The ECDL Foundation

The ECDL/ICDL (European/International Certificate of Digital Literacy) is an initiative of the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies (CEPIS) of which the Swiss Informatics Society (SI) is also a member. In 1997 CEPIS established the ECDL Foundation to coordinate the ECDL certification in Europe and more recently the ICDL (International Computer Driving Licence).

The ECDL Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Dublin, publishes the ICDL Syllabi that list the learning objectives for the ICDL modules and guarantees the compliance with international standards. It ensures that the testing methods, syllabi and exams meet current technical requirements.

Initially a European initiative with the goal to create a consistent standard for the use of information technology within Europe, the ICDL has spread far beyond European borders and has obtained worldwide recognition: 15 million candidates in 148 countries have taken the ICDL exams.

The ICDL concept is recognised by well-known international organisations like the European Commission, the UN, the UNHCR, the OECD and the World Bank. Several of these organisations significantly promote ICDL.