News in 2013

News in 2013

New Publication on the International Boundary Making - FIG Publication No.59

FIG Publication No. 59 International Boundary Making addresses surveying methodology and experiences in the delimitation and demarcation of international boundaries. Commission 1 has initiated the publication, and main editor is Haim Srebro.
FIG furthermore thanks the United Nations Cartographic Section for their peer review and New Zealand Institute of Surveyors for their support. The publication is a reference publication for all involved or interested in international boundaries and fills a gap both in surveying and international boundary literature.
The publication report on the International Boundary Making has been published in FIG report series and is available both as pdf and in hard copy.
Read more...

A Paradigm Shift - Interview in GIM Magazine December 2013 with FIG President CheeHai Teo and Clarissa Augustinus, UN-HABITAT

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The 5th Global Land Tool Network (GLTN ) Partners’ Meeting held in The Hague, The Netherlands, in November 2013 was the ideal occasion to interview Dr Clarissa Augustinus - the key driver behind GLTN – and Teo CheeHai, president of FIG. Published in the GIM Magazine, they discuss what GLTN means for surveyors.
Read the interview...

FIG President visits Apeldoorn and Enschede, the Netherlands, 14-15 November 2013

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Students and staff of the UNU School for Land Administration Studies with Teo CheeHai at ITC Faculty, University of Twente, Enschede

Subsequent to the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) partner meeting conducted  in The Hague, FIG President CheeHai Teo paid a successful visit to GIN, Geo-Information Netherlands, the sole Member Association from The Netherlands, the Netherlands Kadaster and ITC Faculty of Twente University, both also members of FIG. Gratitude was expressed on behalf of FIG for the significant role the Netherlands has played in promoting innovative approaches to land administration, particularly in developing regions.

Read more...

5th GLTN Partners Meeting – GLTN is now in its second phase of operations 2012-2018 with substantial involvement by FIG


The bag

...the goal of the second phase is to improve tenure security of the urban and rural poor through the adoption and implementation of land policies, tools and approaches that are pro-poor, gender appropriate, effective and sustainable.

For several years FIG has been an active partner of the network and has contributed with various activities to help GLTN fulfill their overall goals.

In November all the partners met at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs in The Hague, Netherlands for a three-day meeting with insightful speeches, discussions and a site visit to Dutch land tool areas.

Read more...

Call for nominations for FIG President and Vice Presidents for FIG for 2015-2018


Current FIG Council 2013-2014 (from left): VP Rudolf Staiger, Germany, VP Chryssy Potsiou Greece, President CheeHai Teo, Malaysia, VP Pengfei Cheng China, ACCO rep. Yerach Doytsher. VP Bruno Razza Italy was unfortunately not present for the photo session.

At the FIG Congress 2014, the 37th FIG General Assembly will take place on 16 and 21 June 2014. FIG Council is hereby inviting Member Associations to consider nominations for FIG President and for two FIG Vice Presidents for the period 2015-2018.
Nominations must be received by Louise Friis-Hansen at louise.friis-hansen@fig.net.
Deadline for nominations: 15 February 2014.

From the Wisdom of the Ages to the Challenges of the Modern World, FIG Working Week 2015 - preparation meeting, Sofia, Bulgaria, 29-31 October 2013

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The Theater that is used in the 2015 Working Week logo

Although there is still long time to May 2015 the preparations for FIG Working Week have started. FIG Manager Louise Friis-Hansen visited the local organisers who had organised a meeting with Director General Valentin Yovev and his engaged staff, who showed their engagement in the Working Week 2015. A visit to the Bulgarian Minister of Investigation Design Ivan Danov was also organised, who gave his support to the FIG 2015 Working Week. Read more...

FIG General Assembly 2014 - Call for bids to host FIG Working Week 2017 or FIG Congress 2018 - CLOSED

FIG member associations are invited to consider making a bid to host the FIG Working Week 2017 or FIG Congress 2018 together with FIG. At its meeting in Kuala Lumpur 16-21 June 2014, the FIG General Assembly will select the host and venue for the two events The Council has prepared bidding guidelines for making the bid. These guidelines explain in detail the information that is required for a successful bid. More information

FIG Working Week 2017 deadline: 30 November 2013 Guidelines for FIG Working Week 2017

FIG Congress 2018 deadline: 15 December 2013
Guidelines for FIG Congress 2018

FIG Commission 7 Annual meeting 2013, "Land Policies and Land Governance International Symposium" and Workshop

During the meeting and related events there were intense discussions with our colleagues from Africa on the development of national cadastres. Developments, innovations and challenges were under debate. There was agreement that the “fit for purpose approach” as proposed by Prof Stig Enemark and other simple but evolving solutions are most relevant to be considered in the further development of Cadastre in Cameroon – and also in many other countries.Read more...

