FIG Working (from home) Week: A Sneak Preview

How much were we looking forward to welcoming you in at the FIG Working Week Amsterdam from 10-14 May, the capital city of the Netherlands, a vibrant city surrounded by the colourful tulip fields.

The grand opening and the plenary speakers would have set the scene for the theme ‘Smart Surveyors for Land & Water Management’. The technical programme was filled to the rim with interesting papers on the latest research, projects and products. And there were plenty of options to network, share experiences and to take part in technical tours.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic all this changed. The travel restrictions and government measurements keep us close to home. The authors and presenters do not have the opportunity, after all their preparations to write and submit a paper, to share and discuss their contributions in a face to face setting. And we have to find other solutions to stay connected and get inspired.

From 10-14 May we will bring the valuable contributions of the FIG Working Week to you. Giving you the opportunity of a front-row seat from the distance. With a range of articles we will highlight for you the hot-topics, the ground breaking research, and the hidden gems. The articles are linked to the FIG commissions, Networks and the 3 subthemes of the event. Each day of the Working Week you will receive a newsletter to give you access to new articles.

The articles are prepared in a joint effort by FIG, GIM and the Local Organising Committee of FIG2020. Read more about the organisations and the cooperation below.

FIG Working Week 2020 - Distance matters

FIG Working Week” – what is that? A strange name for a conference, but a name that has become close to a trademark and is significant for the many varied activities that are going on during the – almost - week-long event. Since 1878, where FIG was established and gave surveyors the possibility to meet and network, the yearly FIG Conference has proven to be a unique meeting place for surveyors and geospatial experts around the world. But does it really matter to attend a conference, and to meet?  Read the article.

From bulb to flower, the road towards FIG2020(+1)

The tulips have been our signature symbol for the FIG Working Week in Amsterdam in 2020. Wherever possible we included our national symbol; in the logo of FIG2020, in our images and of course with the orange stickers on the badges.  The timing of the Working Week would have allowed you to visit the flower field, or to buy Tulip bulbs in any colour you would have liked and to plant them for the years to come as a memory to FIG2020. Read the article.

Thinking Out Aloud about a FIG and GIM International Collaboration

Who could ever have imagined that GIM International would publish a summary of a FIG Working Week 2020 that never took place? The planned location was Amsterdam, but the coronavirus outbreak and coupled lockdown resulted in the situation we are in now. FIG and GIM International therefore decided to join forces to make the most out of all the effort that had been put into making this year’s Working Week a great success. Read the article.

FIG Young Surveyors Network: Geospatial agents of change

With geospatial information being more important now than ever, location-based data is the key to solving the societal challenges of our time. Young geospatial and surveying professionals especially sit in the driving seats towards the goal of meeting the most urgent global and local challenges with location-based information and analyses. But we cannot do it alone. Resilience, collaboration and global networks are the key to unlocking our sustainable common future. The FIG Young Surveyors Networks provides a platform for young geo-spatial professionals from all over the globe to share, learn, network and take action, Read the article.

5th FIG Young Surveyors Conference - Social Distancing Edition - Webinar

In the true spirit of global partnerships, the Young Surveyors around the globe gathered digitally and took up the challenge to organize the ‘5YSC Social Distancing Edition’ in 4 different time zones;

• Session 1: Asia Pacific - Saturday May 9 - 09:00 UTC+8.
  Register: https://lnkd.in/dWxCQiW
• Session 2: Europe/Africa - Saturday May 9 - 09:00 UTC+1.
  Register: https://lnkd.in/dZZwa_M
• Session 3: Latin America - Saturday May 9 - 09:00 UTC-3.
  Register: https://lnkd.in/dtHPrBs (Sesión en español)
• Session 4: North America - Saturday May 9- 09:00 UTC-6.
  Register: https://lnkd.in/dPcgBer

More information on the programme and speakers are provided soon, so stay tuned!

Thank you to our sponsors and supporters, we really do appreciate you being part - from the distance - of the FIG Working Week 2020!

Kind regards
FIG Office

Louise Friis-Hansen, Director and co-conference director
Claudia Stormoen, Event Manager
Maria Bangholz, Finance and Administration 

International Federation of Surveyors Fédération Internationale des Géomčtres Internationale Vereiningung der Vermessungsingenieure

During the days of the Working Week 2020 FIG and GIM Magazine will publish newsletters with articles that will guide you through the technical programme. Look out for the newsletters. If you do not already subscribe to GIM Magazine, you are encouraged to sign up now