STDM Training during the Abuja Working Week 

Seventeen young land surveyors recently gained hands-on experience in the use and application of the Social Tenure Domain Model (STDM) as part of the FIG Young Surveyors Network activities during the recent FIG Working Week in Abuja, Nigeria, from 4 to 6 May 2013. The Training of Trainers (TOTs) was organised by the Global Land Tool Network Secretariat which is hosted by UN-Habitat, International Federation of Surveyors (FIG), FIG Foundation and Young Surveyors Network (YSN).

The training provided participants with an appreciation of the concepts behind the STDM. Participants developed an understanding of the STDM’s contribution to addressing key land issues and the role of land surveyors in partnership with grassroots communities. There was also a technical element to the training, with participants engaging with the elements of database management and gaining an overview of the structure of the software itself – learning how to enter, manipulate and analyse data. To ensure the ongoing use and development of the STDM, participants further took the opportunity to provide feedback on key STDM concepts and its accompanying information system, and shared how the STDM could fit into their own work and country context.

In the end, the participants were challenged to redefine their land surveying profession to meet the challenging needs of communities, both now and in the future. All participants are now considered ‘Trainers’, and they all have plans to extend the knowledge of the STDM back in their home countries. It is anticipated that the next STDM training will be hosted in the Caribbean by one of the new trainers from this training session.

Kate Fairlie, Chair Young Surveyors Network – FIG

Danilo Antonio, Global Land Tool Network – UN Habitat

FIG LADM Workshop in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, September 2013

On 24 and 25 September 2013, the International FIG Workshop on the Land Administration Domain Model (LADM2013) will be held, in conjunction with ISG2013, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The FIG organisation invites land professionals, members from academia and industry experts to participate.

The LADM is a common standard for the land administration domain. It will stimulate the development of software applications and will accelerate the implementation of proper land administration systems that will support sustainable development. The LADM covers basic information-related components of land administration. Workshop topics are:

-       refined LADM modelling

-       LADM data input/output

-       Information infrastructure

-       LADM scope and beyond

-       LADM implementation

The venue of the LADM Workshop is the International Campus of the Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Jalan Semarak, Kuala Lumpur.

Peter van Oosterom

Christiaan Lemmen