A new blockchain technology promises to track down false qualifications

A quick online search for ‘fake doctors’ throws up an alarming number of results from all over the world — about 3,70,00,000 results in 0.42 seconds. There are also fake pilots, teachers, lawyers, engineers… For Ilya Nikiforov, it was a challenging prospect, but he wanted to use his tech expertise to weed out offenders.

“Academic fraud is a serious and potentially life threatening issue, particularly if the degree that has been faked is in the medical field. It is absurd that printed academic transcripts are still the primary way to authenticate a person’s qualifications,” says the 32-year-old Estonian founder of Disciplina, a blockchain that is designed to verify qualifications while maintaining confidentiality.

The newly-launched technology will be showcased at the Tech in Asia event in Singapore, on May 15 and 16.

Using the blockchain, employers can cross-check the credentials of potential employees with the universities they say they have attended. Disciplina will access the online records without revealing specifics and private information; these will be encrypted.

For authenticity and accuracy, Nikiforov says, “A unique scoring and rating system will rank skills, grades, job history and success,” using which employers can make an informed decision. It can also be used by universities to vet students, he adds. Online courses can be authenticated, too.

He is no stranger to educational technology, being the founder of TeachMePlease, an international platform that connects educational institutions, tutors and students. The blockchain expertise comes from a team that includes developers who have formerly worked on Hong Kong-based Cardano, that is currently the seventh largest cryptocurrency.

“We want to transform the way educational records are generated, stored and accessed. It is going to make the recruitment process easier and more transparent. Our long term vision is to allow candidates to be ranked on their education and credentials,” he concludes.

Visit disciplina.io for details.

We want to transform the way educational records are generated and stored