How to Get More Students Involved in FIG

How to get students and young surveyors more involved in FIG has been an important discussion topic in FIG for several years. Without active participation of the next generation there is no future for any profession or professional association.

FIG established some years ago a task force for under-represented groups in surveying that is now the Network of Under-represented Groups chaired by Gabriele Dasse (Working Group 1.5 in Commission 1).

What else could be done? Two active students from the Lund University in Sweden have made their proposal. They challenge FIG to take more action in the attached article. They will also make a presentation at the next FIG Working Week in Athens in May 2004.

In the Working Week programme one technical session is reserved to discuss the topic Buidling Bridge to the Next Generation. This will be also a starting point for discussions if a students network or membership in FIG is possible and how it should be organised.

In Athens there will be also an informal evening meeting for students and young surveyors together with the Greek surveying students. The FIG Council is actively encouraging students and younf surveyors to participate the working week in Athens.

It is worth mentioning that FIG is co-sponsoring  the next International Geodetic Students Meeting in Finland in June 2004 and looking for options to raise this co-operation to a more permanent level. You can read more about this conference at: http://otax.tky.hut.fi/IGSM2004/