The German Society for Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management (DVW) is a large national organisation dedicated to furthering the professional prospects of the 8800 member surveying community. It accomplishes this task through local, national and international meetings, participation and dialogue. Vector1 Media editor Jeff Thurston recently interviewed the President of the DVW, Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karl-Friedrich Thöne to learn more about the organisation and some of the ongoing activities.
V1 Magazine: As President of the German Society for Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management you must participate in a broad range of activities. Can you describe what your position involves and a few of the key areas that the DVW is directed toward?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: My understanding of leadership as President of the DVW – German Society for Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management is at first to promote the sense of belonging together in the surveyor community of about 8,800 professional members in Germany. Corporate Identity is a highly important presupposition to support our discipline in science, research and practical experience and moreover to present the achievements and the fundamental societal contribution of our profession to our clients and a broader public.
Upon being elected by the DVW General Assembly as President in 2008 and after 10 years of voluntary work as DVW Vice-President, I can proudly say that DVW both thematically and organizationally is well structured and organized. There are 13 DVW state associations that are organized into local groups. Each of these can guarantee a vital professional and social cohesion, comprising the education, further training and development of its individual members.
Professionally the DVW is arranged into 7 expert study groups including surveying profession, geoinformation, measurement, engineering surveys, land management, real estate valuation and geodesy. They deal with state-of-the-art surveying and land management issues on both, a national and global level and give decisive input to conferences, seminars, publications, legislative draft bills and to the well know German conference held yearly – INTERGEO. The DVW contributes to the INTERGEO conference programme and our findings are presented there.
The connection between the DVW and the individual German state associations and the work of the groups is maintained permanently by the DVW President`s Board. The current key activities of my working plan for DVW are well defined and appointed by the General Assembly:
Primarily we have developed a common strategy for recruiting qualified young people for our profession as an appropriate reaction to a dramatic lack of new recruits for engineer sciences in general on the one hand and excellent professional perspectives for Geodesy, Geoinformation and Land Management on the other hand.
Secondarily we are successfully working on a closer cooperation between the various “sister” associations in the broad field of geodesy, cartography, geoinformation, photogrammetry or hydrography in order to establish a connected and networking geo-associations community. This includes a stronger representation of common professional interests and joint activities in the fields of further education, recruiting new young professionals, branding, a close coordination in the specialist work of the association committees and the improvement of cross-industry communication. A visible sign is a joint presentation stand that includes the combined associations and societies for the third time at the INTERGEO in Nuremberg this fall – the so-called “Geo-Associations Park”.
Thirdly, DVW will inceasingly become involved in international matters, primarliy through the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) on meeting the global professional challenges and responsibilities. In order to promote our profession’s societal key role and to raise public political awareness we have to define and particularly to communicate much more than before about the surveyor’s fundamental contribution toward the main global challenges of sustainable development. We feel that the German surveying sector can make a valuable and important contribution to this effort where appropiate.
Finally, the further development of IITERGEO as a well recognized brand of DVW, aiming at meeting the modern requirements of a congress fair, will continuously be a core and main emphasis of my work.
V1 Magazine: The DVW has a long history, something many other places may not necessarily have. How does the long history of German surveying and the DVW contribute toward the perceptions and challenges of the surveying and geoinformation sector in your view? Are there unique benefits and impacts that long term national surveying organisations bring?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: DVW was established in 1871 as a professional institution and was one of the founders of FIG. Thus, 140 years of experience in successful professional policy is part of our branding and confidence marketing. A long tradition symbolizes stability, continuity, reliability and sustainability as a main feature of our engineering profession. We can be really proud of this.
In my view tradition is much more than a nostalgic view back to the past. It belongs to a strong internal and outward appearance of a professional association, even though we need to acknowledge some deficits in the marketing profile of surveyors where they arise.
Compared with other industry sectors, surveyors comprise a smaller number, ranging around 30,000 professionals in Germany. Our field of activity in economy, administration, science, research and education is widespread. Surveyors are working in a value-added chain as a service discipline and thus we cannot be identified directly with a product. The multi-disciplinary nature of the work and diversity of occupation is also an advantage as well as a challenge to be perceived externally both for the corporate identity of our members and for recruiting young professionals.
Therefore, DVW is actually developing guidelines for a new marketing strategy for the surveying profession in co-operation with other geo-associations and the German Geodetic Commission. It aims to sharpen the profile of our key competences for solving actual and future societal problems with relevance to geodesy, geoinformation and land management.
As a counter strategy during the current economic times, where financial behaviours without measure, values and morality, seem to be apparent means that we have need to make clear, that engineering disciplines, especially in the field of surveying, are characterised by a solid professional-ethical basis. Accordingly, issues and virtues like sustainability and reliability as a code of conduct are important to us and can generate real and lasting values in terms of solutions.
