Last month, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) announced its intention to issue diplomas to over 100 graduates through the use of blockchain technology. Now, it seems yet another university has decided to do the same thing. Central New Mexico Community College (CNM) recently announced its plan to offer students blockchain-based credentials after finishing their studies.
Secure and verifiable credentials for students
According to CNM, the digital credentials system will begin on the 15th of December. Once it does, students who wish to have easily verifiable yet secure higher education diplomas can choose to have them issued via blockchain technology. The benefits are major: these credentials are easily verifiable by employers, securely stored, accessible anytime and from anywhere, and even free!
Apart from the official blockchain diplomas and grades, the system can also store details related to the skills that students have acquired during their college years.
This will also make it easier for companies to perform background checks, as students will no longer have to submit copies of their diplomas, which can be easily faked using image editing tools. Additionally, employers will no longer have to make phone calls to find out whether job applicants have studied where they say they did. Rather, diplomas can be verified via a simple link.
Said CNM’s president, Katherine Winograd:
We are very excited to begin adopting this technology that’s going to provide more value, independence and convenience to our students throughout their lives . . . Students put forth tremendous effort to earn their higher education credentials and we’re going to start empowering more students with ownership over their own educational achievements.
Additionally, CNM is developing a platform for other universities, colleges and K-12 schools meant to issue digital credentials to students with the help of blockchain technology.
