ISFRETIC
A new standard for emerging-technology competence
Not what courses you attended. What you can actually do. ISFRETIC — the International Standards Framework of Reference for Emerging Technologies Innovation and Competency — is KBI's independent certification system for blockchain and trust technologies, data science and AI, and quantum computing. It is being built carefully, with one aim: that when someone holds an ISFRETIC credential, people know what it means.
Competence, not attendance
Most credentials tell you what someone studied. ISFRETIC tells you what someone can do. It is modelled on a six-level scale, from A1 (Awareness) through to C2 (Expert Leadership), with clear descriptors for each level. The framework covers individuals, teams, and organisations — from first-step learners to advanced practitioners and system owners.
Three fields, one framework
BCTT — Blockchain and Trust Technologies
Distributed ledgers, smart contracts, digital identity, tokenisation, and governance.
DSAI — Data Science and Artificial Intelligence
Data, models, pipelines, and AI systems in real use — including governance and accountability.
QCIT — Quantum Computing and Information Technologies
Quantum information, quantum computing, and post-quantum readiness for organisations.
Six levels. One clear ladder.
A short ISFRETIC Core module provides a common foundation in informatics, cybersecurity basics, ethics, systems thinking, and communication for all fields and levels.
People, teams, and systems
- Individuals — Through exams, practical assessments, and portfolio review.
- Teams — Through endorsements that recognise collective capability.
- Organisations and projects — Through assurance marks that focus on the systems themselves.
These are not developer certificates in the narrow sense. They are signals about whether you, your team, or your system can be trusted to do the work you claim.
Independent by design
ISFRETIC is run as an independent standards body, structurally separate from KBI's training and commercial work. Exam content, question banks, and pass thresholds are governed by Scheme Committees made up of domain experts, academic representatives, employer voices, and elected Certified Members. Training programmes — including those offered by KBI — do not control the exams. That separation is deliberate. A credential only means something if the body that issues it is not also selling the answer key.
How it connects to KBI Netherlands
As ISFRETIC comes online, KBI Netherlands membership records will align with the ISFRETIC scale. Programmes and competition history will help inform where members sit and what they may be ready for next. Full details on how membership levels and ISFRETIC credentials relate will be published closer to launch.