In 2010, European Clinical Science Foundation (ECSF®), a non-profit, charitable foundation located in Cologne (D), has been founded (under a then different name) by European cardiologists. ECSF nowadays is an independent foundation to promote high quality health-care in Europe and worldwide.
In 2012, ECSF has started the Cologne Consensus Conference, which later has become the official meeting of the International Academy for CPD Accreditation, an informal association of accrediting bodies on the global level.