Publication on the Proceedings of the 5th Land Administration Domain Model Workshop

Over 40 participants attended the workshop and a total of 25 peer reviewed papers were presented, covering a range of themes, including: the industry perspective on LADM; the linkage between LADM and information infrastructures; refined LADM modeling, 3D representations and formalizing LADM semantics; specific LADM country profiles; and implementation aspects.

Please find also the proceedings online 

Booklet on The Value of Geoinformation for Disaster and Risk Management (VALID)

The Value of Geoinformation for Disaster and Risk Management (VALID) - Benefit Analysis and Stakeholder Assessment is published by the Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies (JB GIS). The publication is the result of the collaboration of many scientists who are dedicated to the implementation of geospatial information for Disaster and Risk Management.

The publication can be downloaded at:http://www.un-spider.org/sites/default/files/VALIDPublication.pdf (9MB) or
without login for the full 30 MB version https://app.box.com/s/ch80uodlfz29tzn11f9q

European Young Surveyors together for tomorrow’s challenges, 17-18 October 2013, Lisbon, Portugal

The 1st FIG Young Surveyors European Meeting was held in Lisbon, Portugal from 17th to 18th October 2013. Around 150 young surveyors from 32 countries gathered together to work towards a European Network of Young Surveyors and facing the challenges together as a team, as a Network. Read more...

The Chengdu Forum on United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management, Chengdu, China, 15-17 October 2013


FIG Vice President, Prof. Cheng Pengfei (in the middle of the picture) at the Chengdu Forum

The Chengdu Forum on United Nations Global Geospatial Information Management was held at the Jinjiang Hotel in Chengdu, China from 15 to 17 October 2013. Nearly 200 participants from 40 countries participated and represented the United Nations, International Organizations and Industries. FIG Vice President, Prof. Cheng Pengfei representing FIG was present at the meeting. Read more...

Modernising Land Agencies Budgetary Approach: Costing and Financing of Land Administration Services in Developing Countries Gävle, Sweden, 14 - 15, October 2013


The participants at the 2nd CoFLAS expert meeting

The objective of the CoFLAS project is to develop a useful and practical tool whereby the costing and financing of land administration services in developing countries can be reformed and modernized with a view to enabling the agencies provide cost effective, efficient, sustainable and affordable services. A second Expert Group Meeting (EGM) was hosted by Lantmäteriet at its premises in Gävle, Sweden on 14-15 October 2013 attended by 20 experts. Read more...

Government of Netherlands Contributes US$20.4 Million to Global Land Tool Network Programme

On 3 October 2013, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation has signed an agreement with IFAD and UN-Habitat for a contribution totaling US$20.4 million in support of Phase 2 of the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) programme particularly on scaling up and advancing country-level engagement and promoting good land governance through a comprehensive set of demand-driven and pro-poor land tools and approaches. Read more...

World Bank 2014 Land and Poverty Conference

Under the theme of “Integrating Land Governance into the Post-2015 Agenda: Harnessing Synergies for Implementation and Monitoring Impact”, the 2014 conference will focus on building a shared understanding of best practices in land governance. By providing an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between diverse experts in land governance, the conference aims to put stakeholders at the country level in a position to address this key development issue. Read more...

The 10th National Representative Assembly of the Chinese Society of Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography (CSGPC), Beijing, China 10-12 October 2013

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The 10th National Representative Assembly of CSGPC

The 10th National Representative Assembly of the Chinese Society of Geodesy, Photogrammetry and Cartography  (CSGPC), and the Annual Comprehensive Academic Conference was held at Jingxi Hotel in Beijing, China 10-12 October 2013. More than 800 delegates participated. FIG Vice President, Prof. Cheng Pengfei represented FIG at the event. During the meeting, he was elected specially-appointed Vice President of the CSGPC. Read more...

