The University of Arkansas (UA) is the latest addition to the growing list of blockchain education proponents having now established a Blockchain Center of Excellence at its Sam M Walton College of Business.
Proactive approach
UA is seeking to study the nascent technology and prepare its students for a future of blockchain, a technology that is experiencing incredible growth and applicable to almost every sector and industry.
In the sprouting adoption of blockchain into the mainstream consciousness, the desire to prepare the future generations is escalating. The technology is expected to disrupt many other global technologies and UA is taking the bullish approach.
Walton College Dean, Matt Waller said, “We will develop and establish research partnerships by conducting collaborative industry-university research, we will promote and enable dissemination of knowledge about blockchains, and we will accelerate industry adoption of blockchain technology.”
The new center is funded by an executive set of partners which will be limited to ten. Five have already been selected, most notably Walmart and IBM, who have deeply invested their time and funds into blockchain projects and patents.
Mary C Lacity, Department of Information Systems Professor at the Walton College and the new director of the Blockchain Center of Excellence said, “The technology is immature. Enterprises need to overcome significant obstacles to transition more blockchains out of innovation labs into live production.”
The center will be collaborating with Arkansas-based companies. It is taking a proactive approach to the study of blockchain with the intention of utilizing these relationships for practical research and business integration.
Other efforts
Educational institutions in the United States are mounting an academic response to the emerging industry, which, due to the cautious public and skeptical governmental approach to cryptocurrencies and blockchain may come as a surprise. However, now that the markets have cooled off, the monetary value of Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies comes second to the value of the underpinning tech.
Stanford University, New York University, as well as others are tackling different facets of the industry. Stanford is shooting for the business approach, much like AU who is apprehending an innovative enterprising future with blockchain.
New York University is offering a course that educates students in cryptocurrencies, which is similar to that of Berkley; DePaul University is providing smart contract and fintech-focused classes.
Other global efforts are taking place, Brazil, Denmark, Russia, and prestigious academic institutions in the United Kingdom are making hefty bids to provide blockchain educations.
If industry-wide adoption has brought blockchain to the forefront of governmental discussion, then the inroads created by academic institutions may truly be the way to break blockchain into the mainstream permanently.
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