  Blockchain technology enables the creation of a decentralized environment
where transactions and data are not under the control of any third party
organization. Any transaction ever completed is recorded in a public ledger in
a verifiable and permanent way. Based on blockchain technology, we propose a
global higher education credit platform, named EduCTX. This platform is based
on the concept of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS).
It constitutes a globally trusted, decentralized higher education credit and
grading system that can offer a globally unified viewpoint for students and
higher education institutions (HEIs), as well as for other potential
stakeholders such as companies, institutions, and organizations. As a proof of
concept, we present a prototype implementation of the environment, based on the
open-source Ark Blockchain Platform. Based on a globally distributed
peer-to-peer network, EduCTX will process, manage and control ECTX tokens,
which represent credits that students gain for completed courses such as ECTS.
HEIs are the peers of the blockchain network. The platform is a first step
towards a more transparent and technologically advanced form of higher
education systems. The EduCTX platform represents the basis of the EduCTX
initiative which anticipates that various HEIs would join forces in order to
create a globally efficient, simplified and ubiquitous environment in order to
avoid language and administrative barriers. Therefore we invite and encourage
HEIs to join the EduCTX initiative and the EduCTX blockchain network.
