4,800 students graduate with blockchain-based diplomas from Southern Alberta Institute of Technology

Over 4,800 students have graduated from the SAIT (Southern Alberta Institute of Technology) with blockchain-based diplomas. Located in Calgary, Canada, SAIT partnered with ODEM (On-Demand Education Marketplace) to issue digital records of students’ certificates on the Ethereum blockchain.

The purpose of the initiative is to enable students to present potential employers with uncontestable proof of their educational credentials. ODEM CEO Richard Maaghul also stated in a press release that blockchain enables the students to have more control over their records:

"Education is one of life's most valuable assets," he said. "We believe that students should have control over their own records, and blockchain technology makes that possible."

The initiative builds on a pilot project, which initially started out with 25 students but later grew to number in the thousands, making this graduating class the largest to leave school with credentials registered on the blockchain.

SAIT president and CEO, Dr. David Ross emphasized how the students have been equipped for success in the future marketplace:

"SAIT graduates are well-positioned for success with employers in today's rapidly changing digital landscape," Ross said. "By making valued SAIT credentials accessible through blockchain, our graduates and employers will continue to benefit from this innovative technology that's responsive, authentic and widely accessible."

SAIT is not the only university to run this kind of program, Cointelegraph reports. Other schools are now leveraging Blockchain in one form or another to prepare their students for future employment.