Editorial

The ISPRS Council has to consider many issues which range from long term strategies for the Society, crises which demand immediate attention, and routine matters such as new members and approval of meetings. In recent articles and presentations I have tended to concentrate on the strategic issues which Council is promoting: these include our policy to promote ISPRS in Africa and our involvement in GEO, the Group on Earth Observation. These are important topics, the success of which, will affect the perception and influence of ISPRS in years to come. In this first issue of the electronic version of ISPRS Highlights I would like to turn to the more routine, but crucially important, issue of what ISPRS offers to its members. Council is currently considering the level and structure of fees which will be proposed to the General Assembly in Beijing in 2008. A rise in fees is essential in order to provide the Society with sufficient funds to continue its day to day operations, and to be able to support important activities such as outreach and scientific initiatives; but at the same time we have to ensure that members feel that they are getting good value for money. ISPRS provides its members with an international voice for photogrammetry and remote sensing and we try to use that effectively for the benefit of members, enabling them to participate in the activities of bodies such as the United Nations and The International Council for Science (ICSU). We also provide members with this bulletin and with the ISPRS Journal of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, albeit the latter not normally free of charge. And of course we organise meetings and are able to provide funds for some people to attend these. Is this enough? Do you feel that you have good value for your subscription? What else can ISPRS provide?

Another issue is the structure of fees. Do countries with a large membership pay too little? Do poor countries pay too much? Or maybe vice versa. We would like to have your comments on these questions, so that we can present an acceptable package to delegates at the General Assembly. We also want to increase our membership and readers who are not members might like to consider asking their organisation to join, and consider whether what we have to offer is worth having. Let me have your comments on this as well.

Whilst pondering these important questions, enjoy this eBulletin, and pass it on to your friends. One of the objectives of distributing Highlights in this new form is so that it can reach a wider audience. Do not dismiss it as another industry news letter; this is the ISPRS Newsletter and will contain ISPRS news and views. It should be essential reading for all representatives of ISPRS members, but should also be of interest to anyone concerned with international activities in photogrammetry and remote sensing. Read it. Enjoy it. And let us have your comments.

Ian Dowman
President ISPRS