The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS) is an international non-profit organization for college-level students of architecture. It is the primary membership and advocacy organization for architecture students in the United States with international chapters and members as well. It was originally modeled roughly on the professional association called the American Institute of Architects (AIA). The association publishes Crit, the journal of the AIAS, and hosts an international convention for students and professionals called FORUM. The organization also fulfills an advocacy role by representing its members to the American Institute of Architects, the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB) and the National Council of Architectural Accreditin Board (NAAB). The organization was founded in 1956; it was originally called the 'National Architectural Student Association' (NASA).