Academic credential fraud poses a real challenge to the global academic and labour market. Fraudulent credentials devalue the legitimacy of bona fide certificates. The Global Academic Record and Verification based on Blockchain and Interplanetary File Systems (GARV-BI) framework was implemented and offers a holistic, privacy-preserving, immutable, secure, and interoperable system for managing academic records. Using advanced blockchain technology, it proposes zkEVM for smart contracts that enables verification of credentials without exposing the underlying data. It also integrates the use of Decentralized IDentifiers (DID) to standardize registration and identity management without relying on centralized entities. A key feature of GARV-BI is that it features a dual blockchain, which separates public and private information, allowing for greater efficiency and privacy of transactions. It also uses the interplanetary File System (IPFS), which allows for decentralized and secure storage of related documents. The result is an open-source solution that is easily integrated, as it uses a standardized Application Programming Interface (API). Extensive testing has shown that it can successfully manage transactions securely, privately, and at a lower cost than solutions based on Ethereum mainnet environments.
GARV-BI is innovative in its combination of blockchain technologies, decentralized storage, and globally unique identifiers to achieve higher levels of interoperability, security, and privacy. GARV-BI will transform academic credential management with a platform that is accessible, adaptable, and robust for use by institutions around the world to maintain the integrity of academic qualifications and enable global student mobility.
