After documenting international associations for more than a century, the UIA has become the largest nongovernmental repository for current and historical information on global civil society. This wealth of information and expertise is made available through various resources and services, to the benefit of organization work, research and enhanced communication alike.
The UIA’s main activity is the documentation of the work of international associations in order to record the nature and evolution of global civil society. The resulting Global Civil Society Database, created by the UIA in over 100 years, today is the most comprehensive source of reliable information on international associations, their activities and concerns, and it is being continuously expanded.
Major publications derived from this unmatched wealth of information are the Yearbook of International Associations, an authoritative overview of international associations worldwide, the International Congress Calendar that informs on past, present and future association events, and the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential, uniting the vast range of world problems, action strategies and human values in order to develop sustained and holistic solutions. In total, the UIA’s interlinked databases on international organizations, international meetings, and world problems and solutions are a powerful tool for understanding the complexity of global issues and the policy environment.
The UIA’s activities are of particular relevance for international associations, academics and researchers as well as the meetings industry. For associations, the UIA also serves as a clearinghouse, promoting public awareness of their work and representing their collective views. Besides, the UIA’s Associations Round Table is an eminent opportunity for global society actors to learn from each other, exchange ideas and information, and form tighter networks.
In its cooperation with universities and research institutes from around the world, the UIA assists post-graduate students and researchers from a wide range of disciplines. In addition to providing customized data tailored to specific needs, the UIA also hosts of free online resources such as the Civil Society Glossary or the IGO Search Engine allowing you to search the websites of all intergovernmental organizations.
With regard to the meetings industry, the UIA’s main focus is promoting the networking between association and industry bodies. To this end, the UIA regularly publishes its Survey on Meeting Issues and the analytical International Meetings Statistics Report, and provides for various Advertising and Sponsorship Opportunities. For a sustained collaboration and long-term partnership, the UIA also offers the format of an Associate Membership with attractive benefits.