For a very long time, verifying credentials was quite an easy and straightforward process. An employer would get in touch with universities, request a transcript and rely on the institution to assess the qualifications of a candidate. But these days, especially in the digital era, the traditional model has seen quite a lot of changes. We see a rise in digital credentials, international hiring and online education. These make it much harder to verify education, which is an issue.
What are the limitations of traditional verification?
The manual verification process was great in its own right, but it does come with its downsides. One of them is that it can be very time-consuming, which is a thing you have to consider here. And on top of that, it’s very costly, to the point where third party background checks can cost a lot of time and money.
It’s also the fact that it can be inconsistent, since different institutions will vary when it comes to their response times and policies. Plus, there is some vulnerability to fraud, since fake diplomas coming from diploma mills can sometimes slip into the cracks.
Digital credentials are on the rise
That’s why you will see more and more people shift to digital education. Platforms like EDX or Coursera are offering unique verification links, making it easy for employers to confirm authenticity. And then there are platforms like LinkedIn where users can show their verified certifications right on their profiles.
Having digital credentials comes with some benefits, too. You have greater transparency, but also instant verification systems in place, so you don’t really need to wait. On top of that, there’s reduced paperwork, not to mention a higher degree of transparency, which is extremely important to keep in mind here. There are questions about quality and standardization, however, which limits their usability for some companies.
The blockchain is a game-changer
Most people know the blockchain for the fact that it helps cryptocurrencies, but it’s also a way to store academic credentials. What makes it stand out is the fact that it maintains transparency, since authorized parties can access and verify records. No institution controls the data, either, which makes it a lot more secure than expected. And on top of that, it’s immutable, since once you record it, there is no way to alter or delete the data.
In fact, a lot of organizations are already experimenting with the blockchain-based credential systems. While these are not spread everywhere at least for the time being, they are becoming extremely popular, which is a thing to keep in mind here.
AI and automation
Another thing to consider is the increase of automation and AI when we talk about credential verification. AI is actually handy here because it does help analyze a large volume of data effectively and accurately, while also identifying patterns and anomalies that could indicate signs of fraud.
What AI does is it helps you cross-check credentials against databases from institutions. It can detect any inconsistencies, and it can flag any suspicious documents, if there are any. Moreover, it can automate verification workflows. That way, it becomes easier to remove any human error, while still offering some very good results, and that’s very helpful to consider here.
Verification platforms still play a major role
Since there are so many people trying to fake their credentials, we can find a multitude of platforms dedicated to credential verification. These are services that act as an intermediary between the employers, educational institutions and candidates. You get a standardized verification process, and sometimes even access partnerships with universities so these platforms can easily access their databases with ease and provide comprehensive verification.
Even if someone used a diploma generator and their credentials are not ok, with help from these platforms it becomes much easier to know such a thing. It’s a great way to enhance trust, but also simplify the hiring systems and methods. That way, companies can hire qualified professionals and not worry about people who lie when they are hired.
The benefits of tech innovation in educational verification
- Maybe the major upside is that you get efficiency and speed. You are able to verify credentials in a matter of seconds, when compared to weeks or days when you would have the traditional methods.
- The amount of fraud is reduced considerably, especially when you start implementing things like blockchain systems in place.
- Tech is globally accessible, so you can easily verify the qualifications of a person even across borders, something that traditional verification systems would make very hard to do.
- And on top of that, there are some cost savings. It’s much easier to use tech systems in order to verify, since you are saving a significant amount of resources and time, too.
Challenges that come with technological transformation
Despite the fact that there are some great upsides, we should note that there are certain issues in here as well. For example, there is a lack of standardization, which can lead to confusion and a lack of interoperability between platforms. There are also privacy issues here, because we still need to ensure that sensitive information gets protected.
Additionally, there’s a digital divide. Some people are ok with using digital systems, while others are more old-school. Not everyone has access to digital systems, either. And then there’s the over-reliance on technology. Tech can enhance verification, but it should never replace human judgment.
Closing thoughts
The future of education verification is bright, especially as new technologies emerge and which will help streamline the process. In the future, we might see a greater use of blockchain for educational verification, along with global standards, universal digital credential wallets, AI-driven ecosystems, and so on. It might take a while until we see those implemented, but clearly the way we verify education is changing. And that’s a good thing, because it will allow people to improve the way they verify education, and ensure that they make the right choice when hiring a person.
