Abu Dhabi Launches Gulf’s First Digital Skills Card
Abu Dhabi has launched the Gulf region’s first Digital Skills Card, creating a digitally verifiable record of professional skills and qualifications. The Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC) introduced the initiative in partnership with Union Assessment and Quality Accreditation (UAC) on September 7, 2026.
The initiative uses blockchain technology to improve professional credential verification. Moreover, it aims to strengthen trust, transparency and workforce mobility across the GCC and the wider Middle East and North Africa region.
Blockchain-Verified Professional Credentials
Each Digital Skills Card connects to a certification issued through personnel conformity programs accredited by QCC. Meanwhile, UAC delivers the relevant certification programs under the partnership.
Employers, regulators and other stakeholders can scan the card’s QR code to check a certification. The verification process confirms its validity and authenticity through ADI Chain, a regulation-compliant blockchain infrastructure operated by ADI Foundation.
As a result, professionals can present a digital record that provides a direct route to credential verification. The system also reduces reliance on manual checks when employers or regulators need to confirm professional qualifications.
The launch ceremony brought together government representatives, regulators, industry stakeholders and certified professionals. Several professionals from different backgrounds also received their Digital Skills Cards as part of the launch.
Focus on Workforce Mobility
Badr Khamis Al Shumaili, Executive Director of the Conformity and Standards Services Sector at QCC, said, “Digitalization is no longer merely a means of streamlining procedures; it has become a fundamental pillar for building more connected and transparent systems, grounded in trusted data.”
He added, “The launch of the Digital Skills Card is a practical step in support of this direction. It provides a secure and reliable digital means of verifying professional skills and credentials, and reinforces confidence in accredited competencies in a way that serves regulators, employers and professionals alike.”
Consequently, the initiative could make professional credentials easier to recognize across institutions and borders. It also supports broader workforce mobility by giving employers a digital method to verify accredited competencies.
Wider Digital Credential Adoption
QCC said it will continue working with government entities, regulators, employers and industry stakeholders to expand digital credential solutions. Furthermore, the council aims to strengthen professional recognition, workforce quality and service standards across Abu Dhabi.
UAC specializes in workforce skills assessment and accreditation for industrial sectors. Its programs align with regulatory requirements and labor market needs.
The launch also signals Abu Dhabi’s broader push toward digitally verifiable professional credentials. At the same time, the planned expansion could bring additional certifications, qualifications and professional achievements into the Digital Skills Card system.
