The Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) in South Korea is planning to issue diplomas and certificates that are stored and managed on a blockchain-based platform.
Due to the current coronavirus threat, the Korean university thinks it’s not safe anymore for students to get together at a graduation ceremony. However, the university won’t be postponing the event. Instead, the institution’s administration will be giving graduates the option to receive their diplomas online, according to local news media outlet MBN.
On February 7, 2020, POSTECH’s 828 new graduates will be sent a letter via email, which will include a QR code that will be connected to their diploma, residing on a blockchain-powered platform.
The certificates are issued by blockchain-enabled certification service “broof.” Introduced in May of last year by South Korean company ICONLOOP, the new service lets people issue, manage, and review their digital certificates through ICONLOOP’s public blockchain platform.
A POSTECH representative noted:
“In the aftermath of the new corona, it is impossible to hold a graduation ceremony on time. Now, even if a student does not visit the school to receive the diploma, they can get an online digital degree secured by blockchain technology.”
POSTECH also used broof’s proprietary technology in June of last year, when it issued blockchain-based diplomas to graduates of its blockchain CEO course. When compared to regular online certificates, blockchain-enabled diplomas can’t be forged or modified in any way. Diploma holders are able to access the information via an encrypted method.
Other institutes of higher learning have also been looking into whether it’s beneficial to issue blockchain-enabled digital diplomas. MIT Media Lab is developing a DLT software to store and manage digital certificates on the Bitcoin (BTC) blockchain network.