AAT Sri Lanka was established in Dec. 1987 on the model of the AAT (UK) as a non-profit organization. AAT (UK) was initially formed in 1980, by a merger of two bodies that existed earlier in the U.K., namely; the Association for Accounting Technicians of Finance and Accounting (ATFA) and the Institute of Accounting Staff (IAS). Subsequently, AAT Ireland (called the Institute of Accounting Technicians Ireland) was formed in April 1983. AATs have since been established in Pakistan (now called Institute of Public Service Accountants-Pakistan), in Malaysia (now called Association of Accounting Administrators-Malaysia), in Singapore, and in New Zealand (called College of Accounting Technicians-New Zealand).