10th FIG Young Surveyors Conference Navigating Tomorrow: Empowering Surveyors For a Sustainable World
23–24 May 2026 | The Cullinan Hotel, Cape Town
The 10th FIG Young Surveyors Conference marks a significant milestone celebrating 20 years of Young Surveyors within the International Federation of Surveyors. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Cape Town, this landmark gathering brings together emerging professionals, industry leaders, and global partners to reflect on two decades of impact while charting a forward-looking path for the profession.
Over one and half days, the programme will explore the evolving role of young surveyors in addressing global challenges across land governance, climate resilience, infrastructure development, and technological innovation. Through keynote sessions, panel discussions, and interactive engagements, participants will share knowledge, exchange ideas, and strengthen networks that span continents and disciplines.
As both a celebration and a call to action, the conference highlights the contributions of the Young Surveyors community in shaping a more inclusive, sustainable, and future-ready profession while empowering the next generation to lead with purpose and vision.
FIG Young Surveyors Network
Shirley Chapunza, Chair, Zimbabwe
Marcus Schmitt (USA) and Angela Anyakora(Nigeria), Vice-Chairs
Nozipho Madlala , LOC YSN Representative, South Africa
Why you should attend
- Celebrate 20 years of YSN and shape its vision for the future.
- Gain skills, insights, and networks to grow as a land professional.
- Collaborate with peers and leaders on solutions for a sustainable world.
- Experience Cape Town, one of the world’s most vibrant and culturally rich cities, as the backdrop to this landmark event.
What to expect
The two-day programme has been carefully designed to combine inspiration, knowledge-sharing, and celebration:
- Reflections & Milestones
The conference will celebrate 20 years of FIG YSN, highlighting its journey from a small initiative to a thriving global network. We will launch the 5th International Youth and Land Governance Conference (CIGOFA5), building on the successes of its earlier gatherings to spotlight youth-led action on land across Africa.
- Keynotes & Fireside Chats
Hear from global thought leaders, past and current YSN champions who are reshaping the conversation around land and youth. Expect thought-provoking insights that connect history, legacy, and the future.
- Interactive Workshops & Breakouts
Dive into parallel sessions where participants will co-create ideas, explore new technologies, and debate solutions to the most urgent land governance challenges. These sessions are designed to be dynamic, participatory, and practical, where every young surveyor has a voice.
- Networking & Collaboration
More than just a conference, this is an opportunity to connect with peers, mentors, academics, and development partners. From breakfast networking to informal teas and the vibrant evening social events, there will be countless opportunities to build lasting professional and personal connections.
- YSN@20 Celebration
Join us for a special evening marking two decades of YSN’s impact. With live music, reflections, and moments of celebration, this milestone will honour the journey so far while looking ahead to an even brighter future.
- Charity & Awards
On the final day, participants will take part in a charity event, showcasing youth-led initiatives that are transforming land rights and governance. It’s a chance to celebrate achievements, inspire new actions, and contribute to meaningful causes.
Programme
| 23 May 2026 | |
| 07:30- 08:15 | Registration and Networking Tea |
| 08:15- 09:00 | Welcome Address An official welcome launching the conference and framing the collective mission of empowering young surveyors to navigate global challenges and build a sustainable world. Moderator: Marcus Schmitt, Rapporteur: Angela Anyakora Diane Dumashie – FIG President Nape Mojapelo – FIG Congress LOC Chairperson Michalis Kalogiannakis – FIG Vice-President and YSN/Council Liaison Winnie Shu – FIG Vice-President and FIG Foundation Director Shirley Tendai Chapunza – FIG YSN Chair Nozipho Madlala – YSN LOC Representative |
