FIG2025: First Impressions and Fresh Questions from a Geospatial Newbie

Attending the FIG Working Week 2025 in Brisbane was, for me, both a professional milestone and a thought-provoking experience. As somebody who is new to the world of land administration, and a first-time attendee of the event, I approached FIG2025 with curiosity, anticipation, and more than a few questions. Over the course of the week, I found myself repeatedly surprised and inspired by the diversity, complexity, and urgency of the issues discussed. What I initially assumed would be a technically focused gathering of surveyors revealed itself to be a dynamic forum grappling with some of the most pressing global challenges of our time: climate resilience, gender equity, Indigenous rights, and the future of work.

A Local Event with Global Impact

The fact that FIG2025 was hosted in Brisbane made a significant difference, particularly for Pacific Island nations. Accessibility to global conferences is often an invisible barrier, one that is especially challenging for representatives from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like Kiribati, Tuvalu, and Micronesia. The geographic isolation of these countries means that participation in international fora is limited, expensive, and often logistically complex. This year, however, the proximity of the event allowed for unprecedented Pacific engagement.

For me, the Asia-Pacific Capacity Development Network and SIDS sessions were a major highlight, featuring representatives from countries across the region, including Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and beyond. Australian and New Zealand counterparts were also well represented, as the event combined with LOCATE25 – Australia’s national geospatial conference. The strength of this regional participation underscored the importance of holding such conferences in accessible locations. It was a reminder that inclusivity starts with access.

The sessions themselves were rich in dialogue and full of genuine exchange. Representatives from a broad range of organisations like Geoscience Australia, the Australian Hydrographic Office, the World Bank, SPC, and the PVBLIC Foundation brought valuable insights and support. Pacific delegates clearly articulated both the progress they’ve made in geodetic and surveying capabilities, and the ongoing challenges they face in land management. As Viliami Folau, the Deputy CEO and Director of Surveying at the Ministry of Lands in Tonga, noted, geodetic capacity is growing – but financing for comprehensive land administration remains elusive.

FIG2025 session on: SIDS/APCDN growing the capacity of land surveying and administration profession. From left to right: Stamatis Kotouzas, Andrick Lal, Kate Fairlie, Wayneworth Hamilton, Aaron Hick, and Redtrick Joel.

Coordination and Continuity

Beyond the presentations and panels, the potential for long-term collaboration was palpable. More meetings are already in the works, including the UN-GGCE capacity development event in Bangkok in July, and the PGSC meeting in Sydney towards the end of 2025. For these meetings to translate into real-world impact, however, they must be more than a continuation of dialogue. They need to result in participants being motivated and able to take action back home, at the national and community levels.

This is a challenge I find myself reflecting on as we at LEI look toward future opportunities. How do we leverage technical initiatives in the geospatial field to support broader land governance objectives? And how do we ensure that technical capabilities are sustainable and don’t result in ‘equipment graveyards’ or administration systems that are stuck in time?

A Sector at a Crossroads

One of the most surprising revelations for me during FIG2025 was learning just how acute the global shortage of surveyors has become. It seemed paradoxical at first – how can a field so central to infrastructure, urban planning, environmental monitoring, and national sovereignty be struggling to attract talent?

But as the week progressed, I gained some insights into some of the contributing factors. The consensus seemed to be that surveying and geospatial sciences have a visibility issue. Too often, the public perception of surveyors is limited to the figure standing roadside with a tripod. The vast scope of the profession, encompassing everything from satellite positioning to spatial justice, is hidden from view. This lack of understanding filters down to the next generation of professionals.

There was much talk at FIG about the need to target high school students, but conversations with young professionals revealed a more nuanced picture. In Australia, at least, high school outreach programs are relatively common. The real challenge seems to lie in university: students with an initial interest in geospatial fields are dropping off during tertiary education. Why? The reasons appear to include a lack of institutional support, unclear career pathways, and a cumbersome certification process.

This last point was raised repeatedly, especially in the SIDS sessions. To become a certified surveyor, one must navigate a complex and often opaque system – one that can be difficult even for well-resourced individuals. For aspiring professionals in low-capacity contexts, it can be nearly impossible. There is growing interest in exploring alternative models of certification, such as apprenticeship-based pathways, that focus on practical, on-the-job learning.

