The interaction between education, research and practice
Mission Statement
Methods and content of education: To develop and promote learning and
teaching methods and content of curricula with special emphasis on university
level, high technology - based education.
Interaction between academia and practice: To stimulate interaction
between university education, research and practice so as continuously to
develop educational curricula and enable surveyors to put into practice the
results of research and development.
Academic and professional profiles: Through the promotion of continuing
professional development (CPD) and the practical application of research, help
surveyors continuously to update their academic and professional profiles.
Accessible knowledge: To approach surveying education to countries and
people with difficulties to access to usual learning methods by new technology
(Virtual Academy).
Educational links: To establish all over the world, but mainly in the
third one, liaison groups to facilitate educational joint works, projects,
etc.
Cooperation: Education of surveyors is not only a duty of FIG or
Commission 2; strong links of collaboration must be established with the
sister organizations and our own Commissions.
General
The Commission 2 Work Plan 2002-2006 tries to fulfil and implement the FIG
Council Work Plan 2003-2006. The organization of the Commission own and joint
Working Groups is following the principles described in the Council's work plan
under sections Introduction, paragraph B and Management
paragraph
A (Strategic Planning).
In this way, WG 2.1 "Virtual Academy" is deeply inside all activities
directed to promote educational opportunities all over the world and, in
particular, in the third world countries, where many difficulties appear when it
is necessary to implement the educational systems and resources.
The same can be said about WG 2.2 "Curricula models and CPD" and WG 2.3
"Mutual recognition", both absolutely in accordance to the above mentioned
paragraphs ("...best or good practice, international standards,...,global
sustainable development,...,supporting international humanitarian needs..." and
Education could be considered as "humanitarinan need" in many cases).
WG 2.4 (JWG Comm. 2&3) "Knowledge in Spatial Information Management" and WG
2.5 (JWG Comm. 2&7) "Capacity Building in Land Management" are fully within
Introduction, paragraph B and, mainly, in 3. Management, A) Strategic
Planning, where it is said: "Commitment for sustainability (e.g....spatial
planning, land management, land use,...)".
All WGs have for general purpose the "quality of profession..." as it is said
in A) Strategic Planning, being Education the first and, perhaps, the
fundamental basement of quality.
In the same paragraphs of the Council's work plan, that is in Introduction
B&C, Management A), B) and C) is based the creation of the "Liaison Groups",
although this proposal is explained inside "Other Activities".
As an additional comment to the "Liaison Groups", nearly all of them are
focussed in the third world, where the FIG action is more necessary and of
benefit for many more people, appears, with special emphasis, actions to be
carried on in Latin America. Th special focus in South America is needed
because:
Latin America has a very limited representation in FIG, although they are
more than 20 countries in the region.
Latin America can be considered the continent of the future.
In some Latin American countries there are good theoretical educational
institutions in surveying (unfortunately same cannot be said about their
surveying instruments), and in some others there is not at all or very limited
facilities in this field, which makes it necessary for FIG to focus its action
to the university level in first stage, and to the professional level
thereafter.
In several paragraphs of the Council's WP it is mentioned the need of
"...regional activities in under-represented regions...", "...encouraging
University Departments to belong and to contribute to FIG as Academic
members...", "...membership expansion focussed on certain regions to be
continued...", "encouraging the development for networks between Commissions
and within specific geographical zones to enable good educational
practice...".
The fact that the Chair of Commission 2 is Spanish can facilitate better
understanding and co-operation with these countries and promote membership of
the Latin American surveyors in FIG.
As a result Commission 2 work plan includes many activities in Latin America
with the purpose to make FIG known in this continent. The work will be made in
close co-operation with the Council keeping in mind that education is the key
issue to integrate these countries to the global surveying society. In most
cases there is lack for funds for travelling and therefore it is essential to
organise some symposia in easily reachable venues. Regional workshops may be a
good solution. Commission 2 is interested to have a leading role in organising
FIG regional conference in Latin America in co-operation with the Council, other
Commissions and FIG office.
Furthermore the Commission will make its contribution to the FIG World Report
on Best Practices launched by the Council in its work plan for 2003-2006.
Commission 2 endorses the underlying concept that respect to Cultural and
Linguistic issues is very important and that will be sensitive to these issues
in the way it works. This will be implemented by encouraging multilingual
abstracts and presentations in general meetings and through the use of an
appropriate regional language during regional meetings.
