Today's Edition
ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)
The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Centre (ADREC) has launched a mandatory licensing curriculum aimed at improving the professional and advisory skills of real estate brokers in the emirate, according to a statement issued on Thursday.
ADREC also signed memoranda of understanding with Mawaheb, part of the Department of Government Enablement – Abu Dhabi, ThinkProp and Abu Dhabi School of Management to support broker training, professional certification and applied research.
The Abu Dhabi Real Estate Broker Transformation Course replaces the previous broker course and is designed to prepare brokers to act as trusted real estate advisers, the statement said.
The curriculum is tailored to Abu Dhabi’s regulatory framework and was developed by a committee of senior local and international brokers. It was also benchmarked against recognised global real estate qualifications.
The course covers legal, operational, ethical and market knowledge. Candidates must also complete a simulated property transaction and pass a final assessment.
Successful candidates will receive the ADREC Certified Broker credential, which must be renewed annually to reflect changes in regulations.
“As the regulator of Abu Dhabi’s real estate sector, our role is to make sure professional standards keep pace with the market’s growth,” said Rashed Al Omaira, Director General of ADREC.
“Brokers are often the first point of contact an investor has with the sector, and the quality of their advice shapes that investor’s experience of the market,” he added.
Al Omaira said the curriculum established a common standard of regulatory knowledge and professional conduct for every licensed broker in Abu Dhabi and would help brokers become trusted advisers to their clients.
ADREC is piloting the curriculum through a real estate brokerage training programme with Mawaheb, in collaboration with the Abu Dhabi Youth Council.
The programme, scheduled to begin on October 10, will prepare 60 Emirati nationals for careers in property brokerage. It will begin with an open day, followed by one week of training and a three-month practical training period with nine entities operating in the sector.
Participants will receive support to obtain the accreditation required to work as property brokers in Abu Dhabi, with the possibility of employment after successfully completing the programme.
“The Real Estate Brokerage Programme reflects the Abu Dhabi Government’s commitment to advancing Emiratisation by connecting national talent with sectors that require professionals with specialised skills,” said Ibrahim Nasser, Undersecretary of the Department of Government Enablement.
He said cooperation between public- and private-sector partners would help Emiratis enter a strategically important economic sector and build sustainable careers in real estate.
The agreements with ThinkProp and Abu Dhabi School of Management cover the delivery and joint development of broker training, ADREC-recognised courses and certification, as well as applied research.
“Working with ADREC, we can connect academic teaching directly to the standards the real estate market expects and support the sector’s growth through applied research,” said Dr Marc Poulin, Acting President of Abu Dhabi School of Management.
Wajdi Ghoussoub, Interim General Manager and Chief Executive Officer of ADRES–ThinkProp, said its role as an ADREC-approved training provider was to translate the curriculum into practical training that prepared brokers for current market requirements.
“Working with ADREC, we will help brokers build the regulatory knowledge and advisory skills their clients expect,” he added.
The initiative comes as Abu Dhabi’s property market continues to expand. The emirate recorded Dh117 billion in real estate transactions during the first half of 2026, an increase of 112% from the same period last year, according to ADREC’s first-half transaction report.
ADREC issued 2,040 licences to real estate professionals during the period, an increase of 34%, while the number of licensed property brokers reached 3,302.
Registration details and eligibility criteria for the Mawaheb programme will be announced through Mawaheb’s official channels, the statement said.
