Bitcoin is now of one the modern “wonders” and has escalated to a price of almost $18,000 on international exchanges. Blockchain, the technology behind bitcoin, is disrupting major markets and industries, and education is not behind.
For the very first time, a university in Bulgaria will offer scholarships to incoming students in the form of either Euro or Bitcoin, the choice is for the students. The university, Varna University in Management (VUM), is taking the plunge by offering its students the digital currency in the form of bursaries.
According to Cointelegraph, in the upcoming academic year, ten software engineering students will be awarded scholarships in Bitcoin – to the value of €1000 per semester. While the decision on awarding financial help in the form of Bitcoin is already set, the university is also considering the option of accepting Bitcoin for tuition fees.
Not only that, but in regards to the integration of Bitcoin in educational systems around the world, Varna University in Management is taking steps to expand the curriculum with Blockchain and cryptocurrency-related courses. Although this is very innovative in Bulgaria, many countries like Russia and the United States, have integrated the topic of digital currencies in universities like Columbia, NYU and many more.
According to Cointelegraph, the launch of the Bitcoin bursaries came to life from the strong community at VUM interested in Bitcoin and blockchain. The digital market manager for the university, Omer Ilyasli, shared in an interview:
“At our School of Computer Science, we have number of students who are working on Blockchain technology. We have quite a community here and we host seminars from time to time. The decision to offer Bitcoin scholarship came after a “Introduction to Blockchain Technology” seminar.”
As for the selection process, Ilyasli explained:
“The selection process will be done by academic commitee and they will select the students considering their interest in the subject and technology, and extra-curricular activities. But, first of all, all candidates should cover minimum entry requirements, such as high school grades and English-proficiency.”
The strong IT community in Bulgaria and the fact that Bulgaria is ranked as one of the world’s top IT outsourcing destinations, it is no wonder why educational institutions are now trying to take steps into integrating the technology of Blockchain and cryptocurrencies in curriculums and academic programs.