The World Came to Essen for the 19th InterGeo Trade Fair and Conference, 8-11 October 2013, Essen Germany


DVW President Karl F. Thoene at the opening

Intergeo is the world’s largest trade fair for geodesy, geoinformation and land management and is one of the key platforms for industry dialogue since it covers a wide variety of fields, ranging from surveying, geoinformation, remote sensing and photogrammetry to complementary solutions and technologies. FIG was represented with a stand and local representatives from both Malaysia and Bulgaria were attending to promote the FIG Congress 2014 and FIG Working Week 2015 Read more...

Visit by Makli to FIG Office in Copenhagen, 4 October 2013, Copenhagen, Denmark

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MAKLI representatives and FIG Office gathering outside the FIG Office at Kalvebod Brygge, Copenhagen

It was a pleasure for FIG to welcome the Finnish association MAKLI in the Copenhagen office. Although most of the work of the office is solely administrative it is very inspiring to meet members and to hear about the conditions of surveyors and their challenges from various pars of the world. FIG office also informed about the work of FIG within the office and around the world Read more...

LADM2013: 5th FIG International Land Administration Domain Model Workshop was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 24-25 September 2013

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LADM audience listening focused

Over 40 participants attended the workshop and a total of 25 peer reviewed papers were presented, covering a range of themes, including: the industry perspective on LADM; the linkage between LADM and information infrastructures; refined LADM modeling, 3D representations and formalizing LADM semantics; specific LADM country profiles; and implementation aspects.

Click here to find out more..

Download the proceedings here...

STDM - Introduction to a pro-poor land information system in Malaysia

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The participants at the event

On 23 September 2013 the Social Tenure Domain Model was introduced in Malaysia. The pro-poor land information system was welcomed by a group of 35 land professionals and experts. The Social Tenure Domain Model (STDM) is a concept and tool developed by UN Habitat Global Land Tool Network (GLTN) in close co-operation with FIG and builds on the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM).  Read more…

Policies and Practices for Responsible Governance - Pacific Small Island Developing States Symposium, 18-20 September 2013, Suva, Fiji

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The local organisers had done an amazing work to organise the symposium, and partici-pants were greeted by a fantastic street banner
The FIG/FAO workshop attracted 90 regional and international participants and had a specific emphasis on the challenges in the Pacific Small Island Developing States and was organised together with FAO, UN-GGIM, FIG (in particular Commissions 3 and 5 and the Climate Change Task Force) ,the Fiji Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources, the Fiji Institute of Surveyors (a member association of FIG) and the Global Land Tool Network Secretariat. A Suva Statement on Specially Responsible Governance was agreed upon. Read more...

2nd Joint International Symposium on Deformation Monitoring, 9-10 September 2013, Nottingham, United Kingdom


GPS Antennas in front of Forth Road Bridge, Scotland

This was the second time that the sister organisations FIG (Commission 6, WG 6.1 “Deformation Measurements and Analysis”) and IAG (International Association of Geodesy, Commission 4 “Positioning and Applications”) organized a joint symposium  following up the long series of individual symposia within FIG (since 1975) and IAG (since 1996).

Read more...

World Bank 2014 Land and Poverty Conference - Call for papers

Under the theme of “Integrating Land Governance into the Post-2015 Agenda: Harnessing Synergies for Implementation and Monitoring Impact”, the 2014 conference will focus on building a shared understanding of best practices in land governance. By providing an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between diverse experts in land governance, the conference aims to put stakeholders at the country level in a position to address this key development issue. Read more...

Refining the Definition of a Surveyor - FIG Commission 1 Workshop was held on 11 September 2013 in Melbourne, Australia


What is the definition
of a Surveyor?

The workshop reviewed the definition of a Surveyor as defined by FIG in 1991. The findings were that the content is right but is missing some elements and the wording of the definition needs updating. Read more here..

