Applying Blockchain Technology to Improve Higher Education

Abstract

This thesis identifies the transformative potential of blockchain technology that can be utilised in enhancing the quality and integrity of higher education processes, with a specific focus in the South African context. The research primarily concentrates on two aspects: first, the detection and prevention of fraudulent admission practices, particularly the use of counterfeit NSCs (National Senior Certificates), and the verification of degrees and diplomas issued by higher educational institutions, thereby ensuring their credibility. Secondly, to investigate the possibilities of blockchain being used to provide a decentralised educational database, accessible to students across the nation, potentially revolutionising how academic information is used, stored, shared, and protected against piracy. Given the innovative nature of the recommendations, a balanced analysis of the advantages and drawbacks related to the implementation and ongoing maintenance of such technology is presented. The research in this thesis is wholly of a theoretical, critical, and argumentative nature, and will not use coursework to validate its components, aiming to contribute to an exponentially evolving discourse on the nexus of blockchain technology and education reform.