2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Dedicated Blockchain for the Generation of Digital Certificates and Badges in Universities

Presented at International Division (INTL): Measuring and Assessing Outcomes and Impact

The increasing digitalization of education and the need for secure, transparent, and efficient systems to validate academic credentials have led to the exploration of blockchain technology in higher education. Traditional certification systems are often slow, expensive, and vulnerable to fraud, which presents a significant challenge for academic institutions globally. This study aimed to design and implement a private blockchain platform using Hyperledger Fabric to automate the creation, storage, and validation of academic credentials across a global university network. The platform guarantees the integrity and accessibility of digital certificates and badges, thus ensuring secure and decentralized verification. The proposed system leverages the immutability, transparency, and security of blockchain to improve the existing certification process. The platform demonstrated significant benefits including cost reduction, improved security, and increased efficiency in the academic credential-validation process. The decentralized nature of this system allows credentials to be easily verifiable and protected against fraud. Furthermore, the solution supports the management of large volumes of academic records with improved scalability while maintaining privacy and compliance with relevant regulations. Private blockchain implementation using Hyperledger Fabric offers a robust solution to the challenges of academic credentials’ validation. It addresses key benefits, such as cost efficiency, improved security, and transparency in academic credentials. However, implementation faces challenges, especially with respect to scalability, student data privacy, and legal compliance across multiple jurisdictions. Future studies will focus on addressing these challenges and expanding the adoption of blockchain technology across global university networks.

Authors

Rodolfo Andrés Rivas Matta Florida Altantic University
Dr. Jose Texier http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0176-6625 LACCEI [biography]

Assistant Director of “The Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions” (LACCEI). Computer Engineer UNET (2002, Venezuela). Master of Computer Science, University of the Andes (2008, Venezuela). PhD in Computer Science from the National University of La Plata (2014, Argentina). Invited Professor and Researcher Universidad Nacional de Chilecito (2014-2023, Argentina). Ex professor UNET (2003-2015). The research areas are framed in Digital Libraries / Institutional Repositories / Open Science, Compilers and Interpreters, Natural Language Processing:
*. Orcid: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0176-6625
*. Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.ar/citations?user=kUQ1boMAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao
*. ENTER (EngineeriNg educaTors pEdagogical tRaining): 2311001032
Dr. Maria Mercedes Larrondo-Petrie http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2354-4986 Florida Atlantic University [biography]

Dr. Maria Mercedes Larrondo-Petrie has a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering and is a Professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science of Florida Atlantic University. She is the Executive Director of LACCEI (Latin American and Caribbean Consortium of Engineering Institutions, a Titular Member of the Pan-American Academy of Engineering, and Director of the Organization of American States' OAS Center of Excellence in Engineering for the Americas. She serves on the ASEE International Division Board, and on the IEEE Education Society's Standards Committee and Educational Activities Committee. She was the recipient of the Duncan Fraser Global Educator Medal awarded jointly by the International Federation of Engineering Education Societies (IFEES) and the Global Engineering Deans Council (GEDC). She has been bestowed IGIP's ING-PAED title honoris causa, and iPEER (International Professional Engineer Education - Registered, Level 5). She has an h-index of 26 and an i-index of 60.
Laura Romero Tecnologico de Monterrey

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 22, 2025, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 25, 2025

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