FIG Commission 1 will progress towards a formal change of definition. Discussions and input are welcome through Facebook: www.facebook.com/internationalfederationofsurveyors
and FIG commission 1 LinkedIn group:http://linkd.in/16iGj8H

Malcolm McCoy awarded Professional of the Year at the 9th Victorian Spatial Excellence Awards


Malcolm McCoy received the award by FIG President CheeHai Teo

FIG President CheeHai Teo was honoured to present this award to Malcolm McCoy at the 9th Victorian Spatial Excellence Awards Gala Dinner held in conjunction with the 2013 SSSI Victoria Spatial Summit held on 12 and 13 September in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The Professional of the Year Award is conferred on a practitioner working in any of the disciplines of the surveying and spatial sciences whose professional achievements are acknowledged by peer citation as exemplifying the highest standards of excellence and ethical conduct.  Read more...

Celebrating the Past – Redefining the Future, New Zealand 28-31 August 2013

Was the theme of the annual New Zealand Institute of Surveyors (NZIS) Conference, which was held between 28 – 31 August 2013 in Dunedin, New Zealand.  The conference celebrated the 125th anniversary of NZIS as well as the 50th Anniversary of the University of Otago’s School of Surveying. Read more...

10th United Nations Regional Cartographic Conference for the Americas was held from 19 – 23 August 2013 at the UN headquarters in New York

The theme of the conference was “UN-GGIM and the Americas: Addressing global challenges through geospatial information”. UNRCC-Americas provides a regional forum to address their common challenges and share experiences and expertise in the field of surveying and mapping, cartography, hydrography, remote sensing, land and geospatial information systems. Read more...

Food and Agriculture OrganisationTechnical and Awareness Raising Workshop was held in Bangkok, Thailand from 13 – 15 August 2013

The Workshop is part of FAO’s strategy to raise awareness on the Voluntary Guidelines and to discuss the implementation and use, particularly at the national and local levels. The regional focus of this Workshop is Asia. The Workshop aimed at supporting activities and actions to improve governance of tenure of land, fisheries and forests. Read more...

2014 FIG Foundation

2014 FIG Foundation Academic Research Grants

Research grants will be provided of up to 20,000 euros spread over two years. Applicants shall be based in a surveying/geomatics academic programme that teaches surveying in a country listed by the World Bank as a low-income, lower-middle or upper-middle income economy. Read more...

Deadline for sending the application is 31 March 2014.

2014 FIG Foundation PhD Scholarships

Scholarships will be provided of up to 4,000 euros to PhD students. Applicants shall be studying for a PhD degree and registered solely in a surveying/geomatics academic programme that teaches surveying in a country listed by the World Bank as a low-income, lower-middle or upper-middle income economy. Read more...

Deadline for sending the application is 1 February 2014.

2014 FIG Foundation Young Surveyors Fellowship

The FIG Foundation Young Surveyors Fellowships will provide funding for individuals to cover the costs to attend and participate in the 2014 FIG Congress in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, including attendance at all FIG Young Surveyors events during the congress. Read more…

Deadline for sending the application is 1 December 2013.

Cadastre 2014 - available in Macedonian

At the XX FIG Congress 1994 in Melbourne, commission 7 initiated a working group looking at trends and developments in the field of cadastre. The working group was active from 1994-1998 and presented the results at the FIG-Congress in Brighton in July, 1998. It projected the trends and developed visions of what cadastral systems might be in 20 years' time – thus today!

Cadastre 2014 has received worldwide attention and has been translated into 28 languages – and is now also available in Macedonian.

The Value of Geoinformation for Disaster and Risk Management (VALID) Booklet Launch

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O. Altan and R. Backhaus

On 3 September 2013, Joint Board of Geospatial Information Societies (JBGIS), International Council for Science (ICSU) - GeoUnions, and United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) presented a new report in Vienna, Austria, which shows the economic, humanitarian and organizational benefits of applying Geoinformation to disaster management. This report was edited by a team headed Orhan Altan and Robert Backhaus. The publication aims to raise awareness and to help set priorities in research and development. FIG as a member of JBGIS was represented by Gert Steinkellner, the president of the Austrian FIG-member organization.

Download the publication here... 

Securing Africa's Land for Shared Prosperity by Frank F. K. Byamugisha

The book is published by The World Bank and covers land administration and reform in Sub-Saharan Africa. It provides simple practical steps to turn the hugely controversial subject of "land grabs" into a development opportunity by improving land governance to reduce the risks of dispossessing poor landholders while ensuring mutually beneficial investors' deals. This book shows how Sub Saharan Africa can leverage its abundant and highly valuable natural resources to eradicate poverty by improving land governance through a ten point program to scale up policy reforms and investments at a cost of USD 4.5 billion.

