Blockchain technology has played a pivotal role in several mainstream industries over the past couple of years even as the cryptocurrency market struggles to break into the mainstream realm. The underlying technology upon which currencies like Bitcoin have been built was being considered as a viable source for new developments.
The latest reports have revealed that the telecommunications giant Etisalat has partnered with Smartwolrd to bring Shahada’s digital certificate platform to the education sector. The move is set to utilize the organization’s blockchain technology to help governments entities and universities to digitally attest and certify certificates.
The partnership is set to pave the way for credible information when it comes to the education sector as well as carrying the information forward to other industries. Shahada was launched this February by a collaboration between Smartworld and Grape Technology. The latter is a UAE-based blockchain startup with an aim to bring educational institutions, government entities, and external stakeholders together on a native blockchain platform.
This is not the first time that blockchain technology has been used to maintain standards in the education sector, as universities in the US have already done the same. Blockchain technology is most effective because of its transparency and its tamper-proof nature. Any changes made to the Ledger would be visible to everyone, an aspect that will be useful in verifying the legitimacy of university certificates.
Smartworld has stated that the platform will save time and resources by letting them focus on multiple aspects of the education sectors. The implementation of the technology will allow universities to securely issue credentials on the blockchain, thereby eliminating any chance of forgery. Shahada plays an important role in integrating education and blockchain technology because it is aligned with both the UAE Blockchain Strategy 2020 and the 50-Year Charter launched by UAE Prime Minister HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. According to reports, the platform will also allow UAE ministries to play a part in verifying documents on the blockchain.