Top Blockchain University: Delft University of Technology

Delft ranks 18th and its research in the field of blockchain serves as a cornerstone for subsequent innovation.

Updated Apr 10, 2024 at 2:48 a.m. UTC

Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is the oldest and largest public technical college in the Netherlands and has maneuvered itself into a similarly prestigious position in the blockchain education scene.

18
New
Delft University of Technology Total Score
63.8
Regional Rank
5
Courses
7

TU Delft offers master’s degree students a blockchain certificate at the computer science department. The studies include three advanced courses named “Security and Cryptography,” “Distributed Algorithms” and “Blockchain Engineering.” The university also offers courses in cybersecurity more broadly to postgraduates from inside and outside the computer science department.

The university’s Delft Blockchain Lab conducts research and education around blockchain technology and “trust in the internet.” The group also aims to work with industry participants to “support the use of blockchain technology.”

The lab was founded in 2007. It conducted research titled “Bandwidth as a Currency” with Harvard University, which developed a peer-to-peer system called Tribler that rewarded generous file-sharers with quicker downloads.

Lab director Dick Epema, a professor of distributed systems, has co-written a catalogue of books on the subject and has more than 11,000 citations on Google Scholar. He supervises masters and PhD students at Tu Delft. He teaches the distributed algorithms course to master’s students.

The lab takes part in the Dutch Blockchain Coalition, which is based on the university campus. It brings together government, industry and academia to encourage the development of “reliable, robust and socially accepted” blockchain software. The coalition organized its third annual conference in 2021 and works with the European Commission on writing international agreements about blockchain technology.

The tech startup incubator YES!Delft is located next door to the university campus, and calls blockchain one of its focus areas. It partners with the university’s blockchain lab and has helped at least five blockchain companies to get off the ground.



This article was originally published on Nov 25, 2021 at 1:40 a.m. UTC

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