The ISTQB was officially founded as an International Software Testing Qualifications Board in Edinburgh in November 2002.

The ISTQB is responsible for the international qualification scheme called “ISTQB Certified Tester”. The qualifications are based on a syllabus, and there is a hierarchy of qualifications and guidelines for accreditation and examination.

It is the ISTQB’s role to support a single, universally accepted, international qualification scheme, aimed at software and system testing professionals, by providing the core syllabi and by setting guidelines for accreditation and examination for national boards.

The contents of each syllabus are taught as courses by training providers, which have been accredited by national boards. They are globally marketed under the brand name “ISTQB Certified Tester”.

Each course is concluded by an examination covering the contents of the syllabus. After the examination, each successful participant receives the “ISTQB Certified Tester” certificate (or the local variant with the added “ISTQB compliant” logo).

The accreditation process and certification are regulated by accreditation and certification regulations of the national boards in their various valid versions.