The annual meeting of the Asia-Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC) was held in Bali, Indonesia, from June 19 to 26, 2026. The Communications and Promotions Committee (CPC) met during the meeting. The event brought together key representatives of accreditation bodies from the Asia-Pacific region to discuss current challenges and share best practices.
A key highlight of the meeting was the impact of digitalization and artificial intelligence on accreditation. The Committee heard reports from the Artificial Intelligence Working Group and the APAC Digitalization Network (ADN). Participants noted the importance of adapting accreditation mechanisms to new technological realities, which resonates with the global agenda: at the end of 2025, APEC economic leaders adopted the Gyeongju Declaration, endorsing the Artificial Intelligence Initiative to prepare the region for digital transformation.
At the CPC meeting, new information materials prepared by the Communications Working Group were presented. These included an updated booklet, “Smart Assurance: Accreditation for Digital Trust,” and infographics on the activities of Global ACI.
During the meeting, participants discussed APAC’s interaction with global structures. Mr. Brendon Moo, Chair of the Communications Committee of the Global Accreditation Cooperation (Global ACI), presented a report on joint initiatives and the #WAD2026 campaign in honor of World Accreditation Day. As a reminder, on January 1, 2026, the Global ACI structure came into effect, uniting all major regional accreditation organizations worldwide, including APAC, EA, IAAC, AFRAC, ARAC, and SADCA.
The committee approved the work plan and budget for 2027–2029 and identified priority topics for future workshops. A workshop on sustainable development and accreditation is planned for 2027, with the accreditation bodies of Uzbekistan (UZAKK) and the UAE (NABCB) volunteering to host it. The possibility of holding events on interaction with regulators and accreditation policy was also discussed.
Following the meeting, the schedule of future APAC annual meetings was approved through 2032. In 2027, the event will be hosted by Australia (Sydney), in 2028 by the United States (Hawaii), followed by Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Kazakhstan. The Committee members reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trust in accreditation and developing a global quality infrastructure.
