Blockchain is – not least because of the cryptocurrency hype about digital currencies based on blockchain – on everyone’s mind. The German Expert Commission on Research & Innovation (EFI) sees blockchain technology as having “high potential benefits for companies, the population and administration”. In order to be able to use this potential meaningfully, it is important to recognize it and to have a basic understanding of blockchain technology and its possible effects. Only then can one understand the radical changes that can be expected both in industry and in service companies. A recent study by the digital association Bitkom on the subject of blockchain in Germany showed that the more than 1,000 companies surveyed see a wide range of possible applications for blockchain technology, but that the vast majority of companies are currently holding back and remain in a wait-and-see position. In order to leave this waiting position and take action, companies not only need good use cases and marketable applications, but also employees who understand the new technology and, based on this understanding, recognize the potential of a blockchain for their own company.
Our portfolio of online learning content on blockchain covers a wide range of topics. We explain the most important concepts and methods of blockchain, the technical basics, fields of application, security aspects, as well as potentials and risks. In this way, we enable learners to understand the blockchain and to be able to weigh up its benefits in their own work environment. Our portfolio of online learning content is the starting point for creating tailor-made training courses for your company and your employees. The content in this area was produced with experts from the Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology FIT.
Our cooperation partners
We offer content that was developed with experts from various companies and institutions in the field of Blockchain. Here are some examples of the contributing partners and experts:
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Prinz
Prof. Dr. Thomas Rose
We cover the following themes with our portfolio:
What basic knowledge about blockchain can my employees acquire?
- Features of the blockchain
- Traceability and security of transactions
- Criteria for using a blockchain
- Bitcoin and the beginnings of blockchain
- The evolution of the Internet of Values
- The disruptive potential of blockchain
- Risks and obstacles
- Attractiveness of the blockchain
What basic knowledge about blockchain technology can my employees acquire?
- Money transfer with and without a bank
- How does a transaction with blockchain work?
- Consensus mechanism, crypto puzzles, block validation
- Hash functions and “fingerprints of data”
- How does the public key procedure work?
- Chained blocks and security
- Merkle Trees
- Proof of work, proof of Stake, proof of elapsed time and other consensus mechanisms
- The solution to the ‘double spending problem’
- Private vs. public blockchains
- Scalability and other technical challenges of the blockchain
What can my employees learn about the basic building blocks of blockchain applications and the categorization of the blockchain environment?
- Cryptocurrencies: transactions without an intermediary (i.e., without a bank), advantages and disadvantages of cryptocurrencies based on the blockchain
- Smart contracts: how they work and how they can be used
- DAOs (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations)
- Categorization according to Mougayar: infrastructure and platforms, middleware services, applications, and ancillary services
What can my employees learn about blockchain applications?
- Example IoT: networked devices on the internet of things
- Example smart grids: blockchain in the energy sector
- Supply chain example: guaranty of origin and food tracking
- Example media industry: license management
- Example financial sector: possible applications and risks
- Practical examples from Fraunhofer FIT: jukebox and delivery box
What can my employees learn about the security aspects of blockchain technology?
- Security with different consensus mechanisms
- Network attacks on the blockchain: 51% attack, Sybil attack, DoS attack
- Database vs. Blockchain: which is safer?
- Fraud in the blockchain, hacker attacks on exchanges and wallets, phishing
- Hacker attack on “The DAO”
- How secure are smart contracts?
- Anonymity and pseudonymity in the blockchain
- Secure storage of “finished” blockchains, pegging and anchoring
- Oracle: the problem with external information sources
- Cryptographic primitives, collision security, security loopholes
What can my employees learn in order to recognize and develop the potential of the blockchain and to be able to weigh up the benefits of a blockchain in their own work environment?
- Future applications and new business models
- A typical “use case” for the blockchain (use case identification framework)
- Potential impact in different sectors
- Certificates based on blockchain
- Blockchain: an outlook
Our portfolio is the basis for:
- Programs for specific companies and target groups based on preconfigured courses
- Courses that we configure and combine granularly from existing content according to your needs
- Programs that use a combination with your company's own content
Have a look at some content examples from our offering:
Beispiele: Online-Kurse Blockchain
Blockchain: Potentials and Risks| DE/EN | 1 Chapter | approx. 1 h
In Blockchain: Potentials and Risks, we will introduce blockchain technology. What characteristics does a blockchain have? Where can it be used? You will learn how transactions are logged in a blockchain, how they are securely stored and made traceable, and what requirements must be met so that a network can take the place of a central authority in a database. You will learn more about the beginnings of the blockchain (with a solution to the double spending problem), as well as which revolutionary approaches the blockchain entails and what makes it attractive. We will also clarify the risks associated with blockchain technology. This course was created by University4Industry together with leading experts from the Fraunhofer Institute FIT (Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology).
Blockchain Applications Today | DE/EN | 1 Chapter | approx. 1 h
In Blockchain Applications Today, we will go over various applications of blockchain. First, you will get a general overview of the basic components that all blockchain applications are built upon, such as cryptocurrencies, and smart contracts. We will also discuss blockchain applications that are already implemented today and some pilot projects that are currently running. This course will also serve as an inspiration for possible blockchain applications, so you can understand where potentials of the technology can be exploited. This course was created by University4Industry together with leading experts from the Fraunhofer Institute FIT (Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Information Technology).
Your contact person for Blockchain at University4Industry:
Dr. Claudia Harms-Schmid
Claudia is responsible for identifying relevant areas of knowledge and learning content and brings lots of experience in strategy consulting to this task. As a computer scientist, she is particularly interested in new technologies, as well as their potential and risks. Claudia supervises projects for our largest customers with a special focus on innovation and the development of new programs and content.