Emirates National Accreditation System provides remote evaluation services

The Emirates National Accreditation System, ENAS, is providing accreditation services and carrying out emergency evaluations as of mid-March, in line with the country’s precautionary measures to ensure the safety of institutional experts to limit the spread of COVID-19.

Dr. Rehab Al-Ameri, Director of the National Accreditation Department, confirmed that the administration has begun implementing the policy within three axes, including the desk evaluation of documents and quality manuals, the conversion of the field assessment to a remote evaluation, and, if necessary, the rescheduling of assessments to the authorities, according to the risk report prepared by the administration on those sides.

This is in addition to preparing training programmes for experts and evaluators to train staff in carrying out assessments and how to use technical tools and programmes in a manner that ensures the accuracy of the output of the evaluation process.

The National Accreditation Department has adopted several pioneering methodologies in this field through the use of multiple techniques for remote evaluation, including live interviews with conformity assessment bodies and the monitoring of testing processes via video, in addition to beginning to harness technological innovations to facilitate the evaluation process, such as the use of robots or reality simulation systems.

These initiatives were prepared within the future plans of the UAE national accreditation system in order to preserve the health and safety of the parties concerned and the sustainability of service provision, without prejudice to the integrity of the accreditation process in accordance with international requirements, and to support business sustainability and the national economy in the current circumstances.