Joint Press Release
Blockchain and Digital Assets – International certification consortium verifies know-how from budding experts
Distributed ledger technologies, blockchain and digital assets are increasingly used in financial and regulated markets, and the demand for education relating to these topics is growing. The “DEC Institute” headquartered in Crypto Valley is establishing an internationally recognised standard to ensure greater quality and transparency in education and certification. First active members are Web3 Foundation, Tezos Foundation and Ripple Labs.
Rotkreuz, 22th March 2021 – Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) are poised to disrupt many existing business models. The most well-known DLT is blockchain technology, which forms the basis for many cryptocurrencies and digital assets. In established industries, such disruptions tends to lead to uncertainty and passivity. To remedy this matter, the following institutions have formed a consortium to create a digital knowledge assessment and certification platform, and have launched the Chartered Blockchain Expert I (CBX®) and the Chartered Digital Asset Analyst I (CDAA®) examination and certification programs:
- Lucerne School of Information Technology of the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts
- Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
- University College London Centre for Blockchain Technologies
- International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad
Motivation of the four founding organizations
Prof. Dr. Georges Grivas from the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, one of the Swiss pioneers in the blockchain education sector, is confident that an international standard for education providers in this domain will bring more transparency to the certification and recruitment landscape and increase the benchmark standard for anyone working in the blockchain industry.
Second founding partner of the DEC Institute is the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management who is leading the blockchain research and education market in Germany. Prof. Dr. Philipp Sandner, German economist and head of the Frankfurt School Blockchain Centre, emphasises the importance of the upcoming EU-wide regulations on crypto and digital assets, and strongly believes that most of the assets qualifying as financial instruments will sooner than later be traded over digital exchanges. “The future of financial markets is coming closer, which requires talent and know-how to match with industry expectations”.
The University College London Centre for Blockchain Technologies (UCL CBT), the nucleus for DLT and blockchain research and engagement across eight different departments at UCL, is the third founding partner of the DEC Institute. Dr. Paolo Tasca, Executive Director at the UCL CBT, who has advised the EU Parliament and United Nations on the potential of distributed systems and peer-to-peer payments, is one of the board members of the DEC Institute. “A global passport for professionals working in this industry is completely missing, and the international reach of the DEC Institute has the potential to close this important gap.”
The International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIIT-H) is one of the premier institutions for blockchain research and professional education in India and has recently joined the DEC Institute. IIIT-H is also a founding member of the Blockchain District Telangana, an initiative of the ITE&C Department of the Government of Telangana. Both organisations see a strong potential to certify India’s professionals and upcoming talent with an internationally recognised examination.
Prominent companies across the globe join DEC Institute
As an international institute, the DEC’s goal is to grow its members with academic and professional organisations to offer holistic and standardised blockchain and digital asset exams for different education providers and target groups. DEC’s plans are to consolidate the existing network of DLT education providers in the international arena, to provide a wide range of certification products for job candidates, employers and universities. The Web3 Foundation, known from its flagship protocol Polkadot, the Tezos Foundation as well as Ripple Labs from San Francisco are the first active members of DEC, envisioning to contribute to the development and audit of certification products. “We also have commitments from large multinational consulting, audit and legal firms that plan to strengthen their teams’ knowledge and expertise through the DEC Institute”, says Prof. Dr. Philipp Sandner.
Dr. Reinhard Willfort confirms the need for action at management level, “in contrast to startups, we see great skepticism and knowledge gaps among managers and customer advisors in established companies and banks”. The founder of the isn – innovation service network supports the DEC Institute in business development, “It is urgently necessary to promote blockchain training and certification worldwide in order to close the growing gap between supply and demand for in-depth expertise in this area. International collaboration between leading universities, speakers and researchers is the best way to provide the necessary platform, content and assessment tools, ”emphasizes Willfort.
As a broad network, DEC also provides a platform for academic institutions, research institutes, professors and professional training centres to exchange experience and knowledge among its members and with third parties. The cooperation within the consortia of companies, related associations and established technology providers in the blockchain segment provides an extensive pool of resources and expertise for the creation of the DEC’s examination materials.
Additional information can be requested:
Arno Pernthaler
arno.pernthaler@decinstitute.org
DEC – DLT Education Consortium e.V.
DEC Education Services AG
Suurstoffi 1, 6343 Rotkreuz, Switzerland
Weblink: www.decinstitute.org