A professional association is usually a non-profit organization seeking to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals engaged in that profession, and the public interest.

The roles of these professional associations have been variously defined: "A group of people in a learned occupation who are entrusted with maintaining control or oversight of the legitimate practice of the occupation;"^[1] also a body acting "to safeguard the public interest;"^[2] organizations which "represent the interest of the professional practitioners.                       Wikipedia  Nov. 2010