So the unique benefits of a strong national surveying society with a stabile financial basis, a functioning internal organization and good networks to partner organizations, policy and media are quite evident: doing the daily work of good professional “lobbyism” as well as being capable for long-term strategic initiatives.
V1 Magazine: As you know there has been considerable discussion in Germany about geoinformation data privacy issues with people having a variety of thoughts on this issue. How do you interpret the issue? How is the DVW involved in these debates? Where is this likely to lead in Germany for those involved in delivering spatially related technologies, applications and services?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: In a world which is becoming more and more complex, reliable geoinformation are absolutely essential. This applies to the entire value-added chain, starting with data acquisition, data processing up to data integration. The fundamental contribution and benefits that services like Google bring is that satellite images and aerial photos are combined with geodata. This is making geoinformations available as a digital mass product with a wide variety of different applications and possibilities.
Freely available geoinformation leads to greater transparency as it is linked directly to improvements in dealing with personal data. Data integration versus data privacy issues is highly topical – maybe typical and specific to Germany – and a core point under broad emotional discussion in German society which can also find roots in painful historical experience. With Google Street View or Microsoft`s “Bing” this topic now has a geo perspective and reference.
As a result of this a national Geo-codex was worked out to find a common approach about how to deal with “geo” privacy issues. The central approach is how to protect the personal rights of individual persons against their identification in geo applications. It is only natural that DVW is involved in the dispute and the findings of a political solution. This year`s INTERGEO in Nuremberg offers a forum and opportunity for societal and expert debate on technical progress and its ethic borders. It seems to me that this discussion is not yet at the end, hopefully not only in Germany.
V1 Magazine: Those outside Germany may know that the country has sixteen Länder (similar to states or provinces). How is the DVW involved in integrating these different parts of the country into cohesive policies in relation to the Bundesamt für Kartographie und Geodäsie (BKG – German Federal Agency for Cartography and Geodesy) in the country? Are there differences in geospatial activities between Länder? Are there unique challenges?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: The cadastral and surveying authorities of the German Laender, which are constitutionally responsible for the real estate cadastre and state survey, cooperate within the Working Committee of the Surveying Authorities of the States of the Federal Republic of Germany (AdV). Through this permanent task force the Laender and the central government – also with competences spread over different ministries mainly for interior, for environment, for agriculture and for infrastructure – discuss matters of fundamental and (inter)national importance with a view to finding uniform regulations.
Positive examples for a successful cooperation are the AFIS-ALKIS-ATKIS project and the establishment of central access points for spatial information. DVW as an NGO is not part of the AdV but nevertheless acts as an interest group and a voice of the surveyor community where it`s neutral statements are very welcome in the general decision processes in Germany. DVW is involved in a permanent communication process between the parties concerned regarding the necessity of data harmonization and standardization as a matter of competitiveness within the highly developed German geo-expertise sector.
V1 Magazine: Recent events in Japan due to earthquake activity seems to have resulted in heightened interest in nuclear activities in Germany. Undoubtedly geodesy is involved in both places and more scientific information would help to reduce fears. Is the DVW involved in geodetic activities relative to the current German debates? Do you see the DVW becoming involved in more German geodetic activities as a result of these events?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: Indeed it is expected from DVW as a powerful surveying association and a mouthpiece of the scientific and practical competences of its members will become part of these debates concerning the limits and perspectives of the technical progress in our country. And the natural disaster in Japan underlines once more that international connection of geo-experts is absolutely a must. There is also no doubt about that modern surveying is contributing essentially to the recording and reshaping of Global Change.
Geoinformation and environment are main topics on the agenda of this year`s INTERGEO in Nuremberg. Under the banner of earthquakes and nuclear catastrophe in Japan, floods in Pakistan and China or other natural disasters, we as geo-experts have to pay much more attention to the solution of logistic problems relating to disaster risk management and prevention. Successful strategies depend upon reliable space and time referenced geoinformation and location data.
Regarding the multi-disciplinary involvement of geo-experts it requires a much closer network and stronger communication in the field of environmental protection than currently exists. INTERGEO as a communication platform between providers of geo-hard- and software, clients, scientists and practical applications as well as our initiative aims to provide cooperation between the geo-associations help to enable a “connected community” in order to support environmental debate within the agenda of current societal discussions. This communication strategy serves to positively increase perceptions of our profession. This also offers excellent perspectives for young professionals to become engaged and to participate.
DVW will continue to face the professional challenges and responsibilities related to globalisation, demographic change, reducing poverty, energy supply, climate change, preservation of the environment, guarantee of security or protection systems for private property. These societal demands are in direct connection to our professional work and employment today and in the future and they correspond with the thematic agenda of the upcoming conference.
