Emerging digital ecosystem. In this paper we investigate how blockchain technologies improve the certification system and generate added value for different involved actors - learners, educational institutions, and businesses. An exploratory study is proposed to systematize the overall impacts of blockchain in the field of digital certification while focusing on university education as the main research area. We carried out a desk analysis, direct observation/focus groups and semi-structured interviews with key players of the two Italian universities which had first adopted certification and blockchain-based-certification systems. The aim is to understand the drivers and value generation conditions in the new scenario introduced by the development of DACS (Digital Academic Certification System) through insight into the relationships between actors in the ecosystem that characterize the different types of complementarities between actors and services before and after the introduction of blockchain-based platforms and the personal wallet containing titles and certifications. Three main findings arose from the study related to actors, ecosystem, and complementarities. The main theoretical contributions of this study is that it produces the first empirical evidence of the new Ecosystem Theory proposed by Jacobides et al. [1]. From the managerial perspective, this study contributes to better identify and debate the conditions and success factors unlocking value generation and benefits embedded in Digital Certification Ecosystems.

1. Roberta Cuel (University of Trento)
Francesco Virili (University of Sassari)
Cristiano Ghiringhelli(University of Milano-Bicocca)
Francesco Bolici (University of Cassino and Southern Lazio)
An Emerging Digital Ecosystem:
Blockchain Competence Certification Networks

2. An exploratory study on the overall impacts of blockchain in the field of
Digital Academic Certification System
Empirical evidence to the new Ecosystem Theory proposed by Jacobides
et al. (2018).
In particular
• the relationships between actors (learners, educational institutions, and
businesses) in the ecosystem
• the different types of complementarities between actors and services
before and after the introduction of DACS and personal wallets containing
titles and certifications.
Aim of our work

3. Competence Certification and the role of
Universities:
• universities verify and certify that a person
has reached a certain level of knowledge and
through a stand-alone solution.
• the output is often a signed and stamped
document (limitations for international,
multilingual, and dynamic job market).
• taken for granted that universities continue to
act as independent certification bodies.
The field of our study

4. • This traditional certification routine is now under pressure.
• Tensions exist among
• Legacy systems,
• European and national regulations,
• Edu-programs shared among institutions
• Learner empowerment and
• Long life learning programs across different institutions.
• Innovative forms of competence certification: digital platforms and in
particular blockchain system which play a relevant role in enabling new
ways of certification.
• Newcomers: a relatively high number of private org. entering the domain
The state of art

5. • Blockchain enables to conclude transactions without the need for a central
authority
• Its specific design is a mix of cryptography, governance model, distributed
computer network and individual economic incentives
• Enables for trustless transactions: the absence of intermediaries and a
strong anti-tempering system makes possible a transaction system without
central authority. (Bolici, 2019)
Is blockchain a possible solution?

6. • Digital Business Ecosystem (DBE) is “...collaborative environment made up
of different entities that co-create value through information and
communication technologies (Nachira et al., 2007, Senyo et al., 2019).
• In digital business ecosystems both social and technical factors are taken into consideration.
• Significant contributions for a systematic analysis of this concept. Such as value co-creation
in ecosystems (Ceccagnoli et al., 2011; Wareham et al., 2014; Vargo et al., 2015;12 Pera et al.,
2016;13 Beirão et al., 2017;14 Cennamo and Santalò, 2019).
• Gupta et al. (2019) classified different types of ecosystems (business, innovation, and
digital).
The theoretical framework: the digital ecosystem

7. • Jacobides et al., 2018
• distinguished ecosystems and entities like hierarchies, markets, alliances, networks or
other forms of business aggregation:
• an ecosystem is typically formed by a set of actors experiencing (different
degrees of) complementarities in production and consumption.
• The analysis of production/consumption complementarities is the elective tool of
investigation which enabes modularity.
• We propose an exploratory study aimed at shedding light on the
ecosystem’s modularity and the different types of complementarities
between actors and services before and after the introduction of
blockchain-based platforms and personal wallet (Digital Academic
Certification System) embedding titles and certifications
The theoretical framework and our proposal

