Cape Town, South Africa

The International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) is pleased to announce the Call for Papers for the FIG Congress 2026, taking place from 24–29 May 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa. This prestigious global event will bring together over 1,200 professionals from across the fields of land surveying, geospatial sciences, spatial planning, construction management, and valuation.

Held in collaboration with the South African Geomatics Institute (SAGI) and supported by national and international partners, FIG Congress 2026 will explore the theme “The Future We Want – The SDGs and Beyond.” The Congress will focus on how land governance, spatial data, and technological innovation can support climate action, resilience, and sustainable development beyond 2030.

The call is open for peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed papers. Professionals, researchers, educators, and students are encouraged to submit abstracts on a wide range of topics—from climate-resilient land administration to AI in geospatial analysis, marine hydrography, property valuation, and more.

Key deadlines:
🔹 Peer-reviewed papers: 15 September 2025
🔹 Non-peer-reviewed abstracts: 1 November 2025

This is your opportunity to contribute to the global dialogue, share your insights, and connect with experts from around the world.

🔗 Submit your abstract now at: https://fig.net/fig2026/submission.htm

Call to paper in pdf

Land conflict is a growing challenge in rapidly urbanizing areas across the globe, with marginalized communities often bearing the brunt of disputes over housing, development, and access to basic services. Recognizing the critical role that local actors play in conflict resolution, Environment & Urbanization has launched a Call for Papers for a special issue on Community-led responses to urban and peri-urban land conflict, to be published in November 2026.

Guest editors invite contributions that explore how community groups, grassroots movements, and local institutions address land disputes linked to real estate development, rural–urban migration, gender dynamics, religious or ethnic divisions, and more.

The special issue seeks to unpack:

• The forms of land conflict emerging in diverse urban contexts;
• How these conflicts are navigated by communities themselves;
• The outcomes of these responses for different groups;
• And how governments might learn from or integrate such community-led mechanisms into broader policy frameworks.

Expressions of interest are welcome before 17 November 2025, with full submissions due 15 January 2026. This timely call may serve as a catalyst for longer-term research collaborations—possibly forming part of a roadmap toward the 2026 World Bank Land Conference.

Read More and Apply – Themes for future issues | Environment & Urbanization

Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) Considerations in Land Administration for Sustainable Development

The 13th EALAN Annual General Meeting and Conference jointly organised by the NELGA Eastern Africa Node through Eastern African Land Administration Network and Ardhi University will take place on 2^nd August 2024 in Dar es Salaam. The conference will be preceded by three parallel training workshops on Dispute Resolution in Land Administration, Promoting Gender Equality and Women Land Rights and Write-shop from 29^th -1^st August 2024.

Conference Theme

Environmental and Social Governance (ESG)

The Conference Title

Environmental and Social Governance (ESG) Considerations in Land Administration

Conference Description

Environmental and Social Governance principles (ESG) are increasingly dominating academic and professional discourses around the world. The principles are fundamental in guiding both public and private organisations on securing the natural resources for future generations, promoting social relations and justice; and transparent governance by the organisations. ESG principles underpin the need for responsible investment in land and natural resources that subsequently will lead to sustainable development. Further ESG considerations are crucial in realising the UN Sustainable Development Goals in particular Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy; Goal 10: Reducing inequalities; Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production, and Goal 13: Climate action. Responsible land administration plays a crucial role in realizing the UN Sustainable Goals as well as   enhancing efficient land use, protecting and improving natural resources.

A day-conference on the theme ‘ESC Consideration in Land Administration for Sustainable Development’ is proposed to identify and determine what role should EALAN members be engaged in implementing ESG strategies. The proposal is for a keynote address that will address the important ESG strategies in the context of land administration in Eastern African region with special focus on requirements for enhanced standards of ethical conduct in business and a commitment to sustainability and social justice. There will also be panel sessions that will demonstrate implementation of ESG strategies in respective case studies.

Call for Contributions

NELGA Eastern Africa welcomes abstracts (preferably research outputs) covering a broad range of the following sub-themes:

1. Environmental responsibility in reducing carbon footprint (legal frameworks)
2. Impact of climate change on real estate business
3. Inclusive and diverse work ethics and practices in land-based businesses
4. Social responsibility in land sector- (access to land, inequality, gender relations etc)
5. Ethical, transparent and accountable principles in land administration – case studies in land acquisition and involuntary resettlement or any appropriate
6. ESG principles in the context of World Bank Environmental and Social Standards

Submitted abstracts should indicate the SDG being addressed.