Moreover, on the national German and European level topics like demography, migration, consolidation of the public budgets. E-government and Internet are identified as the future drivers for societal development in the public sector. Without geoinformation nothing will work there because the users of information and communication technologies dependend on digital content involving time and space.
V1 Magazine: The DVW has a prominent role in the widely popular INTERGEO event held yearly in the country. Can you describe that role and what the event is intended for?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: DVW acts as the organiser of the INTERGEO, which has emerged to become the world’s largest event and communication platform in the developing field of surveying from a multi-discplinary perspective. The trade fair, shaped in close partnership with HINTE GmbH, and held in parallel to the conference provide and broad overview of the key trends and innovations within the sector. This includes the entire value-added chain – from spatial geo-referenced information surveys and data processing to economical, ecological and social applications for a better understanding of the earth systems a local, regional, national and global level.
The conference integrates technique and technology and thus makes it a “must” for all geo-professionals and their clients. This year the theme will be “Knowledge and Action for Planet Earth”. Meanwhile, the trade fair has developed to the quintessential driving force for geo-businesses, offering the biggest product market place worldwide and this year we expect more than 500 exhibiting enterprises. Thus, INTERGEO forms a network between all relevant target groups for effective business relationships and management decisions relating to politics, welfare and business. The event has now also become the year’s top draw for young companies and startups on the geoinformation scene.
The 2011 INTERGEO Congress will be held in parallel with the 59th German Cartographic Conference in collaboration with the German Cartographic Society and integrates the scientific Geodetic Week. Within the accompanying conference over 1,500 experts shape a platform in the fields of science, research and applicable solutions for high-quality and reviewed presentations on actual developments under discussion in the scene.
I am quite sure, that just the combination of trade fair on the one hand and presentations on the other hand make the event highly attractive. Topics will include popular areas like ALKIS, OpenStreetMap, real estate register, property valuation, indoor navigation and developments in land management are also highly topical. Other focal points include mobile cartography and historical reminiscences, INSPIRE, geoinformation in dialogue, geodesy in crisis management and its role in shaping global change. The event also provides an excellent careers shop window. The cooperation of organisations in the geo sector is a success story. Last but not least, the “GIS in Schools” competition and the DVW GIS Best Practice Award are positive marketing for geodesy, geoinformation and land management. I hope I have raised your interest and we look forward to seeing you at INTERGEO 2011 in Nuremberg, 27-29 September!
V1 Magazine: Could you explain what AFIS-ALKIS-ATKIS is and how that effort is proceeding within Germany? Is DVW involved in development?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: The task of the surveying, mapping, and cadastral authorities of the federal states of Germany is to provide reference data in Germany. The so-called “geobasis data” for official, administrative, industrial and private purposes. This is both core competence and a unique selling proposition of the surveying profession and services like Google can never take the place of this.
Since the early 1980`s information systems for the real estate cadastre – ALK (Automated Real Estate Map) and ALB (Automated Real Estate Register) – and for topographic data – ATKIS (Official Topographic Cartographic Information System) – were established across the whole of Germany. Most Federal States are governed by a cabinet ruling that ALK and ATKIS data shall be used as a reference for other technical information systems.
Currently the existing information systems ALK and ALB are integrated into the information system ALKIS (Official Real Estate Cadastre Information System). A harmonization process in respect of the data model, the content and the semantics has also been carried out in line with ATKIS. The information on the control stations originally belong neither to ALK nor to ATKIS, they are now modeled in their own information system called Official Geodetic Control Station Information System (AFIS) with a separate feature catalogue.
These projects AFIS, ALKIS and ATKIS (=AAA), with their nationally standardized features are described in a common form as the future reference of the surveying, mapping, and cadastral authorities in Germany. AAA are currently available in Germany. This approach has a lot of advantages and is suitable to derive the requirements for INSPIRE.
From the beginning, members of DVW were involved in the development of AAA. For DVW it is a major concern to provide training for AAA. The DVW Study Group “Spatial information and data management” is in charge for these issues on both a scientific and practical level. Their findings are presented at conferences, seminars, in DVW-publications and in “zfv”, the journal for the surveying profession.
V1 Magazine: What does the student of today need to gain a successful career in surveying, geoinformation and land management? Do you see areas that need talented and knowledgeable people? What are missing in terms of education for these professionals that we should be doing better?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: Geoinformation is as well part of the name of our association as a main field of surveying activities. This rapidly growing market offers indeed excellent future perspectives for young professionals able to act as team players in a multi-disciplinary connected community. Surveyors should interpret their role as “specialized generalists”.
The Technical Universities and the Universities of Applied Sciences which are educating surveyors are facing those new skills and challenges in an intensive dialogue with DVW. But due to a general lack of engineers and especially of surveyors in Germany for geoinformation as well as for geodesy and land management talented and knowledgeable young people with a good technical and mathematical basic understanding are urgently needed.
