AST's Dr Kevin Bassett and AST Cape Town's non-executive director Martin Hall.
UK-based digital certificate verification provider Advanced Secure Technologies (AST) is opening a Cape Town office.
The move is said to be aimed at addressing the growing problem of degree fraud in South Africa.
The company's digital certificate web security platform uses blockchain, QR codes, and watermarks to securely issue, manage, and verify education certificates.
This gives students and alumni control over the sharing of verified credentials, while allowing employers and other organizations to authenticate credentials.
The platform also reduces the risk of degree fraud by ensuring that only qualified candidates are recognized.
“Having an office in Cape Town will allow us to quickly respond to any issues in this important market in southern Africa,” said Kevin Bassett, MD, AST. “This is particularly important given the prevalence of degree fraud in South Africa.”
The company has partnerships with South African universities including the University of Johannesburg, the University of Pretoria and North West University.
Martin Hall, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town, will become a non-executive director of the new office.
“Academic fraud undermines the value of legitimate qualifications,” Hall said.
“AST is not just about technology, it is about protecting the educational integrity of students, employers, and institutions. With the rise of technologies such as artificial intelligence, that job is more important than ever. ”
Recently, high-profile cases of degree fraud have hit the headlines in SA. Among them was an economist who allegedly lied about having a PhD from the London School of Economics, and who was accused of forging his bachelor's and master's degrees, and was suspended from his job and forfeited an annual salary of R3.5 million. These include former Joburg Road Agency CEO.
