Sony Started Using Blockchain for Hassle-Free Education CertificatesSony Global Education, a division of the Japanese electronics giant Sony Corporation, announced a new blockchain technology to share educational data with third parties.
Sony teamed up with Holberton School, an alternative software engineering school, and Bitproof, a blockchain notary in issuing blockchain based academic certificates to its graduates.
MIT Media Lab has also begun issuing digital certificates, and in July 2015, they began issuing ‘coins’, that serve as physical versions of their digital certificates, to members of their community.
What can blockchain bring to the table?Blockchain has the potential to change everything when it comes to how we receive or share our educational qualifications. As an example, in a few months’ time, I will be taking the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). If I pass this test, I will be issued with a one-time paper certificate that I can make photocopies of and share with potential employers or Japanese schools for further education. However, apart from the fact that I need to make photocopies, I also need to take care of this certificate, because, if I lose it or it gets damaged, it is difficult, time-consuming and expensive to get a duplicate. If JLPT issued a digital certificate, which could be verified through a private or a public blockchain, my life would be considerably simpler. I would have no paper certificates to worry about and potential employers and schools could just look at my results if they had access to the JLPT blockchain. There is evidence to point out that it is already happening.
“After taking an examination to demonstrate his or her academic proficiency level, an individual could direct the testing organization to share the test results with one or more third-party evaluating organizations.”
– Sony Global Education
Full read:
http://cointelegraph.com/news/sony-started-using-blockchain-for-hassle-free-education-certificates