The Institute of Competencies and Qualifications I-C-Q is an independent institute with international activities in teaching, research, consulting, publications and in projects.

The institute is lead by Urs Hauenstein (for academic work, expertise in competencies and qualifications, portfolio, negotiations with companies, institutions and ministries internationally) and Sonja Hauenstein (for administrative and financial coordination).

Quality control is executed by a special committee under ongoing European quality assurance standards.

The aim of the institute is to work successfully in the field of life long learning with the accreditation of prior learning: to train and assess portfolio courses in all areas of the Rainbow Portfolio System, to consult in all seven fields of work (see consulting) and to support the international I-C-Q-network of institutions, groups, companies, NGO's and ministries.