Ripple announced on Monday it is launching the University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI), which is described as a program comprised of collaborative partnerships with leading universities globally to support academic research, technical development and innovation in blockchain, cryptocurrency and digital payments. Through the program, Ripple will reportedly donate a total of $50 million to universities around the world to help shape the workforce of the future.
According to Ripple, Each university will determine its own research topics and areas of focus. In addition to providing financial resources, The company stated it is committed to collaborating with universities by providing subject matter expertise and technical resources, as needed. Those who are initially participating in the program are the following:
- The University of Pennsylvania
- CSAIL at MIT
- The Center for Information Technology Policy at Princeton University
- Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley
- University of Waterloo
- UCL (University College London)
- University of Oregon
- The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Korea University
- University of Luxembourg
- Delft University of Technology (Netherlands)
- University of Nicosia (Cyprus)
- Australian National University
- Fundação Getulio Vargas (Brazil)
- McCombs School of Business, UT-Austin
- IIT Bombay
- International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-H)
Speaking about the initiative, Eric van Miltenburg, SVP of Global Operations at Ripple, shared:
“Academia has traditionally been a critical driver of technical innovation. The University Blockchain Research Initiative is an acknowledgment of the vital importance of the unique role universities will play in advancing our understanding and application of cryptography and blockchain technology. It also speaks to the reality that university graduates will fuel a continually evolving and maturing financial marketplace and workforce. Much of the enthusiasm and activity to date around blockchain is disconnected from real use cases that result in clear benefits to businesses or civil society. While Ripple won’t dictate research parameters, we are excited to play a role in helping to support faculty and student-led projects that explore increasingly useful applications of blockchain and cryptocurrencies.”
Ripple added that the initial launch partners represent a broad cross-section of geographies and markets, as well as a rich blend of academic disciplines. In addition, the company is committed to working with campus initiatives to increase diversity in blockchain, cryptocurrency, FinTech and related fields.
