The IB reviewed 10 courses from seven countries around the world including Australia, Brazil, Ecuador, Italy, Pakistan, Turkey and the UK. The IB considered the matter of funding for its activities, in particular the increased workload and costs associated with meeting to review course submissions. The IB is proposing the introduction of a section within each of the existing Standards that would encompass the recognition of the competency of individuals through appropriate schemes at the national or regional level. The IB has completed a draft proposal that is to be approved by parent organisations and tabled at the 1st meeting of the IHO Inter Regional Coordination Committee, to be held in Monaco in June 2009. A report including proposals on IB funding and the inclusion of elements of individual recognition with the Standards has been circulated to Commission 4 delegates under separate cover.

FIG Working Week 2009 took place in Eilat (Israel) from 3 to 8 May 2009 ( 8 1). The conference brought more than 500 delegates (including 60 students) from 65 countries to Eilat.

The technical programme included almost 250 presentations in about 60 technical sessions and workshops. The conference was hosted jointly by the Association of Licensed Surveyors in Israel (ALSI) and FIG in co-operation with the Survey of Israel. Commission 4’s annual meeting and technical sessions were well attended, the latter featuring a total of nine presentations from Canada, Israel, Nigeria and the UK. Topics ranged from sea-level monitoring to the measurement and monitoring of shoreline, marine cadastre, and the acquisition of bathymetry and seabed morphology from multi-beam sonar. Commission 4 would like to extend a special thanks to Dr John Hall, author ofThe National Bathymetric Survey of Israel, Almost Completedfor his lively discussion, hospitality and contributions towards Commission 4’s activities in Eilat.

This is one of the most affordable registration packages yet. The early-bird registration fee is EUR300 and includes meals and a day-tour to Ha Long Bay.Commission 4’s goal is to hold at least two focused sessions with invited papers: one on the economic benefits of hydrography and the other on coastal zone development. The latter will be a joint session with Commissions 5 and 8. This regional meeting will also provide a forum for chairs and chairs-elect to focus on the development of Commission work plans for 2011–2014.