The Institute for Work, Skills and Training (IAQ) was founded in 2007 as a research institute in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Duisburg-Essen. It conducts interdisciplinary and international comparative social science research in the fields of work and employment, social protection, education, and training.

The distinctive feature of the Institute’s research profile is the combination of basic and applied research on the sustainable design and organisation of employment, wage, social protection, and education systems considered against the background of social and technological change. The IAQ is affiliated with multiple national and international researchers, research institutes and networks, and carries out projects with the support of national and international funding sources. The IAQ’s research provides support and advice for businesses, policymakers and civil society. It develops the evidence base for important decision-making; and evaluates various real-world projects.