A Blockchain-Based Model for Secure Academic Transcript Transfer

Abstract

This study aims to develop a blockchain-based system for securely exchanging student transcripts between colleges. The project aims to address problems in existing transcript transmission procedures, including unauthorised access, manipulation, fabrication, processing delays, and incompatibility with institutional systems. The study reviews technical and institutional literature to establish the requirements of the proposed model, along with other relevant literature. The model was designed according to the design-oriented approach of Design Science Research. In this study, we propose a mechanism for off-chain storage of transcripts, verification on the blockchain and maintenance of institutional records. The architecture provides secure, efficient transfer of academic transcripts through a permissioned Ethereum-compatible network, role-based access management, cryptographic hashing, smart contract technology, and standardised data interchange. The transcript content is stored off-chain, and the blockchain is used to store cryptographically secured fingerprints and transaction details for verification and integrity. This paradigm ensures data integrity, transparency, efficiency, and interoperability through institutional authentication, authorised transfer, duplicate prevention, and transaction tracking. This work is crucial for higher education institutions as it provides a systematic technique to securely and openly transfer and validate student transcripts.