FIG Active in Construction Economics and Management at PAQS Conference in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 17-18 August 2009

Organisers of the 13th Annual PAQS Conference in Kuala Lumpur after the successful event.

FIG is work plan covers all surveying disciplines among these construction economics and management which is the main responsibility of Commission 10. The commission has focused its activities lately on project management but quantity surveying has still high status 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 & 18th August 2009. FIG was represented at this congress by Mr. Andrew Morley, Chair of FIG Commission 10 and Mr. CheeHai Teo, Vice President. Over 450 delegates attended the Congress coming from over 20 countries with substantial delegations from Brunei, Singapore, PR China (including Hong Kong SAR), Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and host Malaysia.

On the sideline of the Congress was the inaugural World Summit of Construction Economist, Cost Engineers and Quantity Surveyors attended by the President of 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 Surveyor 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:

1. further develop and foster a global community of leaders in the Profession;
2. foster global cooperation in area of significance for global policy for the profession;
3. shape the agenda for a global forum in terms of economic trends, climate change, energy and water management; and
4. 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 amongst these organizations can only lead to further engagement, cooperation, collaboration and partnership amongst Construction Economist, Cost Engineers and Quantity Surveyors.

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

Teo CheeHai, FIG Vice President
Andrew Morley, Chair, FIG Commission 10

More to read more:

• Conference web site: http://www.paqs2009.com/

3 September 2009