23rd FIG General Assembly, Prague 2000
Appendices



APPENDIX TO ITEM 17

FIG Work Plan 2000 - 2003

Introduction

This document lists the tasks which FIG will undertake during 2000-2003. It comprises the vision statement and goals of the Federation, a plan of work for the Bureau for 2000-2003 , in relation to the administration and forward planning of the Federation; and plans of work 1998-2002 for each of the nine technical commissions and ad hoc commission on Construction Economics and Management which pursue FIG's professional and technical objectives. It is, however the Bureau which has overall responsibility for fulfilling this plan, in its role either as an executor or, in the case of commission-led activities, as a facilitator and co-ordinator.

The Bureau's Work Plan is governed by FIG's aim and objectives, the Statutes and Internal Rules of the Federation and decisions of the General Assembly of FIG.

Aim

The aim of FIG is to be the premier international non-governmental organization that represents the interests of surveyors and users of surveying services in all countries in the world. It is a Federation of member associations all of whom seek excellence in the services that they deliver.

Objectives

The objectives of the Federation as defined in its Statutes are:

  • to provide an international forum for the exchange of information about surveying and for the development of fellowship between surveyors
  • to collaborate with the United Nations and other international and regional agencies in the formulation and implementation of policies affecting the use, development and management of land and marine resources
  • to promote the disciplines of surveying, particularly in developing countries and countries in economic transition
  • to promote the role of the surveyor in the management of natural and man-made environments
  • to promote the development of national associations of surveyors and to promote professional standards and codes of ethics and the exchange of surveying personnel
  • to promote high standards of education and training for surveyors and to facilitate continuing professional development (CPD)
  • to encourage the development and proper use of appropriate technology
  • to encourage research in all disciplines of surveying and to disseminate the results.
Mission Statement

The Mission of the International Federation of Surveyors is to ensure that the disciplines of surveying and all who practice them meet the needs of the markets and communities that they serve.

The Bureau Work Plan 2000 - 2003 - "Advancing the Global Role of Surveying"

1. General

This Work Plan provides the FIG Bureau direction in its management of the Federation. The Bureau, as the managing board of the Federation, has the authority and responsibility for fulfilling this plan.

The member organizations are FIG; thus, the Bureau will focus on providing member organizations the tools to advance the global role of surveying by

  • Recognizing surveying's significant role in the betterment of humanity and its environs;
  • Recognizing its responsibilities to all surveyors including those not represented by member organizations and will ensure that its activities will benefit the profession as a whole;
  • Implementing mechanisms for increasing participation by member organizations in FIG activities and informing member organizations of FIG and other international surveying activities;
  • Emphasizing the strengthening of professional institutions, the promoting of professional development, the participating in the development of international standards, and the working with international organizations;
  • Developing contacts with UN agencies and other international organizations in the context of the commission work plans;
  • Promoting international standards of professional competence;
  • Encouraging the development and proper use of appropriate technology; and
  • Encouraging research in all disciplines of surveying and to disseminate research results.

FIG's financial security is directly related to its member organizations' (and potential new member organizations) members perceptions of FIG's responsiveness to their individual goals. Thus, the Bureau has as its primary objective

  • The improving of FIG's responsiveness to the needs of member organizations' members.

The Bureau recognizes that the commissions are the implementers of FIG policies and programs. Thus, the Bureau plans to achieve this objective by

  • Increasing the effectiveness and responsiveness of the commission work plans through Bureau oversight (ensuring that commission work plans reflect the FIG approved overall plan, ensuring coordination between commissions, tracking of work plan schedules, etc.);
  • Providing financial grants to commissions for high priority projects;
  • Developing, through the commissions, products, training and services which have practical application to member organizations and their individual members; and
  • Communicating the commissions' accomplishments to the member organizations and others.
2. Specific Tasks

The specific tasks which the Bureau will under take during its administration are

2.1 Planning and Developing the Federation

  1. To present, to the General Assembly in Prague 2000, the findings and recommendations of the task force on the Future Governance and Management of FIG and to implement the General Assembly=s approved changes and prepare the new Statutes for the approval of the General Assembly in Seoul 2001;

  2. To review and update the strategic plan for approval to the General Assembly in Washington 2002;

  3. To develop a long-term financial strategy for FIG and present the strategy to the General Assembly in Washington 2002;

  4. To initiate and fund a reserve account;

  5. To develop and implement work planning and budgeting processes which incorporate and coordinate all FIG organizational units;

