Blockchain Implications and Utility for Higher Education

Abstract

Blockchain has emerged as an important concept at the interface of ICT and higher education. Blockchain is perceived as a revolutionary technology offering a considerable impact of vast magnitude on various sectors since it enables the creation of decentralized applications programmed to run on networks and records sets of data that can be shared securely without third-party mediation. The Blockchain's emphasis on variety in terms of applications may be due to its capacity to build a trusted and decentralized contract environment. The higher education sector is, therefore, a potential user of blockchain technology due to its capacity in allowing stakeholders to validate learning records and identity management. On the other hand, higher education may be understood as a system that includes, among others, two major stakeholders, higher education institutions, (HEIs) and students. Adopting a systematic literature review and thematic content analysis, this chapter aims to understand the blockchain implications and utility in higher education.