Blockchain Is Progressing in the World of Academia
Cory Hymel
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April 3, 2023
Blockchain’s continued growth has given the technology unparalleled attention from governments, other sectors, and, most recently, academia. To explore the role of blockchain, a technology with the potential to increase efficiencies, improve record keeping and expand opportunities in academia, Cory Hymel, VP of Product at Gigster, engaged with Bradley Ackroyd, Product Strategist at SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology). The following are highlights of their talk.
SAIT appreciates that the technological pendulum is swinging in favor of technologies like blockchain. Blockchain’s promise of permanent, verifiable, and decentralized data handling abilities has seen the technology progress beyond cryptocurrencies and not only disrupt scores of industries but also support other emerging markets. As the world focuses on digitizing traditional business processes, the college aims to empower students so they have an opportunity to participate in emerging global markets. Among the take-home points, according to Bradley, include the following:
While blockchain is a relatively new concept, it is rapidly gaining acceptance within academia to the extent that it’s challenging the foundations of measuring skills and qualifications. The introduction of innovations like voice assistants, blockchain-based certificates, and micro-credentials is poised to disrupt higher education within the next few years.
Top-ranked colleges and universities offering certificates, diplomas, degrees, and now masters’ degrees are ensuring that their students are prepared to enter a competitive job market once they graduate. As a result, colleges are introducing a dynamic blockchain curriculum and pedagogical strategies that give students skills that improve their chances of succeeding in tomorrow’s economy.
Blockchain technology is pivotal as B2B and B2C businesses increasingly become attracted to digital transformation. Similar to how the internet affected the availability and distribution of information, blockchain has proved it has the potential to facilitate change by making transactions and processes more secure, efficient, democratic, and transparent.
As consumers and customers increasingly demand to do business with firms that provide solid value propositions, the demand for blockchain education is proliferating to close the gap. For institutions of higher learning, this means identifying what their students need to learn, introducing effective ways of teaching, and appropriating broader competencies in understanding the required enterprise-level technical skills.
The proliferation of education on the internet and computer technologies over the last few years facilitated the creation of jobs that drove computing and the internet to the most impressive levels. Since everyone believes blockchain is the next-gen technology, employing the same strategy and ensuring that students get educated about blockchain will see blockchain play a leading role in education as the technology advances.
Colleges are already introducing new skill sets in their curriculums to accommodate blockchain-related courses to ensure their students are sensitized and educated on blockchain initiatives to keep up with the ongoing adoption of the technology.
Introducing blockchain in academia is the catalyst for change that will lead to further refinement of the technology even as the knowledge levels increase. Similarly, an increase in access to blockchain education at higher levels of learning would lead to a directly proportional increase of applications that are directly proportional to the technology’s refinement levels leading to more applications as experts tweak the technology to introduce new outcomes. Listen to our full interview with Bradley and learn more about the impact of blockchain in academia.