To have a good knowledge of the educational situation in this continent
To create an Educational Thematic Network which could help
To establish strong links among docent Institutions in Latin America
To facilitate the free flow and exchange of ideas, projects and people
among our docent Institutions
To facilitate the harmonization of curricula, if such is possible and
necessary
To facilitate a “common educational base”
To facilitate mobility among professionals, teaching staff and students
To improve the conditions of our professionals, when and where it is
necessary, and increase the work possibilities of our graduates
This Network is born with spirit of permanence; it is not only an
occasional work, studying the state of the art in education in this continent,
but being a permanent link among professional and educational Institutions at
national and international level
The final results of this first step will be given in a final report to be
spread out in the regional meeting to be held in Latin America in 2005
Chair
Prof. Graciela Loyácono, School of Surveying, Universidad Nacional de
Córdoba (Argentina); e-mail:
loyaconog[at]infovia.com.ar
Workshops
There will be meetings of the Delegates in 2003, 2004.
Final report
To be given during the Regional Meeting to be held in 2005 in Latin America
Publications
The final report will be published in 2005 and spread out among the National
and International bodies and Authorities: Governmental, Professional and
Educational
In the light of the achievements of the Task Force on Mutual Recognition
of Professional Qualifications (1998-2002), and in order to support the
principle of the free movement of surveyors world-wide, the primary aim of the
Working Group is:
To improve the knowledge and available information about relevant
aspects of professional education in order to implement the process of
mutual recognition of professional qualifications, with the aim of
developing guidelines for implementing FIG policy in this area.
Chair
Dr. Frances Plimmer (United Kingdom), e-mail: fplimmer[at]hotmail.com
Specific projects
Based on the FIG policy with regard to mutual recognition, the specific
objectives of the WG are:
to develop in further detail the methodology of implementing mutual
recognition, as identified in the work to date of the FIG Task Force on mutual
recognition of professional qualifications
to investigate the barriers to the mutual recognition of professional
qualifications and their solutions
to investigate selected case studies which take a "step by step" approach
to process of mutual recognition in order to test the WTO "disciplines" for
implementing mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
In addition and support to the stated objectives (above), the WG will seek
to:
investigate the process and criteria used by academic institutions in
different countries for the selection of surveying students; and
investigate the indicators which demonstrate the quality of surveying
education in different countries
To integrate the resources of the Commissions 2&3 using the experiences of
professionals in knowledge transfer and the know-how of spatial information
management (SIM)
To analyse present status and trends of Information/Knowledge Management
To outline the implementation of the results of Information/Knowledge
Management in the Spatial Word
To define the necessary elements and routes of professional development in
the rapidly changing area of SIM
Chair
Prof. Bela Markus (Hungary), e-mail: mb[at]cslm.hu
To study and develop integration of professional and land management
projects, especially in developing and transition countries.
Specific projects
To develop models for this integration
To do special studies in one developing and one in transition country,
where land management projects are being carried out.
Chair
Prof. Ulf Jensen (Sweden), e-mail:
ulf.jensen[at]lantm.lth.se
Workshops
At least one during the term office.
Final report
To prepare a report on experiences from integration of professional education
and land management projects to be presented in Munich Congress.
Working Group 9.1 - Education of Valuation Professionals in FIG (A Joint
Working Group with Commission 9)
Working Group 4.4 - Education and CPD (A Joint Working Group with Commission
4)
Co-operation with Sister Associations
In order to improve the benefits to members associations and universities,
Commission 2 will strongly try to reinforce the links with the similar
Commissions in sister organisations like ICA, ISPRS and IGGU.
Co-operation with the United Nations Agencies
In co-operation with the UN Agencies, such as UN-Habitat and FAO it is always
necessary to include educational and capacity building issues. Commission 2 is
ready to contribute in these projects on the request of the Council in the
educational field as necessary for the welfare of people and countries involved.
Other Activities
Strategic Liaison Groups on Education
Objectives
To establish networks between educational institutions to exchange
knowledge, experiences and problems solving ways inside each liaison group
To establish and maintain strong links among the different surveying
departments or institutions facilitating mutual assistance when and where
necessary
To have a better approach to each other from a closer position, not only
geographic, but social, historical, economical, etc.
