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In a new pilot program, SAIT will become the first Canadian post-secondary institution to release academic credentials that include the blockchain, the cryptographic recording system used in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
Twenty-five future graduates of the Pre-Employment Automotive Service Technician program will receive a blockchain key. Each key provides access to the credentials of each corresponding student, which are stored in a decentralized repository through a peer-to-peer network, according to a press release from SAIT.
The new digital credentials are just an exciting application of blockchain technology, said Dr. David Ross, president and CEO of SAIT, in a press release.
"This is only the beginning as we continue to put into practice the potential of blockchain technology," he said.
"At SAIT we are considered leaders and this is a strong example of how we are increasing our value proposition."
How will it work?
The credentials contain a unique tamper-proof digital signature that indicates any changes to the file and provides the signature of the issuing academic institution. The result is a system in which students can easily access their academic records and provide employers with proof that their records are valid.
What makes this so new and different?
The move was partly driven by widespread fraud on academic records. Post-secondary admissions departments have received increasing credentials from "graduate factories" that provide diplomas with the minimum or no work required, or even more shaded online outfits that openly falsify academic documents.
SAIT is working in partnership with ODEM, a company that provides an on-demand "On-Demand Training Marketplace" based on Ethereum, an open source distributed blockchain computing platform (meaning that its components are located on multiple connected computers in network).
"I am very excited about SAIT, its students, faculty and staff whose passion is to shape a new world as entrepreneurs and leaders," said ODEM CEO Richard Maaghul in a press release.
"It's a great way to accomplish their mission by becoming the first Canadian school to securely preserve and share student achievements with the world."
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