Commission 10, Construction Economics and Management, has lately focused its activities on project management, but quantity surveying is still a high-status item on its agenda. To increase

co-operation with other quantity and cost-engineering associations, FIG accepted the gracious invitation from the Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors (PAQS) to attend its 13th Annual Congress in Kuala Lumpur on 17th and 18th August 2009.

FIG was represented at this congress by Andrew Morley, chair, FIG Commission 10, and CheeHai Teo, vice-president. Over 450 delegates attended the congress from more than twenty countries; substantial delegations arrived from Brunei, Singapore, PR China (including Hong Kong SAR), Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and host Malaysia.

Accompanying the Congress was the inaugural World Summit of Construction Economists, Cost Engineers and Quantity Surveyors, attended by the president of the African Association of Quantity Surveyors, president of the European Council for Construction Economists, chairman of the International Cost Engineering Council, chairman of Pacific Association of Quantity Surveyors, vice-president of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and FIG, facilitated by the Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia. The outcome of the summit was the signing of an ‘in principle agreement' by these six organisations to:

• further develop and foster a global community of leaders in the profession

• foster global co-operation in areas of significance for global professional policy

• shape the agenda for a global forum in terms of economic trends, climate change, energy and water management

• provide a platform, underpinned by knowledge and technology, to ensure the achievement of excellence in terms of service delivery, competence and education.

The meeting in Kuala Lumpur was an historic event, and the respect and rapport forged among these organisations can only lead to further engagement, co-operation, collaboration and partnership between construction economists, cost engineers and quantity surveyors.

FIG, and on its behalf Commission 10, is preparing a larger seminar and programme for QS professionals on construction economics to be held at the FIG Congress 2010.

Now is the time to register for the four-yearly FIG World Congress to be held in Sydney, Australia, from 11th to 16th April 2010, see www.fig2010.com. You can still propose papers for the programme, even though the deadline is already past.