A Gateway to UK Qualifications, Quality Assurance and Workforce Development
Supporting training providers, colleges, employers and government organisations with access to recognised UK awarding organisations, centre approval, quality assurance and workforce development solutions across the Middle East and beyond.
FAO is a B2B gateway. We work with organisations that want to access, deliver or strengthen UK-recognised qualifications and workforce development programmes.
Private training institutes seeking awarding body approval to deliver regulated UK qualifications.
Further and higher education institutions expanding their regulated qualification portfolio.
Organisations building internal workforce development programmes aligned to UK-regulated standards.
National and regional workforce development agencies strengthening skills systems through internationally recognised qualifications.
Organisations managing large-scale upskilling programmes who need a single gateway to multiple UK awarding bodies.
Sector bodies and professional associations seeking to integrate UK-regulated credentials into their membership pathways.
UK-based awarding bodies seeking a trusted gateway to access international markets in the Middle East and beyond.
QA bodies and professional certification organisations working within the FAO federation ecosystem.
FAO guides organisations through every stage of becoming an approved centre for a UK awarding body — from initial qualification selection through to centre approval, quality assurance readiness and programme launch.
Start the Approval ProcessUnderstanding your organisation, sector and qualification objectives before recommending the right awarding body partner.
Identifying the most appropriate regulated qualifications and matching your organisation to the right UK awarding body.
Supporting you through the centre application process, documentation requirements and submission.
Preparing your centre for quality assurance review, then supporting launch and ongoing compliance.
FAO gives your organisation a single gateway to a portfolio of regulated UK awarding bodies. Each partner covers a specialist sector — your organisation accesses the right one through one relationship with FAO.
Specialist awarding body for engineering, manufacturing and technical sectors. Ofqual-regulated qualifications with global recognition.
View partner →World-class awarding organisation for hair, beauty, wellness and fitness — the global standard for professional services training.
View partner →UK government-recognised awarding organisation delivering employer-led, regulated qualifications across multiple sectors.
View partner →Market-leading qualifications for justice, fire & rescue, and community safety — trusted by frontline services globally.
View partner →End-Point Assessment and technical qualifications for science and industrial roles. Rigorous, sector-specific standards.
View partner →Evidence-based leadership certification for organisations — verifying capability through workplace evidence rather than training attendance.
View partner →FAO is not an awarding body and not a regulator. We are a federation and gateway organisation — providing the coordination, expertise and access that training providers, employers and government organisations need to work with UK awarding bodies.
Guiding organisations through every stage of becoming an approved centre for a UK awarding body — from application to launch.
A single gateway to multiple regulated UK awarding bodies — one relationship, multiple qualification pathways across 25+ sectors.
Supporting centres with IQA systems, policies, compliance documentation and readiness for external quality assurance review.
Helping employers and government agencies build qualification-led workforce development programmes aligned to real sector needs.
Awarding body approval requires more than a completed application. FAO works with centres to build the internal quality assurance systems, policies and documentation that regulators and awarding bodies require.
Explore QA SupportFAO works with organisations across the Middle East and beyond, supporting access to UK qualifications, quality assurance and workforce development solutions in international markets. Our regional knowledge — of regulatory environments, labour markets and sector demands — means we can guide organisations that international or UK-only providers cannot.
From the Gulf to Central Asia, FAO-supported centres operate across a wide range of international markets.
Engineering, healthcare, hospitality, public safety, science, leadership, service industries and more.
Training centres, employers, colleges and government bodies working with FAO-supported awarding programmes.
FAO supports training centres, colleges, employers and workforce development organisations with practical quality assurance services, helping them prepare for centre approval, strengthen internal systems, maintain compliance and improve delivery standards.
FAO supports centres in preparing the documentation, systems and processes required to achieve and maintain awarding body approval.
Learn more →FAO helps centres build IQA roles, sampling strategies and records management so quality assurance is operational from day one.
Learn more →Policies, procedures, assessment records and improvement plans — FAO supports centres in building a complete compliance documentation portfolio.
Learn more →FAO prepares centres for external quality assurance visits from awarding bodies, including mock reviews and document readiness checks.
Learn more →FAO supports centres in embedding a culture of continuous improvement, going beyond minimum compliance to strengthen delivery standards over time.
Learn more →Speak to FAO about centre approval readiness, internal quality assurance, compliance documentation and preparation for awarding body quality assurance requirements.
Speak to FAO →Whether you want to become an approved centre, access a specific UK qualification or discuss a workforce development programme — speak to our team.