The University of Melbourne is all set to become the first Australian institution to trial blockchain technology.

Last week, the university announced that it is teaming up with Learning Machine, a US-based company associated with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab, to pilot a blockchain based micro-credentialing system, which will enable employers to verify those credentials quickly.

Speaking at the annual meeting of a data portability consortium in Melbourne last week, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Teaching and Learning) Professor Gregor Kennedy said the decision to pilot Learning Machine’s blockchain platform for micro-credentialing is based on supporting new types of learning recognition that are increasingly being demanded by students and employers in a globalised, digital world.

“In a future where career ‘churn’ and constant technical and organisational innovation are the norm, employers are looking for ways to verify the know-how and skills of employees at a very granular level,” he said. “Similarly, students are increasingly interested in showing the specific skills and abilities they have acquired and developed. Micro-credentials, verified through secure, distributed platforms like Learning Machine’s are a means to address this.”

According to Professor Kennedy, micro-credentials do not represent a threat to traditional university degrees, but rather complement them. He said that the trial is seen as experimenting with new ways to recognise learning.

Learning Machine’s Dr Natalie Smolenski said the blockchain technology gives individuals complete control and sovereignty over how their achievements are represented and to whom. It also stores their credentials in an incorruptible and digitally secure system.

“Anyone who needs to verify official records, such as employers, can quickly check the validity and authenticity of each certificate. Any attempt to change, embellish, or otherwise misrepresent a micro-credential represented by a certificate will cause the verification to fail.”

Professor Kennedy further said the system will be trialled in an internal professional development program run in July by the Melbourne Centre for the Study of Higher Education with a wider roll-out being considered for 2018.