24th FIG General Assembly, Seoul 2001
Appendices



Appendix to item 20.2,  21.2 and 26.2

Future Strategies of FIG
– Green paper for breakout session in Seoul –

1. German Motto "SHAPING THE CHANGE"

The world and its societies are changing and so does the profession of surveyors. The most essential changes are: the continuing process of democratisation and the commitment to sustainability. To protect and develop the position of the profession in international and national surroundings and to lighten the transition to the adopted new administrative structures of FIG the important challenge of the period 2003–2006 is to shape the change within and outside FIG. The leading topics are the following:

  1. Promoting democratisation

  2. Increasing participation

  3. Taking on responsibility in global and national affairs

  4. Learning from each other

  5. Helping in the process of globalization

  6. Broadening the view of profession

  7. Cooperating

  8. Communicating

  9. Searching optimal structures

  10. Controlling quality and costs

2. Future Strategy of FIG
  1. The current US-Bureau has worked out a proposal for the long-term strategy of FIG and has identified six prior themes as appropriate guiding principles for the future:

  • To promote and enhance the global standing of the profession by informing relevant stakeholders of the contribution which surveyors can make to the solution of relevant problems;

  • To support the growth of the profession by encouraging the active development of, and progressive enhancement, of national member associations;

  • To identify and influence the creation of appropriate best practice, international standards and qualifications relevant to the practice of surveying;

  • To maximise the contribution of surveyors to the development of the knowledge economy/society;

  • To identify approaches which help deliver the agenda for global sustainable development; and

  • To support and contribute towards supporting international humanitarian needs.

  1. In complete agreement with this long-term strategic direction of FIG and with regard to the leading topics and the German motto the following fields of action appear as a logical consequence:

"Shaping the change" happens by shaping

  • Quality of profession (including agreements with scientific organisations)

  • Commitment for sustainability (continuing the work of FIG Task Force, especially describing what we are really willing to do, e.g. in spatial planning, land management...)

  • Contributions for knowledge society (e.g. better use of the Education Database)

  • Participation and concentrated broadening (democratisation process of FIG, membership expansion focussed on certain regions to be continued, reconsideration of voting structure in respect to the increasing splitting of the former one-country-one-vote to a two or more member vote)

  • Creating of networks for mutual learning and recognition (especially with associations close to the profession, describing the benefits of academic membership, appealing students to go together with FIG)

  • Co-operation between science and profession (dialogue to be broadened)

  • The PR for the professional contributions to society and human life

  • Regionalisation in respect of globalisation (regional activities, globalisation)

  • Communication within FIG (making FIG more popular for the individual members)

  • Cost management and professionalisation (new income possibilities, FIG responsible on congresses, fairs and other events)

Discussion: Do you agree with these consequences? Which consequence should we add or delete?

  1. Going over to create a manual for the future period some preliminary ideas for the work plan have been collected. Provided that the above mentioned fields of action are agreed the following questions are given for further consideration and discussion:

Will it be helpful for implementing the strategy to:

    1. Make more than one Vice President responsible for the monitoring of and the linking between the commissions to ensure the quality of their work and to deliver results just in time?

    2. Get a better coordination between commission meetings and working weeks or other FIG events or fairs to get less fees and travel costs for the participants and/or more income for the Federation?

    3. Clarify the role, staffing and efficiency of commissions as well as their mutual co-operation and with the Council in order to improve the attractiveness and reliability of commissions’ work? (Implementing and verifying the results of Task Force on commission structure)

    4. Develop a "FIG World Report of Best Practices" to be presented by each commission for the handover to the new Council in 2006? Could this – possibly translated to different languages – help to make FIG valuable and visible to the individual members regarding to the results of a period of work? Provide brief FIG reports for member associations newsletters and professional magazines?

    5. Increase regional activities? If so, which kind of regional seminars and other activities should be organized? Get a priority list of FIG activities (including commissions)? Reduce language and cultural barriers?

    6. Check the number of FIG events and give FIG more visibility? (Attendance to FIG congresses, exhibitions and other FIG events to be increased in order to get customers and industry together. Joint activities are also a possibility of fund raising by getting added value.)

    7. Carry out a market research for geodetic and GIS fairs in order to evaluate possible FIG participation? (The idea is to consider the role of FIG fairs as a possible significant financial tool for the future: One big event instead of a series of regional FIG fairs? Will fair consultancy be helpful?)

    8. Integrate more scientists from IAG, ISPRS to FIG, particularly in FIG congresses and commissions? Extend joint FIG-ISO activities?

    9. Become member of advisory boards of international organizations, e.g. World Bank, or increase co-operation agreements? Nominate contact persons for getting funds from e.g. UN, EU ... for commission work?

    10. Consider fund raising also from other than "traditional" industries?

Discussion: The incoming German Council welcomes a broad debate on these topics. We really want to promote democratization and increase participation. Together we should shape the change.

3. Time table
  • Nov./Dec. 2000 first ideas of the shadow Council

  • Dec. 2000 discussion with the US-Bureau (Providence)

  • Jan. 2001 round table Germany collecting proposals

  • Feb./Mar. 2001 first draft of main ideas of work plan

  • May 2001 break-out session GA Seoul

  • Autumn 2001 next version

  • Oct. 2001 discussion at the ACCO Meeting in Copenhagen, coordination with commissions work plans

  • Jan. 2002 final version

  • Congress 2002 adoption by GA


German Shadow Bureau

6 March 2001



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