  6. To continue the work of the task force on the Future Governance of FIG with ACCO to evaluate the need for any longer term changes to the Commission structure in more detail so that the decisions can be made at the General Assembly in Washington, 2002;

  7. To make recommendations, to the 2002 General Assembly, on the process for selecting future congress sites;

  8. To develop, for presentation to the 2002 General Assembly, protocols for the financing and the content of congresses and working weeks, including a policy for the distribution of congress and working week profits and losses;

  9. To develop, for approval by the 2001 General Assembly, a list of authorities, responsibilities and duties for the Bureau, FIG Office, and the commissions;

2.2 Membership

  1. To increase membership within under-represented regions: especially, the Caribbean, and Central and South America;

  2. To increase secondary membership in countries that are already members of FIG;

  3. To increase FIG regional activities and to seek the support and the participation of member associations and commission delegates to these activities;

  4. To increase academic membership and promote the Surveying Education Database;

  5. To increase sponsor membership and develop the benefits of being a sponsor member;

  6. To arrange for Bureau members and other FIG representatives to visit all member associations;

  7. To encourage visits to the FIG office by member association representatives and to use the FIG office for Commission and other events;

  8. To develop strategies to encourage the surveyor to be customer oriented and to provide a quality service;

2.3 Commissions
  1. To improve coordination between the Bureau, ACCO and the Commissions;

  2. To develop FIG and its commissions' co-operation with international and regional surveying related organizations identifies by the commissions.

2.4 External Relations
  1. To develop and deepen co-operation with partner and sister organizations and to sign memoranda of understanding or agreements whenever needed;

  2. To enter into cooperative agreements with sister organizations to work together on areas of common concern;

  3. To identify and make contact with UN related agencies having common areas of interest with FIG and with whom FIG does not currently have a formal relationship;

  4. To enter into a co-operative agreement with the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the Permanent Committee for GIS Infrastructure for Asia and the Pacific (PCGIAP) and other regional organizations and to act as a catalyst for the establishment of a formalized regional body in the Americas dealing with Spatial Data Infrastructures;

  5. To promote the activities of the UNCHS(Habitat) global campaigns especially the Global Campaign for Secure Tenure;

  6. To prepare a report on progress made during the five years since the Habitat II Conference for the June 2001 special meeting of the UN General Assembly in New York (Istanbul+5);

  7. To evaluate the possibilities to participate in the process of Rio + 10 to be held in 2002;

  8. To develop the coordination mechanisms for synchronizing the planning and budgeting of FIG/UN cooperative programs;

  9. To prepare for distribution, by the World Bank, compilations of the costs and benefits of various cadastre/land registration projects and checklists on how to successfully conduct land administration projects;

  10. To develop the mechanisms required to effectively liaise with FAO regional organizations;

  11. To co-operate with the World Trade Organisation in the promotion of global markets for surveying services;

  12. To develop further co-operation with certification and standardisation bodies to ensure that workable standards which take full account of the needs of FIG's members result;

  13. To develop strategies that facilitate the transfer of donated equipment to educational establishments in developing countries.

2.5. Communications

  1. To improve communication between the Bureau, the commissions, and the member associations and, through them, to their individual members;

  2. To establish effective methods of notifying member associations and their members of FIG services and products (e.g. seminars, workshops, publications);

  3. To publish an annual review which will serve as FIG's main medium of external communication and principal marketing tool;

  4. To publish FIG quarterly bulletin both as printed and internet versions;

  5. To develop FIG home page as the main channel for daily information delivery;

  6. To develop recommendations on the publication of a FIG journal containing selected papers presented at FIG or FIG sponsored events;

  7. To produce literature describing why clients should use the services of surveyors;

  8. To conduct a major internet campaign publicizing FIG's work;

  9. To build and maintain a database of international, regional, and national organizations whose activities are surveying related;

  10. To maintain an internet accessible system for holding FIG publications.

Commission Work Plans 1998-2002

Commission 1 - Professional Standards and Practice

Commission 2 - Professional Education

Commission 3 - Spatial Information Management

Commission 4 - Hydrography

Commission 5 - Positioning and Measurement

Commission 6 - Engineering Surveys

Commission 7 - Cadastre and Land Management

Commission 8 - Spatial Planning and Development

Commission 9 - Valuation and the Management of Real Estate

Ad Hoc Commission on Construction Economics and Management

Appendix: FIG DEFINITION OF SURVEYOR


FIG Office

20 March 2000



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