To develop these liaison groups to a successful mean of facilitating
educational work in the universities, departments, etc. inside every group,
facilitating, as well, the exchange of professors and students
Structure
There will be five different liaison groups established based on their
geographical, cultural, etc. similarities
Each group is chaired by a leader named in the following figure
Chairs are responsible to report directly to the Commission Chair
Australia, Canada, Europe, New Zealand and USA are self-consistent.
Nevertheless, because the small number of Departments of Geomatics in the South
Pacific countries, Australia and New Zealand are included in the South Pacific
Group.
Surveying Studies Portal
Commission 2 will continue, under the leadership of Prof. Kirsi Virrantaus
(HTU), the development of a Portal for Surveying Studies, where Universities,
Teachers and Students can find the widest and best information about curricula,
contents, etc. This Portal will be highly useful for WG 2.1 (Virtual Academy)
and 2.2 (Curricula and CPD).
Web site
Collected data will be introduced in the FIG Surveying Education Database and
FIG Education Portal; this work will be done in close co-operation and with the
help of the FIG office.
Newsletters
Commission 2 will continue to informing its delegates and member associations
via Commission newsletter.
Calendar of Events
October 2002 Symposium in Puerto Rico (Commissions 1 & 2)
January-March 2003 Symposium in Asia; possible organised in conjunction
with the FIG regional conference in Cambodia
September/December 2003 Symposium in Morocco
September/December 2004 Symposium in Nigeria
2005 Symposium in Latin America in conjunction to FIG Regional Conference
September/December 2005 Symposium in the South Pacific
August-September 2006 FIG Congress in Munich
In addition to these events the Commission chair will attend two symposia in
Latin America in May 2002: one in Universidad de Concepción (Chile), an Academic
member of FIG, and other in Uruguay, organised by the new member association
from Uruguay.
Commission 2 is further investigating possibility to organise two further
events in Latin America (perhaps in Costa Rica and in Brasil) with the goal to
get FIG involved in Central America, where most of countries are without any
University with Department of Surveying. The other symposium is planned for
equatorial countries (Venezuela, Bolivia, Perú, Ecuador, etc), bearing in mind
that Brasil is not currently member of FIG, with the goal to approach these
countries, most of them with very few resources for travelling far away and with
special, common and typical social, economic and educational situations.
Commission Officers
Commission Chair
Prof. Pedro J. Cavero
Universidad Politecnica de Madrid
Escuela U. de Ingenieria Tecnica Topografica
Campus Sur
Ctra. de Valencia Km. 7
28031 Madrid
SPAIN
Tel: + 34 91 336 79 08
Fax: + 34 91 332 25 60
Email:
pjcavero[at]nivel.euitto.upm.es
Commission Chair Elect 2004-2006 and Chair 2006-2010
Prof. Bela Markus, Head
College of Geoinformatics
University of West Hungary
Pirosalma u. 1-3
P.O. Box 52
H-8000 Szekesfehervar
HUNGARY
Tel. + 36 22 516 523
Fax + 36 22 516 521
Email: mb[at]geo.info.hu
Vice-Chair Administration
Prof. Juan Prieto, Vice Chair of Administration
Prof. of Geodesy. Satellite Positioning Systems, Astronomy and Surveying
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
Escuela U. de Ingeniería Técnica Topográfica
Ctra. De Valencia, Km.7
28013 Madrid
SPAIN
Tel. + 34 91 336 64 76
Fax + 34 91 332 25 60
E-mail: jprieto[at]nivel.euitto.upm.es
Chair Working Group 2.1 - Virtual Academy
Chair: Prof. Esben Munk Sørensen (Denmark)
E-mail: ems[at]i4.auc.dk
Chair Working Group 2.2 - Curricula Models and CPD
Prof. Graciela Loyácono (Argentina)
E-mail: loyaconog[at]infovia.com.ar
Chair Working Group 2.3 - Mutual Recognition
Dr. Frances Plimmer (United Kingdom)
E-mail : fplimmer[at]hotmail.com
Chair Working Group 2.4 - Knowledge in Spatial Information Management
Prof. Bela Markus (Hungary)
E-mail: mb[at]cslm.hu
Working Group 2.5 - Capacity building in Land Management
Prof. Ulf Jensen (Sweden)
E-mail: ulf.jensen[at]lantm.lth.se
Prof. Pedro Cavero, Chairperson of Commission 2