The University of Melbourne is reportedly set to test blockchain technology for student credential records in an upcoming trial that will utilize the US firm Learning Machine’s Blockcerts system. That system is already being tested by several universities around the world, according to Learning Machine’s Natalie Smolenski. The University of Melbourne will be the first Australian school to experiment with Blockcerts.
The blockchain system is designed to allow job-seekers and others to share their credential information with potential employers using a platform that provides easy validation of the records’ authenticity. People can simply download an application that they can then use to have their credentials on the blockchain. When they need to share that information, they simply choose those individuals and entities to whom they want to grant access.
In a recent report in the Australian Financial Review, Dr. Smolenski described the benefits that the new system could provide for verifying educational credentials:
"Anyone who needs to verify official records, such as employers, can quickly check the validity and authenticity of each certificate. Any attempt to change, embellish, or otherwise misrepresent a micro-credential represented by a certificate will cause the verification to fail.”
The trial run will be conducted on a limited basis, and will begin in July. If successful, the system could be implemented on a broader scale next year.
