FIG Commission 2 - Professional Education

About Professional Surveying Education 2019-2022

The focus of FIG Commission 2 is professional surveying education. The core areas for the commission are: 1) curriculum and core surveying body of knowledge, 2) effective teaching and learning methods, 3) knowledge exchange and 4) continuing professional development.

Why quality professional education is vitally important

The FIG Commission 2 mission is to raise the next generation of surveying professionals that have a sound education foundation, can impart knowledge and about surveying theory and best practices, have the competencies, skills and instincts in surveying sciences and technologies. They should also be agile and able to respond to the growing demands from humanity, and able to keep pace with new and emerging paradigms, technologies and processes. The profession needs to not only measure but also manage, to mitigate, to meaningfully deploy its sciences and technologies, its knowledge and practices for the betterment of humanity so that the profession remains relevant. Against this backdrop, surveying educators, government and industry working together have the task of educating and shaping our next generation of professionals and providing options for life-long-learning. Professional education and life-long learning are fundamental in achieving SGD Goal 4 to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

Supporting high quality professional education for surveyors

Effective learning depends on approaches to professional education that understands how students learn, and develops approaches for teaching and learning that are accessible for all and evidence-based. We seek to understand how current students best learn, good practices in e-learning, and in blending f2f and e-learning approaches for both teaching and training. Commission 2 work plan is delivered largely by the three working groups:

Working Group 2.1 - Developing academic networks for knowledge sharing.
Working Group 2.2 - Innovative learning and teaching / "Curriculum on the Move".
Working Group 2.3 – Joint Commission 2/YSN working group - Learning styles in surveying education.

During 2020, there have been significant developments in surveying professional education due to the COVID-19 restrictions. Globally, many surveying academic institutions were required to adapt to these restrictions by moving their learning and teaching completely online. This has presented a range of challenges as we grappled with which learning management system and video communications platforms we would use. We considered how to reach those students without adequate internet connection or with poor ICT quality. We considered the implications for those tasks that were heavily based around face-to-face contact – for example field practical projects, computer lab sessions, and cartographic design projects.
Out of this has come some excellent lessons for blended learning and we should take the opportunity to capture lessons and share the experiences with others. This presents an opportunity for discussions in webinars later in 2020, as well as for the FIG Working Week in 2021.

Role of FIG Commission 2

Commission 2 achieves its mission by promoting good practices in professional surveying education through:

•  Exploring the needs of society and endorsing universities and other educational organizations to develop mechanisms and processes that will help to meet those needs.
• Methods and content of education: To support and promote advances in learning and teaching methods and content of curricula with special emphasis on the impact of technology and learning styles on education.
• Knowledge sharing. Promoting sharing of advances in professional education, research in surveying education and training and initiate joint projects (curriculum development, educational material development, joint courses, quality assurance etc.).   Improving dissemination of information on educational theory and practice to the members across the world via existing academic networks.
• Supporting capacity building for surveying education in the developing world, through strengthening knowledge transfer (including collaboration with UN-GGIM, GLTN, RICS and academic networks).
• Cooperation with other professions. Reinforcing cooperation with Educational Commissions of International Organisations on the related professions.
• Continuing Professional Development. Encourage improved surveying practice through the promotion of continuing professional development (CPD) and the practical application of research, help surveyors continuously to update their academic and professional profiles.

Work plan 2019-2022