The University of Bahrain will become one of the first universities worldwide to issue digital diplomas anchored to the blockchain using the Blockcerts open standard. The university is partnering with Learning Machine to implement this initiative as the two partners announced their collaboration on January 9, 2019 during the Blockchain Unlocked Summit 2019.
We at UOB are delighted to be the trailblazers in using blockchain in the MENA region in order to better serve our students. Students will have their own digital file, which means that they or indeed their employers will not have to wait for us to validate their credentials. As Bahrain positions itself as a technology-first country and makes significant progress towards the national 2030 economic vision, I am excited that UOB is playing its role as a pioneer of blockchain and as the regional leader in embracing technology to better serve the country.
Professor Riyad Hamzah, University of Bahrain President
In the pilot phase, the university will start with its postgraduate programs and then expand to undergraduate programs. This initiative supports the university’s transformation plan set in 2016. Cameron Mirza, head of strategy at the University of Bahrain, explained: “as a university, we need to embrace disruptive technology in order to improve our organizational effectiveness and to improve the student experience. Through this collaboration with Learning Machine, I am both excited and confident we can accomplish both.”
Blockcerts, a global, open standard for creating, issuing, viewing and verifying any type of official record using a blockchain as a secure anchor of trust with digital records registered on a blockchain and are cryptographically signed, tamper-proof and directly shareable.
“The potential of blockchain goes far beyond cryptocurrency” added Cameron Miraz, “and its potential use within education is both fascinating and exciting. This project is a first step into exploring that potential in a controlled and collaborative environment.”