Land Administration Systems

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

170 hours

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

AIMS

In this subject students will learn about systems of land administration to support sustainable land management. Emphasis will be placed on land information infrastructures that facilitate social, environmental and economic functions of land. International good practices of land administration will be introduced along with technical and institutional lessons learnt from developing and developed countries. The subject is of particular relevance to students wishing to establish a career in surveying, spatial information, civil and environmental engineering, property management, urban planning but is also relevant to a range of disciplines where land and land information should be considered. This subject forms one of the four required subjects for a student to graduate with a major in Spatial Systems in the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Environments. It also leads to further study in masters courses.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Concept of land; evolution of land administration systems; land administration as a development strategy for economic growth and poverty reduction; the cadastral concept and legal, fiscal, multi-purpose and marine cadastres; cadastral surveying and mapping; land registration; rights, restrictions and responsibilities related to land in the context of informal, formal and customary tenures; cadastral systems in developing countries including informal cadastres, customary tenures; relevant international declarations and statements concerned with land administration; cadastral reform; land administration 'tool box'; institutional arrangements supporting land administration; spatial data infrastructures; digital cadastral databases; modelling, designing and evaluating cadastral and land administration systems; land markets and their relationship to planning, valuation and cadastre; access to land information; land administration and spatial information systems.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILO) / SUBJECT OBJECTIVES

On completion of this subject the student is expected to:

1. Explain social, economic and environmental importance of land in societies
2. Describe land administration process and its subsystems
3. Classify technical and non-technical options for designing and managing land information infrastructures
4. Analyse local and overseas approaches to land administration in both developed and developing country contexts for sustainable development
5. Design land administration systems for specific country contexts.

• Four tutorial assignments (two 10%, two 5%, total 30%) approximately 2000 words total, due across the semester, requiring approximately 30-35 hours of work in total. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs) 2 and 3 are addressed in these assignments
• One 2500 word group project (20%) due at the end of semester, requiring approximately 20–25 hours of work per student. ILOs 3, 4 and 5 are addressed in this group project
• 3 hour examination (50%) held in the end of semester examination period. ILOs 1 to 5 are addressed in this examination.

Williamson, Enemark, Wallace & Rajabifard (2010). Land Administration for Sustainable Development.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Ability to undertake problem identification, formulation and solution
• Understanding of social, cultural, global, and environmental responsibilities and the need to employ principles of sustainable development
• Ability to communicate effectively, with the engineering team and with the community at large
• Ability to manage information and documentation.

LEARNING AND TEACHING METHODS

The subject is based principally on presentations by academic lecturers and experienced industry professionals who present case studies in their area of expertise. In addition each student prepares and presents a major project report on a topic of their interest selected from an extensive list. A computer laboratory will be used by students to undertake four tutorials in support of the major project report.

INDICATIVE KEY LEARNING RESOURCES

Major text book: Williamson, I., Enemark, S., Wallace, J., and Rajabifard, A. (2009). Land Administration for Sustainable Development. ESRI Press. Library: UniM ERC, Call No. : 333.7316 LAND.

Further readings are available from http://csdila.unimelb.edu.au/publication/

CAREERS / INDUSTRY LINKS

Guest Lecturers from government agencies, such as the Land Registry, Office of Survey General, and the Office of Valuer General; present case studies.