Joint Meeting and Exchange Formats

Purpose and General Idea

Joint meetings between different associations are an important instrument for developing ideas, aligning approaches, and sharing best practices across borders. These formats go far beyond classic board meetings and can involve a wide range of participants, including board members, extended board members, International Relations Officers, and representatives on club level such as Club IROs. The underlying idea is always the same: to create a space where people with responsibility and experience can meet, exchange perspectives, and work together on topics that affect more than one association.

Such meetings often emerge naturally within the framework of already existing events. Regional meetings or RTI half year meetings frequently provide a suitable setting, as participants are already gathered and open to international exchange. Embedding joint sessions into these formats allows for efficient use of time and resources, while at the same time increasing the depth and relevance of the discussions. However, there are also many examples where joint meetings are organized as standalone events in order to allow for a stronger focus on the exchange itself.

Board Level and Strategic Exchange

On board and extended board level, joint meetings typically bring together national decision makers, including office holders and key stakeholders of each association. The intention is to meet on equal footing and to openly challenge each other’s views and approaches. Discussions in this setting often revolve around strategic questions, governance topics, and shared frameworks such as the age rule or the handling of motions on regional or RTI level. In particular, when associations are geographically close or share borders, topics such as cross border tabling or coordination in neighboring regions become highly relevant. These conversations can reveal both similarities and differences in how associations operate, and they often lead to new ideas or adjustments in existing practices.

Operational Exchange and IRO Level

At the same time, joint meetings are not limited to the strategic level. Formats that involve IROs or Club IROs bring a more operational and practical perspective into the exchange. IRO meetings focus strongly on international cooperation, coordination of visits, and the development of sustainable relationships between associations. They often serve as a platform to align expectations, improve communication channels, and share experiences from past initiatives. Club level exchanges go even further into the practical application of these ideas. Here, participants discuss how tabling is actually lived within their associations, how strictly or flexibly rules are applied, and how traditions are maintained or adapted. These differences in mindset can be striking, ranging from very structured and rule driven approaches to more flexible and informal interpretations. Making these differences visible is one of the key strengths of joint meetings, as it allows participants to reflect on their own practices and identify potential for improvement.

Group Size and Interaction

Another important aspect of these formats is the size and composition of the group. With typically between twenty and sixty participants, joint meetings create an environment that is significantly more focused and interactive than larger conferences. This smaller scale enables deeper discussions, more meaningful exchanges, and stronger personal connections. Participants are not limited to formal sessions, but have the opportunity to spend extended time together, which often leads to more honest conversations and a better mutual understanding.

Standalone Formats and Event Structure

When joint meetings are organized as standalone events, they are often designed in a way that resembles an AGM or a numbers meeting, but with a stronger emphasis on exchange rather than formal decision making. In addition to the working sessions, organizers usually include a cultural or social program that showcases the host region. These elements are not just an addition, but an integral part of the overall concept, as they help to build trust and create a shared experience among participants. A common approach is to accommodate all attendees in one place, which naturally encourages informal interactions beyond the official agenda. Late night discussions, spontaneous conversations, and shared breakfasts often become just as valuable as the formal sessions themselves.

Different Types of Constellations

Over time, different types of constellations have developed. Some joint meetings are rather loose and experimental arrangements, sometimes based on a one time idea or an initial attempt to increase cooperation between associations. Others are long established formats that have existed for many years and are built on continuity, regular exchange, and cumulative added value. These more established structures allow participants to build on previous discussions and gradually develop topics further instead of starting from scratch each time.

Examples of Joint Meetings and IRO Formats

Joint Board Meetings

  • 2027, RTCH and RTDE, Bayreuth, Germany (upcoming)
  • 2026, RTCH and RTDE, Konstanz, Germany
  • 2025, RTDE and RTNL, IJsselmeer, Netherlands

IRO Meetings

  • 2026, Vienna, Austria (upcoming)
  • 2025, Ravenna, Italy (RTIT, RTAT, RTCH, RTBE, RTBI, OTDK)
  • 2024, Spielberg, Austria (RTIT, RTAT, RTCH)
  • 2023, Trieste, Italy (RTIT, RTAT)
  • 2022, Spittal an der Drau, Austria (RTIT, RTAT)

Small ASS Meetings

  • 2026 Svendborg, Denmark (RTMT, RTDK, RTCH, RTLT, RTMO, RTNO)
  • 2025 Svendborg, Denmark (RTMT, RTDK, RTDE, RTLT, RTMO, RTES, RTFR)

Growth Alliance aka Big ASS Meetings

  • 2027 Germany (???)
  • 2026 Denmark (???)

Weakness in Documentation and Continuity

At the same time, there is a notable weakness in many of these formats. Often, discussions are not sufficiently documented and measurable outcomes are not consistently recorded in a structured way. As a result, there is limited material that can be revisited during the year or systematically followed up in subsequent meetings. This becomes even more relevant in environments where many positions are held for only one year and where the composition of participants changes frequently. In such cases, topics can easily be reopened from meeting to meeting without being truly developed further, since institutional memory is weak and continuity depends heavily on individuals rather than structures. Without a stronger focus on written documentation, follow up mechanisms, and clearly defined progress points, there is a risk that discussions remain repetitive instead of evolving into concrete long term improvements.

Conclusion

Joint meetings in their various formats represent a key element of collaboration between associations. Whether on board level, among IROs, or within clubs, they provide valuable opportunities to exchange ideas, challenge existing perspectives, and strengthen relationships across borders. Their impact goes beyond the immediate outcomes of individual meetings, as they contribute to a shared understanding, continuous improvement, and a stronger sense of international community.