Cheng Shiu University has signed up for the digital diploma verification program advocated by the Ministry of Education. Starting from February 2022, a total of 65 graduates received both paper-based certificates and digital diploma verifications. The Dean of Academic Affairs, Ruey-wei Gong, indicated that digital diploma verifications are available within three days after requests from students. Compared to the traditional paper-based certificates, the digital version is portable, convenient, and in fact more helpful to seeking jobs or further education.  

The Ministry of Education is promoting paperless degree certificates, and to date, 20 colleges and universities have signed up. The progress is different among these schools with the issuance of the first cohort of graduates in the 2021 academic year. Cheng Shiu University is the first, and so far, the only private university in this digital diploma verification program.

The Dean of Academic Affairs, Ruey-wei Gong, pointed out that digital diploma verifications provide a complete record of the graduate’s learning journey in the college or university, and hence, is more beneficial to seeking jobs or further studies. Since October 2019, the Ministry of Education started the Digital Diploma Verifications and Field Establishment Pilot Program led by National Cheng Kung University. The certificate issuance and distribution fields were discussed and demonstrated by National Cheng Kung University, National Tsing Hua University, National Taipei University of Technology, and Cheng Shiu University.  

The digital diploma verification program under the auspices of the Ministry of Education consists of the issuance system and the authentication system. National Cheng Kung University supports this program by helping other schools to establish workflows and the synchronization of graduates’ data, in order to enable a rapid rollout of the digital diploma verification issuance system according to requirements.

The authentication system prevents counterfeiting, as the digital diploma verification footprint of each college and university allows for complete traceability. The Ministry of Education has also established an official website for authentication, in order that graduates, colleges/ universities, and employers can validate the authenticity of digital diploma verifications. The reliability and convenience underpin the long-term benefits for schools, corporations, and graduates seeking employment and further education.    

During the promotion stage, Cheng Shiu University is currently offering digital diploma verifications for free, and more than 3,000 graduates this June are expected to receive digital diploma verifications. Chien-hui Liu, a senior in the Department of Food and Beverage, said that the digital diploma verification is extra convenient, as it saves the trouble of scanning a paper certificate when producing resumes, and he was eager to submit his request for it.