Blockchain Is Working its Way into the Education System
Imagine being able to attend a college or university and take blockchain courses! While it might have sounded like a pipe dream, this is becoming a real and unbreakable truth. More and more higher education institutions around the globe offer such courses for students. The aim is to better understand cryptography and the technology that lies behind it, but first things first.
Here’s a Little Bit of a Backstory
Stepping back in time, David Yermack, a professor of finance at the New York University Stern School of Business, invited students to go on the course dedicated to the features of distributed ledger technology in 2014. BTC and a dizzying buffet of alternatives were just taking off at that time, so Yermack ran into some misunderstanding among his colleagues. But the attitude to the professor’s initiative has radically changed with time. The youngster even had to move from the classroom to one of the largest lecture halls in the city in 2018. A great number of people came to hear the professor speak about blockchain and cryptocurrencies.
It is worth mentioning the case at the University of California, Berkeley. Students came to a lecture on decentralized technology, but the room was brimmed with people. Some of the guests had nowhere to sit, so they were okay with sitting in the doorway or standing against the walls.
How Are Things Now?
In present-day realities, a new report released by Coinbase finds that there has been an increase in the interest shown by students in revolutionary technology. It is anticipated that the industry will reach a value of $ 25 billion by 2023. So young people want to evolve to meet the challenges of the future. There are allegations that a slew of companies will integrate blockchain into existing solutions. It’s enough to turn the job market upside down. The young generation wants to be sure that they can get a job in the coming years.
That’s why almost half of the world-leading universities offer courses on cryptocurrencies and blockchain to date. The highest concentration is observed in the US, obviously. Stanford University is the most shining example. It has established the Center for Blockchain Research, which provides students with the opportunity to experiment with advanced technology and decentralized digital money. What is more, they can create their own products. It is supposed to be the first-rate center dedicated to blockchain in any school. It is also predicted that Stanford offers more courses on virtual currency than any other institution of higher education in America.
Cornell University is stepping on the toes of the leader. At the moment, a private, statutory, Ivy League, and land-grant research university offers about 30 different classes related to digital currencies and their technologies. Among the courses currently offered at Cornell are “The Anthropology of Money” and “ Introduction to Blockchain, Cryptocurrencies, and Smart Contracts.”
According to Coinbase, the overwhelming majority of students (not just those focused on mathematics, or computer science), are interested in a decentralized, distributed ledger. It cannot but please us.
In spite of the fact that the US is the major country in crypto education, it is not alone in providing blockchain or crypto-based coursework. In China, for example, Fudan University, one of the country’s top universities, has recently opened its blockchain research center. The main goal is to train highly qualified engineers and technologists. To keep up with current trends, universities in Spain, Cyprus, Argentina, Australia, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom offer courses on distributed ledger technology and cryptography as well.
The Reason Behind the Heightened Interest in Blockchain
A pressing need for specialists having deep theoretical and applied knowledge in blockchain and virtual currency is growing rapidly. Yes, that’s not a big surprise. In practical terms, this may involve biggies looking for candidates who have a grasp of alternative payments and new technologies. Apple is living proof. Recently it became known that the giant is looking for a business development manager with experience in the crypto industry to lead its “alternative payments” partnership program. A candidate should have five-plus years working with alternative payment providers, such as digital wallets, BNPL, Fast Payments, crypto, etc. Other leading companies, such as PayPal, Venmo, and Tesla, are also handpicking talent with expertise in blockchain and an electronic analog of money in cash.
Final Words
The acquisition of financial literacy empowers people by giving them independence and expanding their choices. It is the knowledge that enables us to make informed financial decisions that can influence the rest of our lives. This is particularly important because the future currency revolution is well underway. To become a part of it, you have to be well prepared. That’s why Blockchain’s game component is essential. We advise you to start wrapping your head around the most cutting-edge technology on earth before it is too late. Good luck!
