Academic certificate fraud is a persistent problem across developing economies, undermining trust between graduates, employers, and higher education institutions. In Nigeria, this has prompted a federal mandate requiring every employer to verify staff credentials; yet existing verification processes remain manual, slow, and easily circumvented. This paper proposed, implemented, and evaluated a fully decentralized academic certificate management framework built on the Ethereum blockchain, leveraging Solidity smart contracts, the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) for off-chain document storage, QR-code-enabled instant verification, and on-chain revocation.The system was deployed and tested on the Ethereum Sepolia testnet using Hardhat 2.19.4 and ethers.js 6.x. Results show that issuing a single certificate costs a fraction of a cent, that batch issuance lowers this cost further, that verification is free for employers, and that the system correctly detects fabricated or altered certificates in the overwhelming majority of cases while cutting verification time from days to seconds. These findings demonstrate that blockchain-based credential management is technically sound, affordable, and readily deployable in resource-constrained institutional settings, offering a practical path toward restoring trust in academic credentials across Nigerian and other African universities.
Pemalsuan ijazah digital menjadi permasalahan yang dapat mengurangi kepercayaan terhadap keaslian dokumen akademik. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengembangkan sistem verifikasi ijazah digital berbasis blockchain untuk menjamin integritas dan keaslian dokumen. Sistem dibangun dengan mengintegrasikan algoritma SHA-256, Merkle Tree, digital signature, dan blockchain. Proses verifikasi dilakukan melalui pembangkitan hash dokumen, pembentukan Merkle Root, serta pencocokan Merkle Root dan digital signature dengan data referensi yang tersimpan pada blockchain. Pengujian dilakukan menggunakan 14 dokumen yang terdiri atas 1 ijazah asli dan 13 ijazah yang telah dimodifikasi pada berbagai komponen data. Hasil pengujian menunjukkan bahwa sistem mampu mengidentifikasi seluruh dokumen sesuai kondisi sebenarnya dengan Accuracy Verification Rate sebesar 100%. Setiap perubahan data menghasilkan nilai hash dan Merkle Root yang berbeda sehingga dapat dideteksi secara akurat. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa integrasi SHA-256, Merkle Tree, digital signature, dan blockchain efektif dalam meningkatkan keamanan, integritas, serta keandalan proses verifikasi ijazah digital.
Halek Mu’min, Denny Bernardus Kurnia Wahyudono, Thomas Stefanus Kaihatu
This investigation develops and validates Blockchain Utilization Capability as a novel construct fundamentally reconceptualizing complex enterprise technology adoption by addressing critical limitations in conventional frameworks assuming direct antecedent-intention relationships. Through cross-sectional survey methodology examining 300 Indonesian SMEs actively engaged with blockchain platforms, we integrate Technology-Organization-Environment Framework with Technology Acceptance Model, positioning capability as central mediating mechanism analyzed using PLS-SEM with bootstrapping procedures. Results reveal complete mediation configurations wherein organizational infrastructure, environmental pressures, technological features, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use operate exclusively through capability development rather than directly influencing adoption intentions. Organizational dimensions demonstrate substantial effects on capability formation, while perceived ease of use exhibits paradoxical negative associations through suppression mechanisms, with the construct achieving superior predictive performance explaining considerable variance in adoption intentions. We introduce Capability-Mediated TAM, demonstrating perceptual beliefs require translation into organizational capabilities preceding complex technology adoption influence, bridging previously disconnected frameworks by revealing common capability-building pathways through which diverse antecedents operate, transforming TOE from descriptive taxonomy into dynamic process architecture. Findings establish that organizations should prioritize systematic capability development through phased approaches emphasizing organizational readiness, formal governance, and cross-functional integration preceding production implementations, recognizing capability building as essential rather than optional pathway toward blockchain adoption success.
The increasing digitalization of higher education has created growing demands for secure and transparent academic data management. As a background, conventional academic information systems remain vulnerable to data manipulation, unauthorized access, and difficulties in verifying the authenticity of academic records. Therefore, the objective of this study is to investigate the role of blockchain technology in enhancing academic data security and transparency within higher education institutions. The method employed in this research is a quantitative approach using a survey questionnaire distributed to 173 respondents consisting of students, academic staff, and administrative personnel from various higher education institutions. The collected data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to examine the relationships between blockchain technology adoption, academic data security, and academic transparency. The results reveal that blockchain technology has a significant positive effect on academic data security by providing decentralized data storage, cryptographic protection, and immutable transaction records. In addition, blockchain implementation significantly improves academic transparency by enabling reliable verification, traceability, and authenticity of academic information and credentials. The findings suggest that blockchain technology can minimize the risk of data tampering while strengthening stakeholder trust in academic information systems. In conclusion, blockchain technology serves as an effective solution for improving academic data security and transparency, contributing to the development of a trustworthy and data-driven governance framework in higher education institutions.
The study aimed to investigate the perceived application of Blockchain technology among accountants, auditors, bankers, and other related professionals in Iraq and the statistical association between this perceived application and financial-information reliability, based on respondents’ perceptions of financial-information reliability. The study was designed as a field study using a five-point Likert scale. The analysis was based on 150 valid responses. Blockchain application was measured using ten items, and financial information reliability was measured using another ten items. Cronbach's alpha coefficient, descriptive statistics, Pearson and Spearman correlation coefficients, and simple linear regression were used. The results of the Blockchain scale showed acceptable internal consistency (α = 0.775), while the financial information reliability scale showed very high internal consistency (α = 0.989). The mean scores were 4.232 and 4.221, respectively. Pearson's correlation coefficient was positive but not statistically significant (r = 0.146, p = 0.076), and the regression model was also not statistically significant (R² = 0.021, F(1, 148) = 3.203, p = 0.076). The results indicate positive perceptions of Blockchain technology and the reliability of financial information. However, the current data do not provide sufficient evidence at the 5% significance level that perceived Blockchain application is statistically significantly associated with financial-information reliability.