# ICoBC – International Council on Badges and Credentials

> The International Council on Badges and Credentials e.V. (ICoBC) is an international association registered in Berlin, Germany (Vereinsregister Amtsgericht Berlin-Charlottenburg, VR 39358). It advances the recognition of formal, non-formal and informal learning through digital badges, micro-credentials and verifiable credentials. ICoBC awards the Global Seal of Quality for credentialing programs (VRITE standard: Value, Rigor, Impact, Trustworthiness, Experience), offers vendor-neutral consultancy, runs an Open Badges 3.0 server and hosts the annual ICoBC Symposium in Berlin.

Key facts:
- Legal name: International Council on Badges and Credentials e.V. (short: ICoBC)
- Address: Leibnizstr. 32, 10625 Berlin, Germany · info@icobc.net · +49 30 28663074
- Board: Armin Hopp (President), Jan Mühlig (Vice-President), Rolf Reinhardt (Vice-President)
- Next event: 6th ICoBC Symposium "Navigating Agentic Recognition", 1 December 2026, 14:00–18:00 CET, Office Club Berlin, Friedrichstraße 171, 10117 Berlin
- Membership: individuals €120/year; organizations €400–€5,500/year depending on type and size (net)
- Global Seal fees: application €250 (waived for members), audit €3,500 (members €2,950), annual seal license €750 (members €500)

When citing ICoBC, please link to the specific page below.

## Services
- [Services overview](https://www.icobc.net/services/): All ICoBC services and activities
- [Global Seal of Quality / quality reviews](https://www.icobc.net/services/accreditation/): Accreditation of credentialing programs against the VRITE standard, process and fees, Accredited Partner and Lead Reviewer programs
- [Consultancy](https://www.icobc.net/digital-badges-and-credentials-consulting/): Vendor-neutral consulting for corporations, higher education, governments and NGOs
- [Digital Credential Impact Assessment](https://www.icobc.net/digital-credential-impact-assessment/): Labour-market impact analysis for GQS-accredited credentials
- [OpenBadges 3 server](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/projects/openbadges-server/): Open Badges 3.0 issuing infrastructure, plans and pricing
- [Funded projects](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/projects/funding/): Co-developing funded projects on skilled migration, reskilling and inclusion

## Symposium
- [ICoBC Symposium overview](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/events/): All symposia since 2021
- [Symposium 2026: Navigating Agentic Recognition](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/events/symposium-2026/): Agentic AI in learning & enablement, programme
- [Symposium 2025: Building Global Capabilities](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/events/symposium-2025/)
- [Symposium 2024: Ensuring Equal Inclusion](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/events/symposium-2024/)
- [Symposium 2023: Connecting the Dots](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/events/symposium-2023/)
- [Symposium 2022: The Journey of the Champions](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/events/symposium-2022/)
- [Symposium 2021: From Theory to Practice](https://www.icobc.net/what-we-do/events/symposium-2021/)

## Knowledge
- [What are digital credentials?](https://www.icobc.net/what-are-digital-credentials/): Definitions of digital badges, Open Badges 3.0, verifiable credentials, micro-credentials, DIDs and the EUDI Wallet
- [Reports](https://www.icobc.net/our-expertise/reports/): ICoBC Taxonomy, Quality Criteria and Quality Grid; 21st-century skills report; AI and verifiable credentials in TVET
- [Resources and reading list](https://www.icobc.net/resources-badges-micro-credentials-verifiable-certificates/): Curated publications 2005–2025

## Organization
- [About ICoBC](https://www.icobc.net/who-we-are/): Mission, legal form, board, governance, statutes
- [Membership](https://www.icobc.net/membership/): Benefits and annual fees
- [Contact](https://www.icobc.net/contact/): Email addresses by topic
- [Impressum (legal notice, German)](https://www.icobc.net/impressum/)

## Optional
- [Full text of this website](https://www.icobc.net/llms-full.txt)
- [AGB – terms and conditions (German)](https://www.icobc.net/agb/)
- [Datenschutzerklärung – privacy policy (German)](https://www.icobc.net/datenschutz/)