News in 2016
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The Task Force was established at the FIG Working Week in Sofia, Bulgaria, May 2015 and is evaluating whether there might be a need to restructure the Commissions to support our surveyors appropriately in the future. The world is dealing with major challenges caused by global changes such as rapid urbanisation and the effects of climate change. As a consequence, FIG is becoming a major link and partner with multinational organisations such as the United Nations, the scientific and academic community and the operational professional surveyor. With this comes an added expectation that FIG surveyors will provide technical solutions or provide professional advice to address sustainable development and humanitarian needs. This responsibility is not only a FIG Council responsibility, but reaches out to the Commissions and to our members and their roles in the FIG Commissions. Can these roles and others be actively dealt with relation to the current Commission structure of FIG?
The Task Force presented a discussion paper at the General Assembly 2016 in Christchurch, New Zealand, and during the Working Week there were several opportunities to discuss the discussion paper, hereunder at the General Assembly; at a lunch discussion meeting and during the Member Association Forum.
The questionnaire was based on the feed back from the participants at the varions meetings during the Working Week, and was the start of a process to more fully consult with the Member Associations, Affiliates, Academic and Corporate Members and to seek views on the current Commission structure, strengths and weaknesses, and possible structural change.
To assist with the Task Force’s work to consider how FIG is responding to the emerging and ongoing challenges of the surveying and spatial community, a questionnaire was sent to members in July/August 2016.
The process was built on the early draft proposal presented at the FIG Working Week 2016 in Christchurch, New Zealand, available at:
The first of the meetings announced at the General Assembly 2016 took place in Greece on 18 September 2016. There were 14 participants at the meeting. The results from the questionnaire were presented, and at the meeting there was a good and lively discussion. The questionnaire shows interesting findings however it does not show a clear direction.
Areas that were discussed were: What do the member associations want? What kind of proposal is expected - minor or major changes? It was furthermore discussed that FIG should have a clearer view on the profession in 10 years time in order to clearly see what changes are needed, if any. It was also discussed whether the Task Force should look only at the Commission or look at a bigger picture that includes e.g. task forces and networks as well.Lastly at the meeting, some time was spent to discuss how to find good commission chairs as they are vital for the activity level of a commission.
Council has at its council meeting on 14 September decided that the next term 2019-2022 will be under the current commission structure. To allow for a broad nomination process for all member associations, election will be deferred for 10 commission chairs and will be done in 2018 in Istanbul.
Meetings will be held to give possibility to FIG members to discuss the Commission Structure and proposals. The meetings are open to FIG members.
For more information about the Task Force, please click here
27 September 2016
