Data scientists at Curtin University in Australia have created a scholarship fund for students who want to study in the fields of crypto, blockchain technology, cybersecurity, data analytics and other related fields. The scholarship has been named the “Cryptocurrency Ph.D. Scholarship Fund”.

Donations to the scholarship fund can be made from Ethereum and Bitcoin blockchains through a Web 3.0 payment platform. The payment platform enables real-time payments from donors to the university. The platform was developed through a partnership with Centrality and Nelnet International. Students who are studying in the aforementioned fields can also use Centrality and its various tools for educational purposes and Centrality will help the students develop decentralized applications.

The university is due to make a proper announcement regarding the fields of study and projects which will be covered by the scholarship fund. Those who intend to donate are able to make a general donation to the fund or they can choose a specific field of study which they want to fund.

Associate Deputy Vice-Chancellor Research Excellence at the university, Professor Garry Allison, said that the scholarship fund provides a platform for crypto traders to help Ph.D. students grow and develop these new technologies. The hope is that traders from the best online cryptocurrency exchanges will come to the fore and contribute towards the development of blockchain based projects. In so doing, blockchain technology and cryptocurrency will have more use cases developed by the Ph.D. students.

The push for crypto growth

Centrality Group’s General Manager, Jerome Faury, said that cutting edge technologies such as Web 3.0 and Web 4.0 continue to evolve and through their partnership with Curtin University, students will be able to use up to the minute skills. He added that the hope is that students will be able to build a more equitable digital economy and also put control over data back in the hands of consumers.

Nelnet International has also expressed appreciation and excitement for the scholarship fund. Nelnet International Managing Director David Hefferman said that they appreciate Curtin University for the initiative and said that they are excited to work with Centrality and Curtin by providing a platform for blockchain applications.

Through this “Cryptocurrency Ph.D. Fund”, Curtin University joins a list of universities that have developed crypto related initiatives. There a number of universities around the world which have announced different blockchain and cryptocurrency projects. The University of British Columbia recently introduces a graduate training program in blockchain technology while Dublin City University announced a collaboration with Ireland ICT Skillnet to offer a master’s degree.

Just like any other field, academic research and promotion will be key in driving blockchain technology and cryptocurrency towards mainstream adoption. As more students across the world get involved in the industry, more use cases are likely to be developed and the technology can gain more use in society. Getting students involved is vital and scholarship funds such as the one offered at Curtin University will go a long way in getting more students involved in the blockchain field.