THE EDUCATION AND PRACTICE OF THE GEODETIC SURVEYOR IN WESTERN EUROPE
4.0 CONCLUSIONS
In designing a system of mutual recognition of qualifications for the Geodetic Surveying industry, the CLGEE would do well to examine the system already well established for Engineers under the auspices of the Féderation Européene d'Associations Nationales d'Ingénieurs (FEANI). Incorporation into this system has been examined by several countries individually and generally rejected on various grounds. There is no reason to prevent the creation of a separate but similar mechanism to accommodate the geodetic surveying profession.
Degrees in geodetic surveying at both Fachhochschule and Technical University equate well under the B + 3 minimum scheme for entry to a basic register, such as the FEANI Register. It also makes sense to copy the FEANI total package of seven years for qualification as a European Engineer. A similar case could be argued for the European Geodetic Surveyor. In addition, it will be a pity if there has also to be a separate association for technician surveyors, like that being considered for the engineering profession by EurEta. (European Higher Engineering and Technical Professionals Association).
Although the two aspects, education and professional competence, are closely inter-related - the former being the basis of the latter - each is presented in this report by two separate diagrammatic summaries in the form of circular charts. This form of presentation has been chosen to clear linguistic barriers and to ensure that proper emphasis is assigned to the various groupings selected. The diagrams therefore attempt to give a quantitative as well as a qualitative picture.
The framework is also capable of extension to illustrate all levels of surveying education and professional activity within a country. A good example of this is given in the Appendix for West Germany (D4) where five different levels are depicted. It is also flexible enough to respond to individual cases, such as in Greece, to accommodate the civil engineering activities of the Greek Surveyor.
The work was funded by all seventeen countries in proper measure. During these visits a most cordial and industrious work period ensued which made the best possible use of the short time available. Subsequently draft reports have been commented upon by the various member-associations and much valuable additional information has been obtained.The author wishes to acknowledge the assistance of the many FIG colleagues and European contacts who have helped to make this report possible and in particular members of the CLGEE through whom further contact may be made .
The education and training of a specialist group, such as geodetic surveyors, cannot be isolated from the vocational activity it seeks to serve, nor from those allied professions with which it has to deal. Specifically, the activities of the geodetic surveyor are inter-twined with those of civil engineering, architecture, building, and property ownership and his education cannot be divorced from basic studies like law, finance and science; all are in dynamic flux together.
There is a list of reference material listed under each country. Much of it is held in the library of the RICS in London and is available for study on request.
It must be realised that the facts presented here may be subject to some error and that, because systems change, they will be dated. However, the method of analysis and presentation should stand the test of the time and will provide a useful means of up-dating in future. For this reason, the report is prepared on an Apple Macintosh computer, and is also available on disk. Investigations are also advanced to incorporate the data into the FIG data bank and to make much of it available on an international computer network for others to continue the work.
Published by the Comité de Liaison des Géometres Européens /
The European Council of Geodetic Surveyors
