ISTC hosts discussion on fighting diploma fraud with blockchain

On December 12 Arcnet and Innovative Solutions and Technologies Center (ISTC) hosted panel discussion on how to prevent diploma fraud and protect reputation of educational institutions in Armenia.

“In the light of scandal breaking around forty doctors in Israel with forged diplomas from Armenian universities, the problem of protecting reputation of Armenian educational institutions worldwide becomes an urgent priority”, stated Arcnet co-founder and CEO Vahe Mkrtchyan.

Panelists for this event included Aram Hajian, Dean, College of Science and Engineering, AUA; Ruben Gevorgyan, Professor, Faculty of Economics and Management, YSU; Kristina Sargsyan, Coordinator of Hi-tech & Entrepreneurship, French University of Armenia; and Vazgen Manukyan, Co-founder and CTO at Arcnet. Panel was moderated by Areg Gevorgyan, Business Development Manager at ISTC.

Evaluation expert at National Information Center for Academic Recognition and Mobility (ArmENIC) Nazani Gevorgyan presented research on “Fraud in Higher Education” conducted by ArmENIC.

11:29 | 11.05.18 |

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Panelists discussed reasons for the growing number of forged degrees, diplomas and certificates, ways of preventing or revealing credentials forging and possible solutions to this problem.

The subject of using innovative technologies, in particular blockchain, for preventing credentials forging has been the focus of panelists’ attention.

Vazgen Manukyan, Co-founder and CTO at Arcnet, presented how blockchain can help preventing diploma fraud. He highlighted key features of blockchain-based diplomas:

- Improved traceability and transparency: The entire process flow of diploma issuance can be easily verified and traced back.

- Data immutability: The content of the diploma is tamper-proof: it can’t be modified or deleted under any circumstances.

- Enhanced security: The records on blockchain are secured through cryptography. Moreover, the information is stored across a network of computers instead of on a single server, which makes it impossible for hackers to compromise the data.

Arcnet co-founder and CEO Vahe Mkrtchyan presented blockchain-based certification platform ArcCert, which is in beta-testing now. He mentioned that Arcnet has signed MOU with ISTC for jointly implementing pilot testing of certification system to issue the first blockchain-based diplomas of ISTC.