Timelines

• Deadline for submission of abstracts 12th July 2024
• Acceptance Notification 22nd July 2024
• Deadline for submission of PowerPoint presentations 29th July 2024
• Format of abstract: 250 – 300 words

Submit your application to ealanconference@gmail.com

Contacts:

Dr. Agnes Mwasumbi NELGA EA Coordinator Phone: +255 (755) 382-622

email: anmwasumbi@yahoo.ca

Dr. Hidaya Kayuza

LOC Chairperson

Phone: +255 (754) 277128

Email: hidaya.kayuza@gmail.com

Dr. Dominico Kilemo

LOC Secretary

Phone: +255 (757) 370 856

Email: dominico.kilemo@giz.de

Why this course?
Across Africa, the majority of both rural and urban residents have insecure tenure rights, either in law or in practice. They face the legacy of land dispossession, colonial legal codes, contested customary tenure systems, and growing pressure on land in the face of commercial investments. How can land rights and land governance in Africa be strengthened? To address these challenges requires building a highly-skilled cohort of land professionals and land policy makers. This short course will equip these leaders to resolve the land challenges facing the continent.

What is offered?
The Institute for Poverty, Land & Agrarian Studies (PLAAS), at the University of the Western Cape is hosting a short course on the Political Economy of Land Governance in Africa, in collaboration with the African Land Policy Centre (ALPC). The medium of instruction and assessment will be conducted in English.

When is it offered?
The short course will be conducted online via the Zoom platform. Participants are expected to be online for the duration of the course. Please see the timetable below.

Three sessions per day at:
Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)
8:00-10:00
10:30-12:30
13:00-15:00

West African Time (GMT+1)
09:00-11:00
11:30-13:30
14:00-16:00

Central African Time (GMT+2)
10:00-12:00
12:30-14:30
15:00-17:00

East African Time (GMT+3)
11:00-13:00
13:30-15:30
16:00-18:00

What is the course content?
The key themes and concepts that will be covered in the short course will include:

1. Pre-colonial and colonial histories of customary and statutory land tenure in Africa
2. Introduction to the political economy of land in Africa
3. Land reform law, policy and governance in Africa
4. Women’s land rights in Africa
5. Natural resource access and management in Africa
6. Political economy of extractive industries and land rights
7. Commodification of the commons in the transition to neo-liberalism
8. Urban and rural land administration in Africa
9. Large-scale land acquisitions in Africa
10. African and global land policy and policy guidelines
11. Climate crisis and land governance

What funding is available?
The short course is funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbelt (GIZ) GmbH, in partnership with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), under the Network of Excellence in Land Governance in Africa (NELGA) project. No fees for selected participants to attend the short course training online. Selected participants must ensure they have access to good internet infrastructure to attend the course.

How will participants be assessed?
As this is an endorsed course, participants will be assessed by means of a pre-contact assignment, group assessment, and a final submission of an individual reflective report. Participants will receive either:

• a Certificate of Competence for those who attend 100% of the sessions and successfully complete all the assessments; or
• a Certificate of Attendance for those who attend at least 80% of the sessions and participate in 50% of all in-session assignments, but do not complete the assessment activities.

Who can apply?

Applicants should hold an undergraduate degree and have at least three to four years of work experience. Applicants without a university degree may be considered if they have at least 10 to 15 years of experience. Applicants should be conversant in, write and understand English.

How do I apply?

To apply, please complete the online application form. You will be requested to upload:

• a motivation why you are a good candidate and the relevance for your work (300 words); and
• an essay on governance issues on land, natural resources, fisheries or forestry in the context in which you work (500 words).

Online Application Form

CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: Wednesday, 19 June 2024

CONTACT

Enquiries:
Carla Henry
Coordinator: Postgraduate & Continuing Education
Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies
Email: nelga@plaas.org.za
Website: https://plaas.org.za/nelga/

Coordinators:
Prof Ruth Hall
Prof Moenieba Isaacs

For more about the course, see our NELGA webpage and meet the team.