In March 2015, four Asian associations united at the ASAE Great Ideas Asia Pacific Conference in Hong Kong to announce the formation of the Asia-Pacific Federation of Association Organizations (APFAO). Gathering association communities in Australia, the Philippines, and Korea, it hopes to improve education, knowledge sharing, and standard setting across the region.

According to Octavio B. Peralta, president and CEO of the Philippine Council for the Advancement of Association Executives (PCAAE), the new organization hopes to take advantage of a larger group of members to improve resources. “APFAO is envisioned to be more of a ‘differentiator and a plus-maker’ rather than a replicator of what is already available in each country,” he says.

Thus far, that’s manifested itself through a training course organized by PCAAE and Australia’s Associations Forum, as well as technology assistance for member organizations. ASAE has been playing a supporting role in launching the organization, and next steps will be discussed at the 2016 Great Ideas Asia Pacific conference in April.