Skat was founded in 1978, attached to the University of St. Gallen, as part of the Institute for Latin American Research and Development Cooperation. The acronym “SKAT” originally stood for Schweizerische Kontaktstelle für Angepasste Technik, meaning Swiss Centre for Appropriate Technology. The legal constitution was an association whose members were mostly Swiss development NGOs, some representatives from public and private institutions, and individuals.