Abu Dhabi Launches Blockchain-Powered Digital Skills Card for Instant Credential Verification

Abu Dhabi has introduced a cutting-edge digital credential system that enables employers to instantly verify professional qualifications using blockchain technology. The Digital Skills Card was unveiled by the Abu Dhabi Quality and Conformity Council (QCC) in partnership with Union Assessment and Quality Accreditation (UAC).

Each card links directly to a certification earned through personnel conformity programmes accredited by QCC and delivered by UAC. Employers, regulators, and other stakeholders can easily scan a QR code to confirm the validity and authenticity of any certification via ADI Chain, a blockchain infrastructure developed by the ADI Foundation. This development represents a significant advancement in adopting blockchain-verifiable workforce credentials throughout the Gulf Co-operation Council and the broader Middle East and North Africa region.

The official launch ceremony took place in the capital on Monday, convening government representatives, regulators, industry stakeholders, and certified professionals, many of whom received their Digital Skills Cards at the event.

Badr Khamis Al Shumaili, executive director of the conformity and standards services sector at QCC, emphasized that digitalisation has evolved past simple procedure streamlining. "It has become a fundamental pillar for building more connected and transparent systems, grounded in trusted data," he stated, adding that the card offers a secure verification method that boosts confidence among regulators, employers, and professionals.

Shahbaz Muhammad Khan, director and chief executive of UAC, noted that the initiative centers around the certified professionals. "Verified skills can travel with the individual, be recognised across institutions and borders and retain their value wherever a professional’s career may take them," he said. He also shared plans to eventually expand the scope of the Digital Skills Card to cover a wider array of certifications, qualifications, and professional achievements.

Moving forward, QCC intends to collaborate with government entities, regulators, employers, and industry stakeholders to broaden digital credential solutions, thereby improving professional recognition, workforce quality, and service standards across Abu Dhabi. The QCC continues to bolster the emirate's quality infrastructure through standardisation, conformity assessment, testing, inspection, and accreditation, while UAC remains dedicated to workforce skills assessment and industrial sector accreditation aligned with labour market needs and regulatory requirements.