Because of my professional background as a land manager I would appreciate planning competence becoming a more important skill in the curriculum of the study. Namely that would considerably improve the position of surveyors in urban and rural planning procedures.
However, I predict that young people who now start studying surveying can pick leading functions they want in the private and public sector when they have finished their education. So, for the promotion of our profession and as a part of a recruiting initiative DVW is joining-up with the association of the licensed surveyors and other professional societies. It has launched a young people website www.arbeitsplatz-erde.de which soon will be available also in English.
V1 Magaine: Is the DVW involved at pan-European levels with other survey related organisations? In what ways? Is the pan-European INSPIRE Directive having impacts on the German surveyor community?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: DVW is one of the key actors on the international level in the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG). FIG is an international, non-government organization whose purpose is to support international collaboration for the progress of surveying in all fields and applications. DVW is represented in all FIG working groups. In 2010 Professor Rudolf Staiger was elected FIG Vice President. On the European level DVW is the German member of the CLGE, the Council of European Geodetic Surveyors. It is the mission of CLGE to represent and promote the interests of the geodetic surveying profession in the private and public sector in Europe.
FIG and CLGE have a major focus on the SDI developments. The EU directive INSPIRE is a top issue and DVW is closely accompanying the development.
By the way, the congress during the INTERGEO 2011 will spend a whole day on the INSPIRE topic. All major players and drivers in Germany and abroad will join this DVW event.
V1 Magazine: What do you consider to be the Top 3 surveying related issues or challenges facing Germany today? What steps might be made to deal with them?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: The Top 3 surveying related topics on the political agenda in Germany are without an internal ranking
1. Preservation of the environment as the key resource for further sustainable economic development in close connection with adjustment measures to climate change comprising disaster risk management and moreover conservation measures for the biological diversity,
2. Energy supply under the current societal discussion about switching off nuclear power plants, the promotion of regenerative energies and the future of mobility,
3. Management of the demographic change (overaging of the population, low birth rate, inner-German migration, integration of immigrants) as a main challenge for the adjustment of the social and technical infrastructure and for urban and rural regional and physical planning and development.
For this all disciplines of the surveying profession can and must contribute decisively. Geoinformations provide the basics for decision makers. Land administration and land management, readjustment of real estate property and land use as well as valuation are crucial for shaping the change in a free, private property based society. At least this call for both the preparedness of our colleagues to be part of the discussion and the solution and that society rely on the role of the surveyors as custodians. DVW is working on this awareness-building process persistently.
V1 Magazine: I spent some time on the DVW website and it is impressive for completeness and the way it embraces many activities. My sense is that the German surveyor community and GIS community work together well, something we do not see in many other places sometimes. How did this level of integration and collaboration come about? Is this why we see such vibrant activity surrounding 3D City Modeling in Germany?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: I am very proud of the new DVW website, which we re-launched in May 2011. It represents the entire DVW activities and thus is a useful source for our members and the promotion of our profession. The 3D-activities have to be regarded in this context. I am sure that future information systems will have a stronger focus on 3D issues. Therefore members of DVW are professionally engaged in the 3D City Modeling process. We expect that this standard will be essential in Germany.
V1 Magazine: What were your personal goals when you became President of DVW? Are you achieving them, have they changed at all or have you added to them?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: My approach is to be an ambassador for our fascinating profession. Personal goals when starting my presidency – always in accordance with the Board and mandated by the members – were to develop DVW as a strong and well recognized player in the national and global surveying community. This comprises also a confession for the social responsibility of geodesy, geoinformation and land management. A functioning professional association in my opinion has to offer social life and bindings of the members as well as professional orientation and corporate identity. This includes publicity making in every sense.
Internal stability of our association takes a healthy financial basis for granted which is also essential for our ambitious scientific and practical work both on national and international level – one of the most prominent presidential tasks to take care of. Over and above that information policy is a core of membership policy. Recruiting new blood for the surveying profession is without any doubt obviously a specific German problem and one of my most serious challenges. Those were the key targets. However, the demands to the surveying profession are changing permanently and requires a flexible reaction of a professional institution and it`s management to be always state-of-the-art.
V1 Magazine: What will the DVW be doing in 5 years?
Karl-Friedrich Thöne: I express my confidence with an optimistic view to the future that today as well as in 5 years DVW will be the powerful manifestation of a self-confident surveying profession.
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Prof. Dr.-Ing. Karl-Friedrich Thöne
Präsident DVW
c/o Thüringer Ministerium für Landwirtschaft,
Forsten, Umwelt und Naturschutz
Abteilungsleiter 2 – Forsten und Naturschutz
Dienstgebäude Hallesche Straße 16
99085 Erfurt
Info: http://www.dvw-lv.de
