The Rainbow Portfolio System (Portfolio of Competencies and Qualifications) is an instrument for continuous documentation of skills, abilities, knowledge, competences, competencies and qualifications for the aerea of:
school education, vocational education, college education, further education, profession and career, management and leadership

The structure and scientific nomenclature of the Portfolio of Competencies and Qualifications P-C-Q (also called Rainbow Portfolio) EN-DE
The different Levels of the Portfolio of Competencies and Qualifications P-C-Q - Rainbow Portfolio

Portfolio is utilised exceptionally well to recognise informal and non-formal learning. In training for the application of this tool, the user learns how to take his/her education and training, professional experience and life experience to showcase and illustrate valuable and useful competencies. These can then be continuously maintained and developed independently.
This approach is particularly applicable for those with long professional experience, who can turn skills and competencies into qualifications through further education, especially through APL courses (Accreditation of Prior Learning). This way, professionals can attain internationally recognised qualifications and document their ongoing learning experiences, and have their competencies validated and implemented.

Urs Hauenstein conceived this tool more than a decade ago, and has since developed and improved it continuously, while employing it in over 1500 individual cases. In the past 5 years, this tool has been tailored to work notably well in conjunction with the service industries, leading to the inclusion of certain of its modules into Bachelor and Master degree programmes.
A lot of progress was made in close cooperation with the University of Plymouth, with it's "integrated masters" programmes for education, special educational needs and social and ethical banking, and with the accredited "BA in Sustainable Pre-School and Peace Education" offered by the University of Pristina, in collaboration with the Swiss Caritas, since 2010.

The novelty and idiosyncrasy of this particular concept lies in the so called "Rainbow Portfolio System of Competencies and Qualifications". In synergy with the APL method (Accreditation of Prior Learning), competencies from previous education and professional skills can be assimilated into the individual's studies, and thereby lead to a shortened study or training cycle.