Download the book here...

14 years with FIG – FIG Director Markku Villikka retired end of July 2013

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On 1 January 1999 FIG Director Markku Villikka started working in the FIG Office. Together with five councils and many volunteers he has built the office and FIG to what it is today. FIG events were developed and shaped to Congresses, Working Weeks and Regional Conferences. The first year Markku Villikka worked with President Peter Dale, and from 2000 he served under the following 4 Presidents, who has each contributed with a short good-bye to Markku.  Read more…

International FIG workshop on the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM2013), 24-25 September 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The Land Administration Domain Model LADM that FIG has worked on for several yeas was eventually ISO certified in 2012. The LADM can accelerate the implementation of proper land administration systems that will support sustainable development and is useful in many countries. FIG invites to a special workshop on LADM 24-25 September in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in connection with the International Symposium and Exhibition on Geoinformation (ISG 2013) Read more…

Third Session of the United Nations Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management, 24 – 27 July 2013, Cambridge, United Kingdom


Celebrating the 2nd anniversary of UNGGIM

The United Nations initiative on Global Geospatial Information Management, UNGGIM met for the third time, and at the same time celebrated the second anniversary of UN-GGIM. This UN Committee was established to provide a forum for coordination and dialogue among Member States and between Member States and relevant international organizations, including FIG, on all issues related to geospatial information management. FIG was represented by President CheeHai Teo and Vice Chair of FIG Commission 4 Gordon Johnston. Read more…

Land Administration for Sustainable Development - available as e-book
Get your free copy

The authors: Professor Ian Williamson, Professor Stig Enemark, Land Policy Lawyer Jude Wallace  and Professional Land Surveyor and Chartered Engineer Abbas Rajabifard examine global land administration systems and outlines basic principles applicable to all countries. This book shows how to help ensure social equality, economic growth, and environmental protection through holistic land management. Professors, government officials, and students of land planning, land administrators, land planning managers will find this an invaluable resource. The book is furthermore being translated into French and Spanish which should be available end 2013.  Download a free copy...

Competition on good practices for tenure security in the Muslim world - Participate!

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The Global Land Tool Network has launched a competition on good practices for tenure security in the Muslim world.
Click here to find out more...

Reference Frames in Practice  - IAG/FIG Commission 5 Workshop, and SEASC Congress, Manila, Phillippines 21-22 June 2013

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FIG Commission 5 actively participated in 2 events in this unique region to represent our membership and to raise the profile of the Commission. The two events held in Manila were 1: South East Asia Survey Congress (SEASC) and 2: Reference Frame in Practice Technical Seminar (RFIP TS). The seminar showed the strong cooperation between IAG and FIG. Read more...
[Program] [Proceedings] [Picture Gallery] [Report from IAG]

UN-Habitat Expert Group Meeting, Rotterdam, Netherlands 16-17 May 2013

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The Global Land Tools Network (GLTN) in collaboration with the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) supported by Kadaster International and Lantmateriet and other partners and stakeholders have embarked on a process to develop a tool that can assist policy makers and those responsible for land administration to adopt appropriate technologies, methodologies and processes that will provide land administration services more efficiently, cost effectively and with options more appropriately tailored for incorporating all tenure types. Read more...

Markku Villikka appointed Honorary Member of FIG at FIG General Assembly May 2013 in Abuja, Nigeria


FIG Director Markku Villikka receives his Certificate of Appointment to Honorary Member of FIG by FIG President CheeHai Teo.

The General Assembly appointed FIG Director Markku Villikka as an Honorary Member at its meeting in Abuja 6 May 2013. He has been the director of FIG since the establishment of the permanent office 1.1.1999. In total his active period in FIG is 25 remarkable years. Because the Director was not able to be present at the Working Week in Abuja, the Honorary membership was given to him by President CheeHai Teo during his visit to Finland 13 May 2013.
In his thanks Markku Villikka expressed gratitude that he had started being active in FIG at a very young age and strongly encouraged young surveyors to become active in the work of FIG. The appointment was met with a long and strong applause at the General Assembly in Abuja . Read more...

