- North Dakota launches “Open Credential Publisher” program, allowing graduates to store educational credentials in a secure, blockchain-based digital wallet.
- The system guarantees privacy by using decentralized identifiers to validate credentials through QR codes, eliminating traditional paperwork.
- The initiative seeks to expand into other areas and has garnered interest nationally and internationally, leading the way towards a future of verifiable digital credentials and limitless educational opportunities.
Keep your academic achievements at your fingertips with North Dakota’s blockchain-powered digital wallet!
North Dakota has taken a bold step into the future with the launch of its newest program: Open Credential Publisher. This exciting initiative, which began in August of last year, enables all high school graduates to keep their educational credentials, such as transcripts and diplomas, in a secure and accessible blockchain-powered digital wallet.
Open Credential Publisher System
How does this system work? Tracy Korsmo, one of the show’s main architects, explains it simply and compellingly.
Instead of dealing with traditional paperwork, students can now gain agency over their crucial documents when applying for jobs or considering educational opportunities.
Thanks to a permissioned blockchain, users can provide verified credentials to any entity that requests them, such as universities or potential employers.
The most amazing thing about this system is that the student’s privacy is kept intact. Personal data and credentials are not stored directly on the blockchain. Instead, a decentralized identifier (DID) is created that is associated with the student and the institution issuing the credentials. When a student needs to share her academic achievements, she will simply generate a QR code through an app that will automatically validate her credentials. Goodbye calls to the school office to verify documents!
Far-reaching
But this program doesn’t stop at diplomas and transcripts. Korsmo has a broader and more exciting vision.
In the near future, the digital wallet could include other important credentials, such as career readiness internships and work-based learning experiences.
Imagine storing all your skills and achievements in one place that is accessible and recognized by various educational institutions and employers.
In addition to academic achievement, North Dakota is working hard to expand the program into other areas, such as cybersecurity and healthcare.
Community colleges, such as Lake Region State College and Bismarck State College, are already accepting digital credentials to grant course equivalencies and even degrees.
This opens up a world of opportunities for those seeking further education or a career change.
But Korsmo’s vision goes even further. Imagine an interconnected ecosystem of digital wallets where students and alumni are notified about new credentials they can pursue.
An initiative that transcends borders
What started as an ambitious project in North Dakota has caught the attention of an eight-state consortium through the National Governors Association.
New Hampshire, Connecticut, Virginia, Indiana, Kentucky, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Wyoming, and Washington are also working to promote secure, verifiable digital resumes with an emphasis on people skills.
And this is not just a national phenomenon. Internationally, universities and institutions around the world have begun to explore the use of blockchain to verify credentials and certificates. The University of Johannesburg is a prime example, issuing certificates with blockchain-powered QR codes to ensure authenticity.
Final words
Without a doubt, the North Dakota program marks a milestone in modern education and recruitment.
With this blockchain-powered digital wallet initiative, students can easily and quickly demonstrate their achievements, and educational institutions and employers can reliably verify credentials.
North Dakota is leading the way in an era of verifiable digital credentials and limitless opportunity. Get ready for a world where your potential has no limits!