A Blockchain Adoption Framework for Secure Digital Credentials and Academic Record Verification in Higher Education

Abstract

Context: Higher education institutions increasingly rely on digital systems to manage academic records and certification processes; however, traditional centralized architectures remain vulnerable to data breaches, record tampering, and credential forgery, which undermine trust in academic qualifications. Objective: This study develops a blockchain adoption framework to secure digital credentials and improve academic record verification in higher education institutions. Method: A qualitative conceptual approach grounded in the interpretivist paradigm was employed. Secondary data were obtained from peer-reviewed literature, institutional reports, and documented blockchain-based education systems, and qualitative content analysis was used to identify adoption drivers, benefits, challenges, and implementation requirements. Results: The analysis identified technological, organizational, and environmental adoption dimensions and informed a TOE-based framework comprising digital certification, secure academic record storage, automated credential verification, inter-institutional data sharing, and continuous improvement. The findings indicate that blockchain can strengthen credential security, improve verification efficiency, and preserve record integrity, although adoption remains constrained by technical capacity, cost, integration, interoperability, and regulatory challenges. Conclusions: The proposed framework provides higher education institutions with a structured basis for readiness assessment and implementation planning. It also supports future empirical validation and policy development.