Most colourful FIG Working Week with lively Nigerian flavour
FIG Working Week 2013, 6-10 May, in Abuja, Nigeria

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The opening ceremony
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Many contacts were made during the week.
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Colourful Nigerian Surveyors Wives
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The FIG Working Week Environment for Sustainability and the XXXVI General Assembly was held in Abuja, Nigeria with the overall theme "Environment for Sustainability". In his opening speech President of Nigeria, Goodwill Jonathan states that this is a very appropriate and relevant theme for the current situation not only in Nigeria but all over the world. More than 2000 Nigerians and almost 250 International participants enjoyed this special, colourful and energetic Working Week. This Working Week was the biggest ever in the history of FIG in terms of participation. Many different activities took place during the busy week. A train-the-trainer seminar and a special forum for Surveyor Generals/Director Generals both co-organised by GLTN-UN-HABITAT and FIG, special sessions organised in cooperation with the World Bank, and many well attended technical sessions were offered during the week. The exhibition attracted 34 International and Nigerian exhibitors. The many Nigerian participants showed their friendliness and large hospitality together with their ability to make a Working Week both serious and entertaining to Nigerian rythms. Read more...

FIG 36th General Assembly 2013 welcomed two New Member Associations
6 and 10 May 2013, Abuja, Nigeria
- NEW: Minutes now available

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The General Assembly was attended by many delegates and observers.

FIG General Assembly 2013 was held during the Working Week in Abuja, Nigeria. In total 40 different member associations were present at the two sessions of the General Assembly. All membership categories apart from Correspondents were represented, and there was a strong presence of observers, especially Nigerians who followed the General Assembly with great interest. Read more...

24th Session of UN-Habitat’s Governing Council, Nairobi, Kenya 15-19 April 2013

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The Governing Council of the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) meets every two years to review and examine its activities and programs. The 24th Session of UN-Habitat’s Governing Council was held between April 15th and 19th 2013 with the theme ‘Sustainable Development: The role of cities in creating improved economic opportunities for all, with special reference to youth and gender’. Read more...

FIG President Meets Institution of Surveyors of Kenya Council, April 2013

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The council of Institute of Surveyors of Kenya and FIG President CheeHai Teo

Chairman of the Institution of Surveyors of Kenya, Collins Kuwour and his Council met President CheeHai Teo socially at the Stanley Hotel in downtown Nairobi. In the course of the interactions during the evening, the President noted a number of efforts by ISK to continually advance the role and contribution of the Profession within Kenya. Read more...

Report: The IX international exhibition and scientific congress INTEREXPO GEO-SIBERIA-2013, 16-18 April 2013

The IX international geo-forum “Interexpo GEO-Siberia-2013” was held in Novo Siberia, Russian Federation from 16-18 April 2013. Read the report here...
Read FIG president Teo CheeHai greetings here...

National Society of Professional Surveyors 2013 Spring Meeting, Maryland, United States 12-14 April 2013

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Curt Sumner, Lamar Evans and Patrick Smith

The national leadership of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, NSPS met in the suburb of Gaithersburg, Maryland, outside Washington DC, 12-14 April, 2013. President CheeHai Teo was invited and welcomed the opportunity to address the Board of Governors Meeting and to informe colleagues and fellow surveyors at the meeting on recent global initiatives as well as international activities that has an impact on the national and local practicing scene.  Read more...

Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty 2013, Washington DC, United States, 8-12 April 2013


Klaus Deininger, The World Bank.

“Moving towards transparent Land Governance: Evidence-based next Steps” was the theme of Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty. The conference brings together representatives from governments, civil society, academia, the private sector and the development community to discuss issues of concern to land practitioners and policymakers worldwide.

As in previous years, FIG is privileged to collaborate with the Bank as the Profession continues to consider its contribution and relevance within society, environment and economy, moving beyond its competencies in measurement and technological sophistication and abilities.

Read more...

34th Annual General Meeting of the Association of Authorized Land Surveyors Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 25 March

Each year the Association of Authorized Land Surveyors Malaysia, the Member Association from Malaysia, convened its annual general meeting where its membership from around the country gathers for half a day to dispense the business of the Association. The progress in organizing the silver jubilee edition of the FIG Congress was also reported.  Read more...

