By 
American Council for Education in the recent past got funding from the US Department of Education to speculate and contemplate the scope of blockchain technology in the education sector. In particular, the Council will explore the utilization of credentials for data-sharing among the employers and the educational institutes. However, control will be handed to the learners over their personal data.
The intent behind the heavy funding the Council received from the government is to empower and prepare US students and the future workforce to take on to the challenges of the future pertaining to technology advancements.
As per Ted Mitchell, the president of ACE (American Council on Education) – “The ultimate objective is to enable seamless transitions across K-12, higher educational infrastructure, and the professionals of the country”.
Table of Contents
What US Government Has to Say on the Education Blockchain Initiative?
US Government’s standpoint is pretty clear. It wants the initiative to act as a means for students to have full control on their educational ledgers(digital). The government also sees the development as a mode of certifying students on their industry-training achievements.
Some Interesting Stats on the Rapidly-Evolving Use of Blockchain
Global spending on blockchain-based business solutions is forecasted to grow from $1.5 billion in 2018 to a whopping $15.9 billion by 2023. Finance had been the largest industry that has benefited the most with the use of the said disruptive technology.
Until 2018, a little over 60% of the market value of blockchain industry worldwide was produced out of the financial sector. Although, by now, the application of the technology has surpassed diverse industries ranging from healthcare to agriculture, among numerous others.
A Few Universities in the US Have Already Introduced Blockchain-Education
Some universities in the US proactively introduced blockchain-learning as part of the students’ curricula to train them on new-age advanced technologies that will eventually provide with a competitive edge. However, the cost-factor plays an important role in the introduction of such modern technologies at university levels. As an educational entity, you need to have enough knowledge-expertise at your disposal to help make students learn the same.
A few modern universities in the country have been fairly successful at launching blockchain-centred projects in the last couple of years. Let’s talk about them.
Universities Teaching Blockchain Technology in the US
University of California
The said university introduced an initiative focused on promoting student blockchain innovation. The Portland State, following the mentioned initiative, launched an online Business Blockchain Certificate, that students can now acquire as a form of skill credential. Later, IBM joined hands with the Columbia University to develop and design two blockchain accelerators.
Cornell University
It introduced the Cornell Blockchain, a revolutionary project aimed at making certifications and education available online for corporate clients and students.
Georgetown University
Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business, sticking to its tradition of introducing innovation, has supported varied blockchain-based initiatives comprising the annual International Blockchain Summit. The university’s Centre for Financial Markets & Policy is busy publishing whitepapers and analysis showcasing the relevance of blockchain to the global finance industry.
New York University (NYU)
Stern School of Business at the NYU is among the most prominent organizations that promote blockchain technology on a global landscape. It’s positioned amongst the top 20 business schools in the US. However, the educational program within the said school that has accepted the technology in its curricula is the Fintech MBA program.
Parting Words
In the times to come, we will see more universities and educational institutes introducing blockchain programs in the US, and across the world. As and when this disruptive technology barges into uncountable other industry domains, the need for blockchain professionals such as technologists and analytics professionals will further grow.
And hence, acquiring professional blockchain certifications that offer comprehensive knowledge will prove to be highly beneficial from the job-markets standpoint.
Comments