(BRAMPTON, SAULT STE. MARIE, ON – July 23, 2026) An Algoma University student is working on a groundbreaking project that could transform how colleges and universities securely verify student identities and academic records after receiving one of Canada’s most competitive research awards. The project is expected to significantly improve how colleges and universities securely verify the information and documents students are required to submit as part of their post-secondary applications packages, helping to reduce admissions fraud.
Vani, a student in Algoma University’s Faculty of Computer Science and Technology (FCST), has been awarded a Mitacs Business Strategy Internship (BSI) worth $75,000 over two years, for their project “Developing a Decentralized Trust Framework for Higher Education: A Blockchain-Enabled Multi-Factor Authentication and Verifiable Credential Ecosystem,” through a partnership with LinkBlock, a Toronto-based technology startup specializing in the education sector.
Using blockchain technology and modern authentication methods, the project aims to make it easier and safer for post-secondary institutions to confirm degrees, diplomas, certificates, and other qualifications while giving students greater control over their academic records.
“Vani’s achievement reflects the calibre of research taking place within our Faculty of Computer Science and Technology and the meaningful impact our students can have when academic excellence is paired with strong industry collaboration,” said Faculty of Computer Science and Technology Assistant Professor, Dr. Ajmery Sultana. “This project addresses a real-world challenge in secure digital identity and credential verification, while creating opportunities to advance innovation in higher education. We are incredibly proud of Vani for earning this prestigious Mitacs award and look forward to seeing the impact this research will have in Canada and beyond.”
The project will develop a secure digital identity and student record verification system that can work with online learning platforms already used by many colleges and universities, including Moodle and D2L Brightspace. These platforms support course delivery, assignments and grading. The project is designed to simplify administrative processes, reduce credential fraud, strengthen privacy and security, and make it easier for students to securely access and share their academic records.
Working under faculty supervision and in collaboration with LinkBlock, Vani’s research will also help advance Canadian technology with commercial potential while providing valuable hands-on research experience.
Representatives from LinkBlock visited Algoma University’s Brampton campus in June to meet with the Dean and faculty members from the Faculty of Computer Science and Technology. During the visit, they discussed future research opportunities and toured the campus, highlighting Algoma University’s commitment to innovation, industry partnerships and student success.
To view photos, click here.
Share Article