Gender, Inclusion, and the Power of Representation

The importance of inclusion – whether in terms of gender, neurodiversity, or Indigenous knowledge – was another strong theme that resonated throughout the week. I had the opportunity to attend two of the three sessions focused on gender: “Gender, Inclusion and Land in Spatial Governance,” and “Women’s Access to Land and Surveying.”

They will feed into the upcoming update of FIG Publication #24 on women’s access to land. The sessions highlighted not only the systemic barriers women face in accessing land and professional opportunities in surveying, but also the strength of the female leadership already transforming the field. It was energising to see so many women driving change across disciplines and countries.

However, the conference was not without its missteps. One moment stuck with me: a compelling presentation on the inclusion of neurodiverse individuals in the workplace was assigned to a gender-themed session. While the topic deserved its own space, and indeed the CEO of ASA presented on this theme in one of the daily plenary sessions, it was instead folded into a context that didn’t fully fit. I found myself waiting for mention of the gendered nature of the way that neurodiversity presents itself, or the way that ASA’s programs addressed the fact that late/adult diagnosis is much more common for women. Only during the Q&A, thanks to some thoughtful moderation and great audience participation, did we tease out these issues and relate the presentation to the theme of the session: Gender, Inclusion and Land in Spatial Governance. In this way, presenters, moderators and audience alike did work very well together and did a great job of transforming the session into a productive, linked and compelling discussion on gender, neurodiversity, and the world of geo-professionals.

This moment was emblematic of a broader issue. Inclusion must be intentional. It’s not enough to create space; we must also frame and facilitate discussions in a way that respects and amplifies each voice on its own terms.

At the same time, there was a frustrating personal dissonance that lingered throughout the week. Again and again, I heard people ask “Why aren’t more women or young people entering the geospatial profession?” Yet as a young woman, even one who has the great fortune of working in a very safe, female-lead workplace, I have found myself repeatedly subjected to inappropriate comments and misogynistic behaviour. Conversations with more experienced women in the field and other young professionals revealed that this experience is not unusual. Of course people are deterred from joining the profession. Why would women and young people stay in a sector that not only fails to make entry easy or clear, but also makes them feel unsafe or unwelcome once they arrive. Whilst industry culture is extremely difficult problem to solve, I feel that it is necessary to acknowledge that women don’t just want tokens of affirmative action – they want to feel safe and as if they don’t have to be ready to defend themselves while at work.  Yes, there were powerful women in the room, and I took great inspiration from that and from their work – but it’s sobering to acknowledge that in just five months in this industry, I’ve experienced more explicit sexism than in any other context in my life.

The Need for Policy-Relevant Storytelling

Linking to the image issues that I’ve spoken about above, and clear in presentations throughout FIG2025 was the urgent need to communicate the value of geospatial science in ways that resonate with policymakers. Technical excellence alone is not enough. We need to make a stronger case for why geodesy, surveying, and spatial governance matter—not just to scientists, but to societies.

Take maritime boundaries, for example. Around 25% of maritime boundaries in the Pacific remain unresolved. This isn’t just a technical issue; it has enormous implications for national economic development, environmental protection, and geopolitical stability. Yet, without clear narratives that connect the technical to the tangible, it’s difficult to mobilise political will or financial support.

We need more and better storytelling – stories that link reference frames to food security, that show how place naming can strengthen community identity, and that demonstrate how land administration underpins everything from housing to heritage.

Looking Ahead

As I reflect on my time at FIG2025, I find myself both inspired and challenged. The event was a testament to the strength and diversity of the geospatial community. It was a space of connection, of critical thinking, and of commitment to a better, more just world. But it also revealed the fragilities in its systems: the cracks in education pathways, the rigidity of certification models, and the sometimes-tokenistic nature of our inclusion efforts.

Are we truly listening to the voices we aim to include? Are we designing systems that support rather than exclude? And are we doing enough to ensure that the next generation of geospatial professionals sees a bright future in this field?

FIG2025 didn’t provide all the answers – but it helped me ask better questions. It was a great opportunity for me to learn more about this area of work and inspired me to stay curious and engaged with the real-world impacts of the work that we do here at LEI and in the profession more broadly. I saw a whole group of people working hard to make the world a better place, and in particular a really strong cohort of female leaders powering through regardless of the challenges they faced.

Header image: Kate Fairlie, Kate Rickersey and Naia Webb representing Land Equity International at the FIG2025 LOCATE2025 conference in Brisbane in April.