Blockcerts Updates Open Source Blockchain Architecture

Learning Machine announced updates to the Blockcerts open source project to enable native support for records issuance and verification using bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains.

  • By Sara Friedman
  • 10/22/18
Blockchain technology with abstract background

Learning Machine is making changes to its Blockcerts Credential Issuer, Verifier and Wallet to enable native support for records issuance and verification using any blockchain. Blockcerts was launched by Learning Machine and MIT Media Lab in 2016 as new way to allow students to receive digital diplomas through an app, complementing a traditional paper degree.

Blockcerts was originally designed to be blockchain-agnostic, which means that open standards can be used to anchor records in any blockchain. The Blockcerts Universal Identifier recognizes which blockchain is being used and verifies accordingly. Currently, the open source project has added support for bitcoin and Ethereum blockchains, but anyone can add support through the project's GitHub page.

The use of Blockcerts for digital diplomas is currently being piloted at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Southern New Hampshire University's College for America.

About the Author

Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe covering education policy and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.

Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.

Friedman can be contacted at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.

Click here for previous articles by Friedman.


Featured

  • The AI Show

    Register for Free to Attend the World's Greatest Show for All Things AI in EDU

    The AI Show @ ASU+GSV, held April 5–7, 2025, at the San Diego Convention Center, is a free event designed to help educators, students, and parents navigate AI's role in education. Featuring hands-on workshops, AI-powered networking, live demos from 125+ EdTech exhibitors, and keynote speakers like Colin Kaepernick and Stevie Van Zandt, the event offers practical insights into AI-driven teaching, learning, and career opportunities. Attendees will gain actionable strategies to integrate AI into classrooms while exploring innovations that promote equity, accessibility, and student success.

  • chart with ascending bars and two silhouetted figures observing it, set against a light background with blue and purple tones

    Report: Enterprises Embracing Agentic AI

    According to research by SnapLogic, 50% of enterprises are already deploying AI agents, and another 32% plan to do so within the next 12 months..

  • laptop screen displays an

    Crafting Thoughtful AI Policy in Higher Education: A Guide for Institutional Leaders

    Here's how to develop and implement an AI framework that not only aligns with an institution's unique mission, but also addresses the diverse needs of its stakeholders, including faculty, students, staff, and administration.

  • minimalist digital network with glowing interconnected lines and nodes

    Integration Brings Cerebras Inference Capabilities to Hugging Face Hub

    AI hardware company Cerebras has teamed up with Hugging Face, the open source platform and community for machine learning, to integrate its inference capabilities into the Hugging Face Hub.