USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY IN SMART UNIVERSITY
USING BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY IN SMART UNIVERSITY

Summary/Abstract: : The evolution of information and communications technology (ICT) has a huge impact in all spheres of activity, leading to major changes in every process, gaining important benefits but also facing challenges, especially those related to data security and protection. In the educational sector, there was a switch from traditional university to ICT based university. The use of SOA (Service Oriented Architecture), Cloud Computing, Internet of Things (IoT) and other technologies paves the way to switch to a new stage: intelligent university. Although IoT offers numerous benefits to the educational system, scalability and security of increasing number of objects connected to the network are major challenges. Switching to a decentralized IoT may be a solution for this challenge. Blockchain technology allows decentralization of process management thus being able to solve many of current problems of IoT, especially regarding the security. Also, the grows of e-learning and m-learning sectors requires using technologies that improve the trust and value of distance education. Additionally, increasing amount of electronic content, new law requirements regarding personal data security and protection and storing data in clouds require the adoption of new technologies that can solve current problems (see the fog computing paradigm). Blockchain technology may improve the educational system in various aspects, like: trust, collaboration, transparency, data security, issuing and security of certificates, management and protection of intellectual property, fighting intellectual fraud, lifelong high quality education, decentralized education, etc. Use of blockchain technology in educational system is in early stage. Very few universities have started using this technology, most of them only for validation of certificates/diplomas. There are few researches addressing the use of blockchain in education and the benefits and challenges of adopting this technology...

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