Authors: Michael Bacina, Steven Pettigrove, Jake Huang, Lola Hickey, Luke Misthos
International cryptocurrency exchange, Binance, has donated US $300,000 in cryptocurrency to the University of Western Australia (UWA) to promote blockchain education. The donation was made in BUSD, a 1:1 USD-backed stablecoin, which has been approved and is regulated by the New York State Department of Financial Services.
The donation was made through the Binance Charity, a blockchain-enabled donation platform that uses blockchain technology to support, among other initiatives, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
The donation has been given to assist in funding of the University’s existing blockchain work, including to build a master’s program and develop a metaverse lab researched and built by students.
Binance and the University of Western Australia believe blockchain will be a growing job sector as calls for regulation are increasing, and the industry enters into a new stage of adoption both internationally and in Australia.
Government-led regulation in Australia will require a range of stakeholders across various industries all with intimate knowledge of the regulations and industry generally. Blockchain courses are increasingly being offered at universities around Australia.
The donation follows a raft of education-based moves in the digital asset industry, from blockchain-based school solutions in India, to a pairing between the Australian National University and Ripple Labs to provide a blockchain law course.
Blockchain fundamentals are becoming increasingly more common in financial services industry, as well as various other business sectors, and it is likely more universities will offer similar courses to UWA in future.
