The presentation gives a brief introduction to blockchain technology, and explores possible applications for the technology to the Validation of Non-Formal and Informal Learning within the European Union. Delivered with Alex Grech at the European Validation Festival in Brusels on 15-16 June 2018

1. ALEX GRECH AND ANTHONY F. CAMILLERI
VALIDATION AND BLOCKCHAIN
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
EUROPEAN VALIDATION FESTIVAL, THE EGG BRUSSELS
14 JUNE 2018

2. DOMAIN OF
FRAUDSTERS &
CRYPTOCULTURE
BITCOIN HYPE!FINTECH BUBBLE
LET’S WAIT.
ONE FOR THE
FUTURE
GOVERNMENTS
ARE MAKING THIS
ILLEGAL!
NOTHING TO DO
WITH
EDUCATION!

3. FORMAL LEARNING
QUALIFICATION
RECOGNITION OF SKILLS
EXPERIENTIAL SOCIAL
TYPES OF
CREDENTIALS
The EQF only
Captures a
Fraction of the
Spectrum of
Credentials

4. MICRO-
CREDENTIALS
NANO-DEGREES
MICRO-
MASTERS
CERTIFICATES
BADGES
LICENSES
ENDORSEMENTS
• Smaller modules of learning
than covered in conventional
academic awards
• Part of Digital Credentialing
Ecosystem made possible by
digital communications
technologies establishing
networks of interest through
which people share
information about what a
learner knows and can do

5. In Europe Higher Education and
Tertiary Education
Qualifications are still in
increasing demand

6. Higher Education and Tertiary
Education Qualifications are still in
increasing demand

7. The value of degrees and
qualifications is decreasing
New models of (higher)
education are thriving
The End of
Traditional
Degrees?

8. The value of degrees and
qualifications is decreasing
New models of (higher)
education are thriving
Traditional Degrees
remain the Gold
Standard for
Employment

9. Source: Career Arc
In a crowded
job-market a
degree is easily
understood

10. The Blockchain has the potential to
give non-formal certificates some of
the same status and features as
formal degrees

11. WHAT IS BLOCKCHAIN?

12. Blockchain is a digital way for people
to transfer assets directly between
each other without an intermediary

13. A Public Decentralised Ledger

14. Central
Database
Structure of a MODERN DATABASE
Users store
their
information
Institution
manages &
controls
Parties consult database

15. WHAT CAN GO WRONG?

16. • Institutional Staff can change grades after the fact
• Students can compromise a database
Data can be changed (hacked)
• Data loss through disasters (fire, war, etc)
• Data loss through accidents
Data can be deleted
• Students not given access to metrics held on them
• Disputes over ownership of intellectual property
Institution can prevent access
• Institutions can charge for verifying data (certificates)
• Digital data only available through proprietary systems
Institution can put conditions
on access
• Sharing data with third parties
• Profiling of students
Institution can use data in an
unauthorised manner

17. By removing a central authority,
blockchain eliminates these problems
Each user (node) stores a
complete
copy of the database
Each user (node) has to
approve each entry
The version with the
most copies is the ‘true’
version

19. Notarization on
the blockchain
means storing
its hash on the
ledger

20. THE
SOCIAL VALUE
PROPOSITION
OF BLOCKHAIN

21. SELF-
SOVEREIGNTY
& IDENTITY

22. INTEROPERABILITY

23. TRUST
ARCHITECTURE
DECENTRALISED

24. TRANSPARENCY
& PROVENANCE

25. IMMUTABILITY

26. DISINTERMEDIATION

27. HOW BLOCKCHAIN CAN
START TO IMPACT
INFORMAL & NON-FORMAL
LEARNING

28. Three Applications for Blockchain in
Validation
1.
Automatically Verifiable
Secure Credentials
2.
Reputational Systems
for Validation
3.
Directory of Trusted
Issuers

29. Automatically Verifiable Secure
Credentials
 Any institution can issue a digital credential (in any format) to a learner and
register the hash of that credential on a blockchain
 The learner can hold the credential themselves on their own device or in
an online wallet
 Any person wishing to check the authenticity can simply compare the hash
of the document against the entry on the chain.

30. Automatically Verifiable Secure
Credentials
tamper-proof
revocable
user-held
independently-verifiable

31. Applications

32. Reputational Systems for Validation
learners request validation
of a specific skill;
evidence requested or
standardised text
call for validators on the
network
validators validate the test
or evidence
validators reputation is
defined by their own level
of competence in the skill;
Learning is validated once
certain score is received
Validators not reaching
consensus are penalised
Learner’s reputation
increases
Learners can now validate
skill levels lower than their
own

33. Reputational Systems for Validation
incentive-based
self-organizing
trusted validators
reliability increases with use

34. Applications

35. An Idea
A comprehensive database of skills
paired with a reputational network for skill verification
can give us
A universal currency for learning

36. Directory of Trusted Issuers
 Educational Organizations, including non-formal organizations, would hold
wallets of directly issued or reputational credentials
 By sharing the wallet they could prove accreditation, legal status or other
aspects of identity
 Since each credential is validated, it is possible to build up trust in the
instiution
 It is possible to set up multi-level accreditation, where one institution
accredits another, who in turn accredits another
 Independent verifiers would apply KYC-tests to the wallets for different
validation purposes

37. Directory of Trusted Issuers
true verification of identity
triangulation of sources
different definitions of truth

38. Applications

39. Open vs Closed Blockchains
Open Chains
• decentralized governance
• data portability
• independent verification
• direct access to wallets
• open standards
Closed Chains
• centralised governance
• data silos
• Verification through intermediaries
• Mediated access to wallets
• Proprietary closed standards

40. An Open Eco-System
Direct all EU (and MS)
action towards
“Open Blockchain ”
From a public-policy
perspective only Open
Blockchain offer a desirable
social value proposition
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