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Singapore-based Ngee Ann Polytechnic to issue blockchain diplomas

Ngee Ann Polytechnic, a Singapore-based institution of higher learning, is working with UOB FinLab’s blockchain startup, Attores, to issue digital versions of diplomas onto the blockchain.

With this, Ngee Ann Polytechnic will become the first educational institution in the country to issue blockchain diplomas. The institute said that if the pilot is successful, it plans to extend it to all of NP’s Diploma Certificates, accessible via a blockchain browser online.

“We issue over 4000 diploma certs and other kinds of certificates every year. The process of verifying the authenticity of certificates can be very manual. With blockchain, we can simplify this process, make it user-driven, and boost productivity. Not only will this help students effectively kickstart their career, employers also get them onboard with minimal hassle,” said Clarence Ti, Principal of Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

The blockchain diplomas or ‘e-certs’ will be issued with a public facing front end to validate the e-certs issued on the blockchain. Blockchain-based certificates will allow potential employers to verify the authenticity and origination of the e-cert. If the final certificate is altered in any way, or is fraudulent, it would not match the data stored on the blockchain.

According to the official release, Attores’ front end deployment engine is used to securely create, deploy, and verify the certificates. Its ‘Open Certificates’ platform will enable the polytechnic to quickly create new e-certs for their students using an intuitive interface.

“Digitization also removes the costs associated with verifying the authenticity of the diploma if an employer needs to check on a potential candidate. We eliminate a large chunk of the costs associated with issuing and verifying certificates. This is at least a 75% cost savings compared with traditional issuance”, Attores CEO David Moskowitz said.

The pilot project is being powered by a private version of the Ethereum Blockchain, using client software built by Parity Technologies.

”We’re really happy to see Attores use Parity to demonstrate the strength of blockchain in lowering the costs in certification”, said Dr. Gavin Wood, founder of Parity Technologies. “We hope that this will be a first step toward getting the world’s certification information into a fraud-resistant, open and ubiquitous platform.”

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