Towards a framework of a secure e-qualification certificate system

Abstract

We all receive paper based certificates during our study journey, but they are hard to manage to avoid damage or loss. The field of e-learning provides technological developments, such as e-portfolios, which enable greater power and flexibility in displaying achievements. These may include on-line versions of certificates of the applicant's attainment which overcome the limitations of paper-based versions. However, these "e-certificates" present a number of practical challenges, which so far have not been addressed, such as the validation of claimed e-qualification certificates. This paper addresses the issues, and explores the gap between current e-portfolio tools and the desired e-qualification certificate system. Through analysis of the existing systems and e-certificate use cases, we have identified existing services that can be reused and the services that require further development, thereby presenting an approach which solves the above problems. Preliminary results indicate that the recommendation from this research meets the design requirements, and could form the foundation of future e-certificate implementations.