Blockchain literally means "chain of blocks". It is a shared, immutable database of increasing size, in which data is contained within different blocks, correlated with each other by cryptographic algorithms.
Originally created by Bitcoin and his investor, was originally applied in the financial sector but the opportunities and possibilities of applying the technology in other sectors were soon understood.
Among the most promising innovations of this technology: traceability of agri-food supply chains, in order to ensure trust, transparency, reliability and automation at all levels of the supply chain; the notarization of data to certify the existence and integrity of any data and documents, in order to ensure that they have not been modified over time; smart contracts: computer codes that are automatically executed upon the occurrence of given conditions.
During the A.Y. 2019-2020 CIHEAM Bari organized a workshop, aimed at offering all participating students a background on Blockchain technology and distributed ledgers, with a detailed focus on how these technologies are used in the agricultural sector. The workshop, lasting three days, saw the presence and participation of national representatives of the sector, and promoted the participation, interaction and analytical reasoning of students through different workshops.
The problem of fake degrees in higher education is long-standing.
The traditional method of verifying diploma certificates is a long and complicated process and does not have standard procedures. Schools are also the single points of vulnerability of the entire system, making it easier for hackers to attack their databases to forge or fake diplomas.
CIHEAM Bari solves these problems through the use of Blockchain and cryptography: the institute, after verifying the digital identity of its students, issues a digital payment of the diploma certificate containing all the information relating to the student's course of study. The certificate is thus transmitted and written in the Bitcoin’s Blockchain network, making it immutable, impossible to falsify and confidential in regard of personal data.
The student will thus be provided with their own personal QR code, that they can share with third parties to demonstrate the validity, authenticity and content of their diploma.
Writing diplomas in Blockchain, also allows third parties to independently verify the certificates shared by students, without having to contact the educational institutions directly.
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