Paul Mylrea, CIPR Board member, guest blogs on the Global Alliance meeting in Lugano

The things you have to do for the profession, I thought as we flew in to Lugano, dipping over snow-tipped mountains, the sun glinting on the lake below.

The Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the body that brings together the world's professional PR associations, has chosen the University of Lugano to host its new Global Alliance Center. I am on the GA board with our very own Colin Farrington, the current chair, and the CIPR has been providing support for the Alliance for the last year or so. But having a permanent base – and secretariat – means the organisation can really start to live up to its potential.

Why the University of Lugano? Well, apart from Switzerland's long-standing tradition of hosting international associations, the Alliance has been collaborating with the university for years with scholarships for its Masters in Communications Management. Most Alliance meetings are by teleconference, but meeting people face to face is essential every now and again.

It was a stimulating two days. We are all facing the same problems; how to face the recession, how to deal with 24-hour news and how to build standards and reduce challenges to the PR profession. We also discussed how important communications are in establishing sustainable states in the developing world – and how professional PR associations can play their part in that.

After two days, I flew home from Switzerland to a railway closed for weekend works, grey skies and Robert Peston. But I was carrying not just chocolate but a good feeling about the future of PR (If you want to know more about the Global Alliance, go to www.globalalliancepr.org )