Diploma & Credential Verification in Education

What is the problem with the higher education credentials verification?

Weeks of time-consuming, error-prone effort shouldn’t be required to verify academic records. But from 2022 to 2025:

• \$600 M+ lost annually to fabricated diplomas.
• 5–14 days for each manual verification.
• Under 50 % of universities use multi-factor authentication (UK Cyber Survey 2024).

Higher Education Degree and Certification Datacheck:

This article illustrates how decentralized identity (SSI) and Extrimian’s solutions eliminate these pain points with real-world numbers, self-evident steps, and a path to instant, fraud-proof verification.

1. Why traditional Verification System Fails?

1.1 Credential Fraud Runs Wild

• \$600 M+ lost each year to fake or altered diplomas.
• 30 % of job candidates forge degrees on resumes (ResumeBuilder, 2023).

1.2 Manual, Slow Workflows

• 5–14 days per transcript or diploma order.
• $20–$30 fee per manual verification.

1.3 Security & Compliance Loopholes

• Centralized databases are easy targets.
• Less than 50 % MFA implementation (UK Cyber Survey 2024).
• Email and fax expose personal data to interception.

Suggested image: Bar chart comparing manual vs. SSI verification time
Alt-text: “Bar chart comparing 5–14 day manual verification with 2-minute SSI verification.”

2. What is Decentralized Digital Identity?

Self-Sovereign Identity decentralizes control: credentials live in students’ digital wallets, not in some central silo.

• Fraud-proof: Cryptographic signatures keep out tampering.
• Instant verification: Verify authenticity in seconds.
• Selective disclosure: Reveal only what’s needed (e.g., “Graduated 2025” without full transcript).
• Built-in compliance: Complies with GDPR, FERPA, and LGPD by design.

Learn more about Verifiable Credentials: https://www.w3.org/TR/vc-data-model/

3. What are the benefits of Extrimian’s End-to-End Verification Suite?

A. Digital Credential Wallet

• Student control: Store diplomas and transcripts on mobile or web.
• Offline ready: Accessible anytime, even without Internet.
• Selective sharing: Share temporary QR codes or secure links.

B. ID Connect API & Dashboard

• No-code integration: Live in less than a day with prebuilt SIS and LMS connectors.
• Real-time analytics: Track issuance volume, verification logs, and alerts.
• Enterprise security: End-to-end encryption, role-based access, full audit trails.

C. Extrimian Academy

• On-demand training: SSI essentials courses to advanced API workflows.
• Hands-on labs: Sandbox for issuing DIDs and VCs.
• Certifications: Show your team’s SSI expertise to auditors and stakeholders.

Suggested image: Screenshot of an Academy course module on SSI fundamentals
Alt-text: “Extrimian Academy dashboard showing SSI course modules.”

4. What is the Real-World Impact & ROI for Education industry?

Example: A pilot by a Latin American university cut diploma validation from 12 days to under 3 minutes, with over \\$30 000 saved yearly in staff expenses and the prevention of cases of fake degrees.

5. What are some key Industries & use cases for Decentralized Digital Identity?

1. University Admissions
   International transcript verifications in seconds—not email forwarding or faxing.
2. Corporate Hiring
   Recruiters verify candidates’ degrees in seconds, eliminating background-check delays.
3. Healthcare Licensing
   Medical boards verify diplomas instantly, speeding licensure and hiring.
4. Professional Bodies
   Engineering and law councils ensure only accredited graduates are admitted, for public safety.
5. EdTech & Microcredentials
   Short-course platforms issue portable badges that add up to full academic records.

Learn more about “Open Badges 3.0” for microcredential standards → https://indicio.tech/open-badges-3-0

6. 4-Step Startup to adopt a secure verification system

1. Schedule a Demo at extrimian.io/contact-us
2. Pilot with Your Next Graduating Class through our ID Connect sandbox
3. Train Your Team in Extrimian Academy SSI courses
4. Scale Campus-Wide, integrate with LMS, HR, and employer portals

With decentralized identity, your institution transforms from weeks-long manual screenings to real-time, fraud-resistant verification, with increased security, lowered costs, and giving students legitimate control over their academic records. Partner with Extrimian to ride the next wave of secure, scalable credentialing in higher education.

7. Resources & References

1. Check Point Research, “The 8 Things You Should Know About Cyber Attacks on the Education Sector” (2024)
   https://blog.checkpoint.com/company-and-culture/the-8-things-you-should-know-about-cyber-attacks-on-the-education-sector-and-how-to-prevent-them/
2. UK Government, “Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2024 – Education Institutions”
   https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2024/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2024-education-institutions-annex
3. ResumeBuilder, “1 in 4 Americans Have Lied on Their Resume”
   https://www.resumebuilder.com/resume-examples/1-4-americans-have-lied-on-their-resume/
4. W3C, “Verifiable Credentials Data Model 1.1”
   https://www.w3.org/TR/vc-data-model/
5. Extrimian, “Tech Ed and Universities Digital Data Security Report 2025” (internal)
6. Indicio.tech, “Open Badges 3.0”
   https://indicio.tech/open-badges-3-0
7. UNESCO, “Building the Digital Credentials Ecosystem”
   https://en.unesco.org/themes/building-digital-future
8. Educause, “Cybersecurity Trends in Higher Education”
   https://www.educause.edu/research-and-publications