| 09:00- 10:30 | Keynote Plenary Session: Navigating tomorrow: Empowering surveyors for a sustainable world Over the past two decades, the YSN journey has demonstrated that a sustainable future for surveying is shaped not only by tools and technology, but also by mentorship, ethics, institutional continuity, and intergenerational collaboration. This plenary session therefore aims to shift the conversation beyond innovation alone, focusing on the people who carry the profession forward. It will explore how professionalism safeguards public trust in an era of rapid technological advancement, and why empowering emerging leaders remains essential to securing the profession’s long-term relevance and impact. Moderator: Shirley Tendai Chapunza, Rapporteur: Marcus Schmitt Tim Burch – Director, National Society of Professional Surveyors, USA Shaaden Salem – EDU Program Manager, Trimble Craig Hill – Vice President Marketing and Services, Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon David Elegbede – Co-Lead FIG YSN Volunteer Community Surveyor Program |
| 10:30- 10:45 | Networking Tea Break Enjoy a refreshing break and networking opportunity with fellow attendees. |
| 10:45- 11:45 | 20 Years of YSN Impact, Innovation, and the Geospatial Changemakers Who Mapped the Way For twenty years, the Young Surveyors Network has been more than a program, it has been a global community built on volunteerism, mentorship, and belief in young professionals. This celebratory session honours the journey, the leaders, and the relationships that turned participation into lasting impact. Through reflections and stories, it highlights lessons in building a network grounded in trust, collaboration, and intergenerational support, celebrating a legacy that continues to inspire the next generation. Moderator: Angela Anyakora, Rapporteur: Paula Teperino Enrico Rispoli and John Hohol – FIG Foundation Kwabena Asiama– FIG Commission 8 Chair John Brock – The Brock Gift for the Future/Awar Cromwell Monalato – FIG Climate Compass Task Force |
| 11:45- 12:45 | Geospatial Intelligence for Resilient Infrastructure and Resource Systems From Data to Development: How Young Surveyors Are Transforming Land Information Systems for Resilient and Sustainable Communities. Young professionals from Uganda, Australia, Denmark, and Nigeria will share how land information and cadastral systems currently function in their countries, highlighting key strengths, challenges, and recent developments. The session will also reflect on how young surveyors can contribute to improving and modernising these systems to support sustainable development and resilient communities. Moderator: Nandipha Kunene, Rapporteur: Seember Gbargbar Rebecca Abitimo – Ministry of Land, Housing, and Urban Development, Uganda Toyeeb OLOWOFAYOKUN – GEOELITE MAPPING COMPANY LIMITED,Nigeria Simon Reimers – Danish Geodata Agency, Denmark Ezra Miller – FIG Foundation Grant Recipient, Australia |
| 12:45- 13:30 | Lunch Break |
| 13:30- 14:45 | Strengthening Capacity for a Sustainable Future A sustainable world requires capable, ethical, and empowered professionals. This session explores how the profession is intentionally building human capacity to meet future global challenges. Drawing on insights from the FIGYSN Volunteer Community Surveyor Program (VCSP), the FIG and NSPS Mentoring Programs, and the IAG Early Career Scientists approach to workforce development, it highlights practical approaches to strengthening leadership, technical competence, and continuity, demonstrating how investment in people keeps the profession resilient and globally connected. Moderator: Nozipho Madlala, Rapporteur: Iaroslav Zifceac Zifceac Angela Anyakora – FIGYSN Volunteer Community Surveyor Program Franck Ghomisi – International Association of Geodesy-Early Career Scientists David Elegbede and Nolan Mark – FIG and NSPS Mentoring Programs |
| 14:45- 15:30 | Connected Surveying in Practice: From Field Capture to Intelligent Delivery This sponsored session brings together industry leaders to showcase how modern surveying workflows are becoming fully connected—from real-time field data capture to seamless office processing and final delivery. Through practical insights and live use cases, the session will demonstrate how integrated technologies, automation, and digital tools are improving accuracy, efficiency, and decision-making across the project lifecycle. Moderator: Alina Khoptar, Rapporteur: Eloi Tandonnet Lidija Spiranec – Product Manager Monitoring Solutions, Leica Geosystems, part of Hexagon Lazarus Mampa – Junior Sales Consultant, Optron |
| 15:30- 15:45 | Tea Break : Meet A SurveyPal Enjoy a refreshing break and networking opportunity with fellow attendees. |
| 15:45- 16:45 | Beyond Leadership: Shaping Resilient and People-Centred Institutions The session will examine evolving global challenges, intergenerational leadership, innovation, ethics, and inclusion, creating space for reflection on how emerging leaders can shape institutions that are resilient, responsive, and people-centered. Moderator: David Elegbede, Rapporteur: Priscilla Dufie Darko Eloi Tandonnet – Ordre Des Geometres-experts, France Xiaobin Zhang – Professor of Land Management, Lanzhou University Simiso Ntuli – Lecturer and Researcher, Durban University of Technology |
