National Autism Centre first in the Middle East to receive QABA membership
Represented by the National Autism Centre, the Ministry of Social Development joined the QABA board (Qualified Applied Behaviour Analysis Credentialing Board) as the first full member in the Arab region. The step reflects the Sultanate of Oman's commitment to improving the quality of services provided to individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Full membership is granted to qualified institutions in recognition of their professional practices and integrated infrastructure of behavioural services. It offers the members priority in joining international partnerships and advanced training, with chances of upgrading to the status of 'accredited supervisory bodies' or 'approved staff field training institutions'.
The announcement comes as part of the first phase of QABA's strategic expansion in the Arab world, which aims to enhance cooperation with official bodies, academic institutions, and specialised centres in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA).
The National Autism Centre is a leading centre providing diagnostic and therapeutic services for children with autism spectrum disorder in the Sultanate of Oman. It operates under the supervision of the MoSD, with a continued commitment to implementing international best practices.
Dr Nadia al Ajmi, Director of the National Autism Centre mentioned that full membership in QABA is an important step in improving and developing rehabilitation services for people with autism spectrum disorder, as well as empowering and developing specialised personnel in the field of autism.
'We are proud to be the first centre in the Middle East to receive this membership, which will undoubtedly have a significant impact on improving services," she said.
Full membership is granted to institutions in recognition of their professional level and behavioural services infrastructure. They also have priority in international partnerships and advanced training, with the possibility of becoming an accredited supervisory or field training provider for staff.
This membership is expected to contribute to raising the efficiency of autism professionals in the Sultanate of Oman and pave the way for training and qualifying local specialists according to international standards. It will also attract internationally accredited personnel to the professional field in the Sultanate of Oman and establish regional research and development partnerships between the National Center and international bodies.
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