OBEC Project

Using the cutting-edge Blockchain ECTA platform, the OBEC Project seeks to demonstrate how Blockchain technology advances the recognition of competencies and certifications. The initiative is aimed at promoting the academic and professional integration of expatriates, immigrants, exchange students, and anybody with a diverse educational background. Project partners assessed the platform by conferring certifications on graduates of training sessions completed earlier this year. During the final event the results of this 'testing phase' will be presentedto the audience

Multiplier Event

The programme of the Multiplier Event includes a variety of pertinent specialists and target audience stakeholders, including educators, employers, industrial organisations, the labour market, and public service officials. Speakers coming from every corner of Europe will discuss the use of Blockchain technology and its application in training and education for the Recognition of skills and qualifications. There will be time for questions and answers on the overall project process and tools throughout the event and a chance to network with different stakeholders over a networking cocktail. You can register for the event here.
 

Discussion

To provide the audience with the optimal introduction to the project subject matter, the following section outlines the scope of the topics to be addressed during the event. The overarching theme of the event is centred around the following question: How will blockchain technology change the educational sector for people in mobility?

The project’s first intellectual output (IO1: Naming the Barriers) outlined numerous issues that the target audience of the project struggles with when attempting to obtain access to the labour and/or academic market in a country different from their own. Most importantly, the target audience indicated that obtaining recognition of competencies and/or certification is extremely difficult. OBEC research pointed out that this is coupled with a huge discrepancy between the available tools and those better known to users. Furthermore, it appears that the people who need tools developed inside the EU the most are provided with the least amount of information about such tools.  This raises the question of how the gap between the issuers and receivers of educational credentials can be met, and to what extent Blockchain technology can play a crucial role in doing so.

What’s more, Blockchain technology is often commonly associated with cryptocurrencies and thus perceived as volatile and insecure, while the very opposite applies to the technology. Another possible difficulty concerning Blockchain technology is having an omni-comprehensive system of educational credentials for all subjects.  As some subjects do not lend well to proper objective evaluations which makes it challenging to certify them across different institutions (and countries). This raises the question of how Blockchain’s challenges could be overcome to create an all-encompassing system. Read more about such considerations in the final report of intellectual output 1.

The OBEC project brought these considerations into practice by testing the innovative ECTA platform that implements the blockchain methodology to issue and store educational credentials. This “testing phase” was executed by organising training courses where participants were recognised for their competencies and credentials through ECTA. Though participants generally perceived the platform as positive, some doubts also arose. Namely, the visibility to employers and institutions. This raises the question of how the platform can gain visibility toward its target audience.  Feel free to discover the platform here.  

All of these questions and more will be discussed during the project’s Multiplier event on 22 September at Atelier29 in Brussels. Please visit this link to register for the event. It is also still possible to register as a speaker for the event at the following link. For any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact Erasmus+ Junior Project Officer Jip Lenssen.