| 16:45- 17:00 | Closing Session Summarize key insights from the day’s sessions, and express gratitude to participants, sponsors, and speakers. Encourage further networking among attendees. Marcus Schmitt – Vice Chair, FIG YSN |
| 17:30- 22:30 | FIG YSN-Leica Social Event Networking event sponsored by |
| 24 May 2026 | |
| 08:45- 09:00 | Opening Address Recap of highlights from Day 1. Angela Anyakora – Vice Chair, FIG YSN |
| 09.00- 09:45 | ESRI Sponsored Session |
| 09:45- 10:00 | Tea Break: Meet A SurveyPal Enjoy a refreshing break and networking opportunity with fellow attendees. |
| 10:00- 10:45 | FIG Foundation Impact In this session, four Young Surveyors will share their inspiring journeys to the 10th FIG Young Surveyors Conference, made possible through the generous support of the FIG Foundation. Moderator: Sandy Mufamadi, Rapporteur: Simon Reimers Priscilla Dufie Darko, Ghana Ezra Miller, Australia Feyisayo Sotayo, Nigeria |
| 10:45- 11:30 | Future of YSN An interactive and forward-looking session where participants will creatively reimagine the future of the Young Surveyors Network (YSN). Through dialogue, collaboration, and bold thinking, we will explore new priorities, partnerships, leadership models, and impact pathways to shape the next chapter of YSN. Shirley Tendai Chapunza – Chair, FIG YSN |
| 11:30- 12:15 | Regional Reports YSN Regional Chairpersons take the stage to present their annual reports, highlighting the milestones, initiatives, challenges, and impact of the past year, showcasing how their leadership has advanced young professionals and strengthened the global surveying community Moderator: Esther Verlouw, Rapporteur: Nozipho Madlala David Elegbede – Chair, FIG YSN – Africa Iaroslav Zifceac – Chair, FIG YSN – Europe Paula Teperino – Chair, FIG YSN – Americas |
| 12:15- 12:30 | Closing Session This closing session offers an opportunity to summarize key takeaways, express gratitude to participants and organizers, and inspire continued collaboration and action beyond the conference. Marcus Schmitt– Chair- Elect, FIG YSN |
| 12:30- 13:30 | Lunch |
| 13:30- 17:00 | FIG YSN Charity Event |
Exhibition & Heritage Showcase
23–24 May 2026
Room: Lily
The Exhibition at the 10th FIG Young Surveyors Conference will offer a unique and engaging experience, bringing together innovation, heritage, and education within the geospatial and surveying profession.
A key highlight of this year’s exhibition is a dedicated Heritage Showcase, featuring a curated collection of historic survey instruments from the Department of Land Reform and Rural Development: Chief Directorate – National Geospatial Information (CD: NGI). This display provides a rare opportunity to reflect on the evolution of surveying practice and appreciate the foundational tools that have shaped the profession.
Complementing this, an educational exhibit on the Sugarbird Project, the organization that has been adopted for this year’s charity event.
Attendees are encouraged to explore the exhibition space, engage with exhibitors, and gain insights that bridge the past, present, and future of the profession.
Sponsors
Main Sponsor
Diamond Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Silver Sponsors
Sponsorship Opportunities
| What your sponsorship buys | DIAMOND | PLATINUM | GOLD | SILVER | BRONZE |
| Unit COST in ZAR including VAT | Full-Cost Social Event Sponsor | R 100 000 (Approx. 5 700 USD) | R 50 000(Approx. 2 850 USD) | R 25 000 (Approx. 1 425 USD) | R 10 000 (Approx. 600 USD) |
| Only 1 available | √ | ||||
| Exclusive Advertising and Banner setup at Social Event | √ | ||||
| Presentation related to the organisation in two sessions | √ | √ | |||
| Dedicated post in all FIG Young Surveyors Network social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn and X). | 6x | 3x | 3x | 3x | 3x |
| Organisational (promotional) give aways or handouts at the conference | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Organisation Logos | |||||
| On the main FIG YSN Conference Banner | √ | √ | |||
| Within the Program Booklet | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |
| On presentation transition slides | √ | √ | √ | ||
| Logo with link to organisation’s website on YSN Conference Page | √ | ||||
| Presentation | Opening/Keynote | Technical | Workshop | ||
| Listing in congress programme book and congress APP with prior access to congress attendees | √ | √ | √ | √ | √ |