPD which was adopted at the PC meeting in Buenos Aires. The
document is now published as FIG publication no 15, which is enclosed.
Commission 2 is grateful to Tom Kennie for the result achieved. The processes
outlined in this publication provide the starting point for member associations
and individual surveyors to review and potentially enhance their existing
approaches to professional and personal development. The publication also
includes a representative sample of case studies showing how different countries
and organisations have developed their concepts of CPD.
Commission 2 encourage all delegates to promote this document on CPD to be used
for policy making within their member associations. We should support and assist
the process of implementing appropriate concepts of CPD in individual member
countries. Furthermore, we should assist on providing appropriate CPD
opportunities at University level, and we should assist on facilitating the
process of interaction between the surveying industry and the course providers
for the benefit of the individual surveyors. These issues will be addressed at
Commission 2 seminar during the PC meeting in Singapore, May 1997.
FIG Working Week in Buenos Aires, April 1996
Commission 2 was happy to organise and conduct the symposium on
Professional Education held during the FIG working week in Buenos Aires. The
symposium provided a unique audience for promoting educational development in
the South American region. Following the working week the chairmen of Commission
2 and 7 vent to the University of Patagonia to review and advise on curricula
development in the surveying courses.
During the Commission 2 meeting in Buenos Aires it was agreed that the issue of
implementation and provision of CPD should be included in the working group of
Management Skills. Furthermore, the issue of exchange of surveying students and
personnel should be seen as a means of CPD and included in the same working
group.
Commission 2 Workshop in Helsinki, September 1996
The Commission 2 workshop on Computer Assisted Learning and Achieving
Quality in the Education of Surveyors was held at the Helsinki University of
Technology 4-6 September 1996. The symposium was organised by the vice chair
Prof. Kirsi Artimo and it attracted 47 participants from 17 different countries
around the world. In the programme, 27 papers from 10 different countries was
presented. A summary of the main findings and the list of papers presented are
enclosed. The proceedings are available (price 25 USD). Please contact Prof.
Kirsi Artimo, fax +358 9 4513912.
The workshop was very well organised - thanks to our vice chair. It was evident
that this was a workshop for educators and teachers. Everybody was very active
during the 12 sessions and technical tours as well as social activities were
part of the agenda. The workshop this way provided an excellent opportunity to
exchange ideas and to develop means of action for the future work of Commission
2.
The workshop was the third in a continuous line of events held by Commission 2
between the Congresses. The first was in Madrid 1988, the second in Aalborg
1993, and now we had the third in Helsinki 1996.We trust that a tradition is now
established as a focus point for the future work of the Commission.
PC Meeting in Singapore, May 1996
The programme for Singapore is now ready and I enclosed a copy for your
attention. For the first time, the concept of a FIG working week is totally
implemented. Seminars are prepared by all Commissions. Furthermore, a meeting
for the national delegates within each Commission is now scheduled as a main
event in the programme. The Commission 2 meeting will take place at Monday 12
May in the afternoon. The meeting will include an general update of the work of
the Commission and the focus will be especially on preparing the programme for
Brighton. I will inform you about the agenda of the meeting in due time.
The Commission 2 seminar is a joint event with Commission 1 at 13 May in the
afternoon. The detailed programme is enclosed. I do hope that many of you will
take the opportunity to participate and I look forward to see you in Singapore.
Surveying Education Database
The work on establishing a database on surveying education is now
completed and the database is available on the Internet. The database includes
more than 40 countries and information on more than 300 surveying courses at
university level. A preliminary version is available at the following address:
http://www.i4.auc.dk/sedb.
The final version will be released January 1997, and it will be improved and
updated every second year. The responsibility of the data remains with the
individual educational institutions. Therefore, please inform me about any
errors or omissions, and please assist in making this database as complete and
reliable as possible. I will produce a flyer for distribution at the PC meeting
in Singapore in order to promote the use of the database to facilitate
international exchange and cooperation.
Commission 2 Home Page
Commission 2 has prepared a home page on the Internet to be
continuously improved and updated. The preliminary version is available at the
address: http://www.i4.auc.dk/fig2.
General information on FIG is available at the address: http://www.ps.ucl.ac.uk/figtree. At
this FIG home page there will be continuous updated information on the Congress
in Brighton, and hot links are established to the Commission home pages and
other relevant information.
Calender of Events
May 11-16, 1997 - FIG PC Meeting and International Symposium in
Singapore. A joint seminar between Commission 1 and 2 is prepared.
June 9-12, 1997 - XVI North American Geomatics Teachers Conference, Las Cruces,
New Mexico, USA. Commission 2 is made a permanent invitee to these important
North American events. Commission chairman will participate and promote the
activities of Commission 2. I will inform you about the detailed programme in
due time.
August 24-28, 1997 - iKUSASA Conference on Land Tenure, Durban, South Africa.
July 19-26, 1998 - FIG XXI International Congress, Brighton, England.
Kind regards
Yours sincerely
Stig Enemark Chairman - FIG Commission 2