8. We collected data through a three-step process:
• desk analysis: the initial collection of secondary data regarding:
• the most common stream of studies
• past experiences aimed at developing an innovative framework of competence certification systems,
regulations, and ICT solutions (with a specific focus on blockchain).
• direct observation/focus:
• two of the authors get involved in some discussions, round tables and focus groups about the
development of a distributed digital system for competence certification in their own institutions.
• direct observations on the motivations, gateways, triggers, obstacles and potentialities at different
stages of the process.
• semi-structured interviews:
• Developed a protocol to facilitate and guide semi-structured open-ended interviews (focusing on
value creation) .
• Interviewees: key players that are promoting a blockchain-certification system.
Method of research

9. An explorative analysis of two pilot-cases:
• UniMiB:
• since 2016 developing a Digital Academic Credential System:
• self-verification,
• incorruptibility,
• Autonomy
• Collaboration with CINECA for Open Digital Badge (ODB) project
• UniTrento:
• Adopted ODB
• Is evaluating the adoption of Blockcerts for a set of their degree titles.
A brief history

10. • Digital Academic Credential Systems (DACS) will facilitate student
exchange, ECTS recognition and authentication at EU level and
international level.
• Around 60 million students moving from emerging countries to advanced
economies university systems in the near future
• “Stackable” degree programs between academic institutions and learning
platforms
• The ownership of the credentials are of the learners that can combine all
the certificates in one unique and verified system or wallet
According to the interviews

11. The process of a Digital Academic Credential system

12. As Is

13. As Is To Be

14. • Universities are the issuers and certify
competences and courses through ODB.
• Blockchain and blockcerts guarantee the
immutability and correctness of data.
• Other institutions can act as issuers.
• Individuals develop their long-life digital
wallet.
• Learners show and share the badges (or
few of them) using wallet.
• Digital wallets can be consulted directly by
companies without contacting the issuers.
To Be

15. Some findings …

16. • Europass act to adopt national and international standards
• MIT coordinates a group of leading universities that founded the DAC consortium.
• In Italy, the first-movers is leading the development of specific standards for the main
regulatory national institutions (i.e. CRUI, ANVUR and MIUR)
• Italian universities can take advantage of the network externalities of Cineca. The national
register of students (ANS) registers and monitors 1.5 million student careers.
• European universities (especially in Scandinavia) act as a valuable benchmark.
• Italian CIMEA (Information Centre on Academic Mobility and Equivalence) is proposing
blockchain based solutions
“[… BESTR] consider blockcert because it is an open specification to represent certificates,
it can be used on blockchain (ethereum) open and private for writing or reading … very
flexible”
Achieving Modularity Through standardization

17. • DACS platforms - such as BESTR and Badgewallet - would not exist if
universities will not issue digital badges.
• This interdependence is fundamental to guarantee the advancement of the
whole ecosystem.
• DACS allow interdependent components of a system (the universities,
companies, individuals) to share the same information with limited
coordination costs.
• BESTR and BadgeWallet exist only if University digitalize the certification process
• New competitive market and reputation
Interdependences

18. • The DACS platform coordinates a two-sided market
• Supply side issuers (ODB, cost reduction)
• Demand side:
• Learners and companies (increase the efficacy and efficiency of the CV screening).
• Third parties, such as EFMD, CIMEA, MIT and others providing new services.
The head of the International Mobility office of the UniTN online certification especially
abroad and especially for whom have multiple nationalities and will work in Europe or
outside of Italy.
Modularity and Interdependences  complementarities

19. • The preliminary evidence produced until now shows that significant
complementarities are arising both at the production and at the
consumption side.
• The detailed analysis of different degrees and interconnection of
complementarities, according to the approach proposed in (Jacobides at
al. 2018), is a viable and promising way to fully reveal the value generation
mechanisms and drivers in the digital certification ecosystems under
observation.
Further research

20. Thank you!!!
Questions?