FIG Commission 2
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The Brighton Congress represents the highlight - and the end - of the four year work plan of Commission 2. The period since the Singapore meeting last year has therefore been focused on summing up the results of the working groups and preparing for presentation of a high quality programme at the Congress in Brighton.
1. Working Groups
WG 2A. Continuing Professional Development.
The working group has completed its work by issuing the FIG publication no
15 October 1996. The publication has been very well received and has been
interpreted into a number of languages. The focus is now on the implementation
and provision of CPD. These issues are addressed at the Commission 2 sessions in
Brighton will be further developed through the next period of office.
WG 2B. Management Skills, Chair: Prof. Chris Hoogsteden, NZ.
The working group has produced papers for discussion at the working weeks
in Buenos Aires and Singapore, and a special session is planned for the Brighton
Congress. Here, the final report will be presented and further steps will be
taken towards preparing a number of relevant case studies in the management
area. The working group will prepare a final draft for a FIG publication on
Management Skills for adoption at the PC meeting in South Africa 1999.
WG 2C. Exchange of Personnel and Students.
The working group is abolished and the issue is dealt with partly through
the efforts of implementing effective concepts of CPD, and partly through
promotion of the Surveying Education Database. The whole issue of international
exchange will also be addressed through the FIG task force on Mutual Recognition
of Qualifications as proposed by the FIG Bureau.
WG 2D. Quality Assurance, Chair: Prof. Peter Morgan, UK.
The working group has conducted a survey on concepts of Quality Assurance,
and a number of papers have been produced for discussion at the FIG working
weeks and further developed at the Commission 2 symposium in Helsinki. A special
session on Quality Assurance is planned for the Brighton Congress and a final
draft for a FIG publication on "Quality Assurance and its Applicability to
Surveying Education" is prepared for adoption by the PC in Brighton.
WG 2E. Computer Assisted Learning, Chair: Prof. Kirsi Artimo, SF.
The working group has conducted a comprehensive survey on the use of CAL in
surveying education. The results were presented at the Commission 2 workshop in
Helsinki, and a special session on CAL is prepared for the Brighton Congress.
The issues of CAL, Multimedia, WWW and Distance Learning will form a focus point
for the future policies of Commission 2.
2. Surveying Education Data Base
The database was launched at PC meeting in Singapore, and a flyer was
disseminated to encourage all FIG member countries to join the database in order
to facilitate international exchange and co-operation. The database has been
very well received. However, the updating procedures are vital and ideally each
institution should be responsible for updating their own data. This should
ensure the actuality and validity of the data. The commission is currently
fighting to solve this technological problem.
3. Support of Developing Countries
Following the FIG working week in Singapore the Commission chairman visited
Sri Lanka and supported the efforts of the Surveyors´ Institute of Sri Lanka to
establish a surveying education at university level. The outcome was very
positive in the sense that a bachelor course is now established with a high
intake of students. The provision of institutional support in this case was a
strong means and therefore should be worthwhile to pursue in the future.
4. Participation and Collaboration
Commission Chairman and officers participated in the XVI North American
Surveyors´ Teachers Conference, Las Cruces, June 1997. Commission 2 is a
permanent invitee to these important events which provide an excellent platform
to promote the commission 2 activities as well as FIG in general. It is
recommended that these events held every second year should be developed as a
permanent commission 2 platform. Commission chairman also participated in the
iKUSASA seminar, Durban, August 1997, and promoted the Commission 2 policies.
5. The Brighton Congress
Commission 2 has prepared a high profile programme for the Brighton
Congress. There will be session dedicated to each of the four working groups.
Furthermore there will be sessions dedicated to general issues for discussing
educational policies and strategies of Commission 2. There will be a number of
joint sessions (with commission 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7) and there will be small group
sessions for discussing national developments within surveying education. In
total 35 papers will be presented which is the largest Commission 2 has ever
organised for a Congress.
6. Forthcoming Events
Commission 2 will organise a seminar at Wuhan Technical University of
Surveying and Mapping, P.R.China, October 14-16, 1998. The seminar is entitled
"Curricula, Teaching Methods and Quality Systems" and will provide an excellent
opportunity to promote the development of surveying education in South East
Asia.
May 1998
Stig Enemark
Chairman of FIG Commission 2
Last modified: June 1998
