The University of Bahrain (UOB) has become one of the first universities globally to issue digital diplomas using blockchain technology.

This new feat was made possible by a collaboration between the national university and Learning Machine, a company that prides itself as the “world leader in blockchain-secured digital records” verifiable anywhere, anytime throughout the world. They are using the Blockcerts open standard to seamlessly create and issue the digital diplomas that can be viewed and verified instantly.

Because all the diplomas and other relevant records are stored cryptographically on a blockchain, they are secure and tamper-proof.

“We at UOB are delighted to be the trailblazers in using blockchain in the MENA region in order to better serve our students. This technology provides an encrypted platform to issue credentials to students with cryptographic proof that they were issued by UOB,” UOB President Riyad Hamzah said in a statement.

He added: “Students will also have their own digital file, which means that they or indeed their employers will not have to wait for us to validate their credentials. As a pilot, we are starting with our postgraduate programmes and hopefully in due course expand to undergraduate programmes.”

With this new partnership with the UOB, Learning Machine has further strengthened its position in the Middle East. The company currently enjoys the distinction of being a leading provider of secure credentialing systems globally and has a formidable presence in markets such as Australia, the Middle East, North America, and Europe.