The Day of the European Surveyor and Geoinformation and CLGE General Assembly, 22-23 March 2013

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FIG Vice President Rudolf Staiger at the CLGE General Assembly.

Our sister organization CLGE had its General Assembly in Budapest, Hungary on 22 and 23 March. FIG Vice President Rudolf Staiger participated in the event. The General Assembly was accompanied by the “Day of the European Surveyor and Geoinformation” where Galileo Galilei was officially nominated as Surveyor of the year 2013. In addition there was the European Space Expo, dedicated to the European Navigation Satellite system GALILEO. Read more..

FIG General Assembly 2013 - Abuja, Nigeria, 6 and 10 May 2013 - Agenda


Nicon Luxury Hotel where the General Assembly will take place

The 36th FIG General Assembly will be held 6 and 10 May 2013 at the Conference Hall, Nicon Luxury Hotel, Abuja, Nigeria. The agenda is now available and the FIG Office has sent an invitation and hard copy of the agenda without appendices to all members.

FIG Annual Review 2012 and FIG Profile

The FIG Annual Review 2012 is now available as .pdf. Hard copies will be mailed to all members together with the minutes from the General Assembly in Abuja, Nigeria  2013. Also FIG Profile has been updated.

You can download the FIG Annual Review and profile here:

FIG Working Week 2015, Sofia, Bulgaria - preparatory meeting 26-28 February 2013

The Local Organising Committee

"From the wisdom of the ages to the challenges of the modern world". Read about the background for choosing the theme of the Working Week 2015. At the FIG General Assembly in Rome 2012, Bulgaria was elected to be the host of the Working week 2015, and the preparation already started in June 2012.The local organizing committee has been established and is already working intensely with the preparations. FIG visited Sofia to discuss and work on the preparations. Read more..

United Nations: Second High Level Forum on Global Geospatial Information Management - Doha, State of Qatar, 3-6 February 2013

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Members of the JBGIS present at the Forum took the opportunity to have an ad-hoc meeting on the sideline of the Forum.

The Forum was staged pursuant to convene global forums to promote comprehensive dialogue on global geospatial information management with all relevant governments, non-governmental organizations and the private sector. The Forum provided member states and stakeholders the unique opportunity to share and learn from each other to support local, regional and global sustainable development initiatives. Read more..

The President of OGE - Ordre de Géomètre-Expert Francois MAZUYER became a chevalier dans l’Ordre Nationale du Mérite, 30 January 2013

On 30 of January 2013 Francois Mazuyer became a knight of the” Ordre Nationale du Mérite”. The official ceremony took place in the rooms of our French member association in Paris close to the Arc de Triomphe. He received the official nomination from Mrs. Cécile Duflot Minister for Land and Housing. FIG-Vice President Rudolf Staiger had the occasion to assist to this remarkable event and congratulated Francois for this outstanding nomination on behalf of FIG.

Anniversary: 150 Years of International Cooperation in Geodesy

In 1862, the Prussian General Johann Jacob Baeyer initiated the Central European Arc Measurement project. By the end of that year fifteen countries had affirmed their participation, and in 1864 the first General Conference was held in Berlin. In 1870 the Prussian Geodetic Institute was established and entrusted with the operation of the Central Bureau. General Baeyer’s project is considered the forerunner to today’s International Association of Geodesy (IAG). Read more about the anniversary..

President of the Mediterranean Union of Surveyors appointed Honorary Doctor of Philosophy

The trustees of the American University for Science and Technology of California has granted Aziz Hilali the degree of Honorary Doctor of Philosophy (option: Civil Engineering, Surveying and Topology), in recognition of his career and his quality as president of the Mediterranean Union of surveyors.

Nepal Institution of Chartered Surveyors the Fifth Annual General Meeting,
4 October 2013

The meeting was organized on 4 October 2013 at Survey Department (SD) Geodetic Hall. Members of NICS and other dignitaries, including Nagendra Jha- Director General of Survey Department, Rabin Kaji Sharma, Former Director General of Survey Department and President of Nepal RS and Photo-grammetric Society (NRSPS), Saroj Chalise- General Secretary of Nepal Surveyors Association (NSA), Kalyan Gopal Shrestha- Executive Director of Land Management Training Center (LMTC), Hridaya Narayan Mishra- Deputy Director General of SD and other Survey Department Officers were present at the function.

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