A few years ago, we identified the need for providing reliable, evidence-based open and/or low-cost data which describe a “spatially enabled” society. But today we realize that we have an additional task to ensure that these data and tools are used intelligently by the society and governments and through that to ensure the transition from the stage of a “spatially enabled” society to the stage of a “spatially mature” society: a society that is able to use the available spatial information and tools in a smart way in order to achieve sustainable prosperity for all.
Since the time that surveyors have identified the need for enabling the society spatially a huge technological reform took place. This includes the massive creation and consumption of data (structured or not structured); the extended use of affordable smart devices (everyone now can afford to buy a smart device and download spatial data); the increasingly high downloading speeds; the Internet of Things; cognitive computing for all to improve human decision-making; and the provision of personalized information and the Internet of Me. We now realize that societies are to a great extent spatially enabled. The challenge for land surveyors and geospatial experts is that we will develop our skills properly in order to increase the usability of these spatial data, to process this available information and to develop fit for purpose tools to enable societies to “uncover” the missing information and reduce inequalities.
What should be done to increase our skills?
We need to be able to:
- combine authoritative and non-authoritative data,
- establish FFP infrastructures,
- interpret & process data (inform once and use it several times and for various purposes),
- increase the “usability” of spatial data, systems and land tools,
- establish a mechanism for a consistent and repeatable update of information to compare & monitor the “geospatial maturity” of our society: the ability to retrieve the right information and use it to optimize activities required to achieve the SDGs.
The theme of our large 4-year FIG Congress “Embracing our smart world where the continents connect: enhancing the geospatial maturity of societies” finds its meaning in the joint effort for the “Geospatial Transformation of the World” and is aligned with the above definition of “geospatial maturity” of societies.
We aim to share the gained experience and knowledge in the surveying profession- our progress in developing, retrieving and using spatial information and land tools intelligently- among the various cultures and societies, and to enhance the ability of all people and governments to use information and tools properly to optimize activities required to achieve the SDGs.
Become a Presenter
1 Submit an abstract
If you would like to present, start by submitting an abstract. You will need the following: abstract, presentation category, keywords, themes, and biographical information.
2 Get Accepted
After we receive your presentation proposal, it moves to the evaluation step. We welcome the submission of proposals before 15 November / 1 October for peer review papers. All proposals will be reviewed before end of January 2018.
3 Register
Once your proposal is accepted, you must register before our Technical Committee can schedule your presentation.
Themes
- Professional Standards and Practice – FIG Commission 1
- Professional Education – FIG Commission 2
- Spatial Information Management – FIG Commission 3
- Hydrography – FIG Commission 4
- Positioning and Measurement – FIG Commission 5
- Engineering Surveys – FIG Commission 6
- Cadastre and Land Management – FIG Commission 7
- Spatial Planning and Development – FIG Commission 8
- Valuation and the Management of Real Estate – FIG Commission 9
- Construction Economics and Management – FIG Commission 10
- Real Estate Market Study – FIG Task Force
- History – The International Institution for the History of Surveying and Measurement
We invite you to submit an abstract and full paper for peer review paper by 1 October 2017 and an abstract for non-peer-review paper by 15 November 2017.