Graduates from Malta’s Institute of Tourism Studies have actually received a blockchain certificate

Over 260 students have successfully completed their studies with the Institute of Tourism Studies (ITS) and graduated during a ceremony held on the 3rd of December at the MCC in Valletta.

Apart from the printed certificates, for the second consecutive year, ITS has also issued a blockchain certificate for all its graduates.

This makes the Institute of Tourism Studies the first hospitality institute to do so globally.

The Blockcerts initiative is a project brought by the Ministry for Education and Employment in collaboration with Learning Machine Technologies. Learning Machine is a software company headquartered in Malta and the US which provides a secure platform to issue certificates in a format that is tamper proof, recipient owned and independently verifiable.

Their innovative digital technology supports the creation, issuing, viewing and verification of blockchain certificates, which are registered in a public blockchain and cryptographically signed.

This results in a tamper-proof certificate and at the same time, a verifiable proof of education that is immediately useful when applying for employment, further studies or immigration anywhere in the world.

ITS CEO, Pierre Fenech stated: “It is a pleasure seeing all these students graduating today and I know that most of them have also chosen to continue their studies with the institute for this current academic year. We encourage all of you to further your studies as much as possible in an industry which is constantly growing. We are constantly investing in our institute, and signing partner agreements with top reputable institutions as our aim it put ITS at the forefront of tourism and hospitality training and we are achieving this. This is the second year in which all our students are not only getting their physical certificate, but they are also being issued with a Blockcert using the Blockchain technology. We were the first Institute in Europe to issue these certificates using this technology in graduation of 2017.”

The Chairman of the Board of Governors of ITS, Carlo Micallef congratulated students on their achievements and added that it is his great satisfaction seeing that ITS continues to successfully fulfil its mission as an Institute for higher vocational learning; educating, preparing and launching cohort after cohort of young tourism professionals to continue strengthening and building Malta & Gozo’s tourism industry.

Chairman of the Board of Governors of ITS, Carlo Micallef

Micallef added that ITS’s graduates have chosen the Tourism sector, an industry, that, unlike many others who reach a peak then fade away as trends change, has withstood the test of time and grown to become one of the main contributors to Malta’s economy.

Micallef concluded by saying that those students starting their career in the Tourism sector today will be joining a strong industry, one that is enjoying record performances year after year, with a very positive outlook for the years ahead.

Tourism minister Konrad Mizzi applauded students on their achievements and noted that works are being done to transform the ITS into a world class higher national educational institution.

Mizzi applauded students on their achievements and noted that works are being done to transform the ITS into a world-class higher national educational institution. He added that now with a larger campus in Hal Luqa, which may cater to 70% more students than the preceding campus in St Julian's, the aim is to provide more personnel for an industry which is constantly growing all year round and not just seasonal.