University Degree Verification System
This real-world example demonstrates how to use IOTA Hierarchies to create a comprehensive university degree verification system that enables universities to issue verifiable digital degrees and allows employers and institutions to verify credentials instantly.
Business Context
Universities need to issue verifiable digital degrees that employers and other institutions can trust. The hierarchical structure allows:
- University consortiums to establish trust networks
- Individual universities to delegate authority to faculties
- Faculties to delegate to registrars and professors
- External parties to verify credentials without contacting the university directly
Trust Hierarchy
University Consortium (Root Authority)
├── Harvard University (Root Authority)
│ ├── Computer Science Faculty (Accreditor)
│ │ └── CS Registrar (Attester)
│ └── Engineering Faculty (Accreditor)
│ └── Engineering Registrar (Attester)
└── MIT (Root Authority)
├── Computer Science Faculty (Accreditor)
└── Engineering Faculty (Accreditor)
Properties Defined
The system defines comprehensive academic properties with advanced validation:
- Degree Types:
degree.bachelor,degree.master,degree.phd(with completion status) - Fields of Study:
field.computer_science,field.engineering,field.mathematics - Academic Performance:
grade.gpa(validated: > 2.0, specific ranges allowed) - Graduation Year:
graduation.year(validated: > 1950) - Student Identity:
student.id(validated: format contains dash),student.verified - Honors:
honors.level(specific Latin honor levels)
Prerequisites
- A funded IOTA account
- Access to an IOTA network (testnet, devnet, or local)
- Hierarchies client SDK installed
Implementation Overview
1. Create University Consortium Federation
Initialize the root federation that will govern all participating universities:
2. Define Academic Properties
Create comprehensive academic properties with advanced validation rules:
3. Add Universities as Root Authorities
Register participating universities as root authorities in the consortium:
4. Create Hierarchical Delegation
Set up the delegation chain: University → Faculty → Registrar:
5. Issue Student Degrees
Create student degree attestations with comprehensive academic data:
6. Validate Credentials
Demonstrate how employers and institutions can verify student credentials:
7. Handle Revocation
Demonstrate secure degree revocation for academic misconduct:
Real-World Applications
Employer Verification
- Scenario: Tech company verifying software engineer candidate's Computer Science degree
- Process: Instant cryptographic verification without contacting the university
- Benefits: Fraud prevention, reduced hiring time, global credential recognition
Graduate School Admission
- Scenario: PhD program verifying Master's degree for admission
- Process: Automated verification of degree completion and GPA requirements
- Benefits: Streamlined admissions, reduced administrative overhead
Professional Licensing
- Scenario: Engineering board verifying degree requirements for licensing
- Process: Cross-institutional verification with maintained privacy
- Benefits: Regulatory compliance, professional standards enforcement
International Recognition
- Scenario: Foreign university recognizing degrees for transfer students
- Process: Global verification without complex bureaucratic processes
- Benefits: Student mobility, educational opportunity expansion
Key Features
Advanced Property Validation
- GPA Validation: Numeric ranges (2.0-4.0) with precision handling
- Graduation Year: Range validation (1950+) preventing fraudulent dates
- Student ID Format: University-specific format validation (contains dash)
- Honor Levels: Predefined Latin honor designations
Security & Privacy
- Cryptographic Proof: Tamper-resistant credential verification
- Privacy-Preserving: Selective disclosure of credential attributes
- Fraud Prevention: Impossible to forge or duplicate credentials
- Audit Trail: Complete history of credential lifecycle
Scalability & Interoperability
- Global Network: Cross-institutional credential recognition
- Instant Verification: Real-time validation without network delays
- Automatic Revocation: Immediate effect across all validators
- Standards Compliance: Compatible with existing educational frameworks
Benefits Achieved
- Instant Credential Verification: Sub-second validation anywhere in the world
- Fraud Prevention: Cryptographic security eliminates fake degrees
- Reduced Administrative Overhead: Automated verification processes -Global Interoperability: Cross-border credential recognition
- Privacy-Preserving Verification: Share only necessary information
- Automatic Revocation Handling: Immediate network-wide updates
- Cost Reduction: Eliminate manual verification processes
- Trust Chain Security: Hierarchical authority validation