From academic information to structured credentials
The first step was translating the learning achievement into a structured digital credential. Instead of creating another digital copy of a paper certificate, the information about the achievement, the recipient and the issuing institution became machine-readable data.
A PDF can display a qualification, but validating it depends on a human reader or a call to the issuer. A verifiable credential combines the information with cryptographic proof of its origin and integrity.
Issued directly to learners
Once the structure was defined, the institution issued credentials through SAPIO. Each learner received an invitation to claim the credential into a compatible wallet. The credential did not stay inside the university’s systems or inside SAPIO: it moved to the learner.
Academic achievements are created by institutions, but their value extends far beyond them. Graduates may need to prove a qualification to another university or employer years later and in another country.
Verification without returning to the issuer
A verifier can check whether the presented information matches what was issued and whether it has changed since. Verification becomes a digital interaction instead of a document check.
Universities reduce manual verification while keeping control of what they issue. Learners get portable proof that does not depend on access to a university portal. Receiving organisations get structured information whose origin they can check.
What we learned
The pilot showed how learners interact with a new kind of credential, how the move from institutional systems to learner-controlled wallets works in practice, and that usability and communication matter as much as the underlying technology.
The result is a model in which institutions remain the authoritative source, learners control how they carry and present their achievements, and third parties verify the information digitally.