FUTURE OF SURVEYING ENGINEERING - A PERSPECTIVE FROM GREECE

With the introduction of recent technological developments, many of th e complex techniques and methodologies, being the expertise of surveyi ng engineers, have become obsolete. On the other hand, there has been a significant involvement in the production and management of spatial data, in a redefined field of activities called geoinformation or geom atics, which has been proposed as the new paradigm for surveying engin eering. These developments have also influenced surveying professional s in Greece, who face an increased competition from other disciplines. It seems that professional rights no longer play such an important ro le, a thing that many surveyors see as a threat. There is a pressing n eed for a new role for surveying professionals in the future. This pip er questions the suitability of geomatics to be the new paradigm, and advocates the importance of building a different kind of academic envi ronment, where new concepts and ideas will be developed.