In a pioneering move, MICA Ahmedabad’s Media and Entertainment Management (MEM) area students have received their specialisation course completion certificates as Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), marking the institution's foray into the convergence of education and blockchain technology. This innovative initiative is designed to blend cutting-edge technology with academic recognition.
Fifty-three students of the new course titled ‘Immersive Technology, Content, and Consumers’ from the MEM area have received their course completion certificate as NFT’s, linked to their performance and attendance.
A non-fungible token is a unique digital identifier that is recorded on a blockchain, and is used to certify ownership and authenticity. It cannot be copied, substituted, or subdivided. These digital credentials are secured on a blockchain, ensuring their authenticity and making them resistant to fraud or tampering.
Commenting on this innovation, Dr. Githa Heggde, Dean, MICA, said, “This course puts MICA's students at the forefront of the rapidly changing digital landscape and further solidifies the institution's dedication to cutting-edge education. As technology becomes more pervasive and accessible, this is an attempt to improve the digital learning experience and train our students for the world of the internet.
Employers in the area of immersive technology are looking for specific skill sets. A course completion NFT will help our students construct digital portfolios representing particular abilities, exhibiting their understanding of a specific subject simpler”, she added.
Delving more, Prof. Santosh Patra, Head of Media and Entertainment Management at MICA, said, “Technology, engagement, and experience are the drivers of any consumer-centric business. With this logic, through immersive technology in the media and entertainment business, we have introduced NFT as one of the innovative ways of promoting student engagement, participation, and certificate of attendance in the course, which primarily integrates industry trends of immersive technology in media and entertainment business.”
“While certificates can be lost, an NFT will ensure a permanent space on Blockchain carrying a digital value ascertained only by its owner, a student in this case. This will surely enhance their portfolio”, he added.
This new course delves into a spectrum of innovative technologies reshaping consumer engagement. It explores Voice AI and WhatsApp strategies for personalized experiences, Generative AI's content creation potential, and the transformative impact of 5G-fueled AR holograms. Moreover, it navigates real-time content creation using digital humans, delves into live commerce through emerging tech, and examines how emerging technologies shape consumer behavior and the evolution of the internet (Web 3.0).
Course instructor Mr. Harish Shankaran, Chief Product Officer and Co-founder of AdMint, said, “As per the curriculum, our students understand how various emerging technologies impact our day-to-day lives. New means of human interaction, behavioral patterns, content creation and consumption, and even business models were explored. In alignment with this, we felt that awarding them course completion certificates as NFTs would give them a first-hand experience of what the web 3.0 version of the internet is shaping up to be.”
The students will explore the business applications of immersive technologies and learn how to use them effectively in a real-world context. The course will cover topics such as virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR), and how they can be applied in various industries, including healthcare, education, and entertainment.
A second-year student, Shubham Pradeep, said, “Receiving an NFT in the Immersive Tech course feels like grasping a digital milestone, a tangible piece of the future. It acknowledges our efforts and propels us towards the exciting fusion of education and groundbreaking blockchain innovation”.
Another student Ishika Agrawal shared, “Receiving NFTs for participating in MICA's Immersive Tech course is more than a token; it's a digital testament to our creative journey, a unique blend of art and technology that defines our educational experience.”
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