Crypto Is Going To College At The University Of Cincinnati
Crypto and education go hand in hand, as to get into the space one must do long hours of research and listen to podcasts, but now the University of Cincinnati is providing students with the opportunity to start their crypto journey in the classroom.
The university will provide two curriculums studying new financial technologies and cryptocurrencies, due to a generous donation given by Dan Kautz and Woodrow (Woody) Uible, UC announced in a press release.
“Thanks to Dan and Woody, our students will gain hands-on, experiential education in this new frontier of financial technology,” said Dean Marianne Lewis, PhD. “Our students will learn how to manage cryptocurrencies and how such digital assets impact our economy, positioning UC as the regional leader and among the top universities nationally with this kind of program.”
The gift given by the duo will have a “public-private” lab named in their honor, inside the newly built Digital Futures building on the UC campus. This space will accommodate corporate sponsorships from within the industry, such as Leger who has already signed up to help with the program.
As well as research the Kautz-Uible Cryptoeconomics Lab will feature a cryptocurrency mining rig.
“Blockchain and the underlying application of cryptocurrency is at the cutting edge of business innovation and management. It is important that UC students be informed and educated about this technology,” said Uible.
“We feel that students will learn more by participating in the process of trading cryptocurrencies and directly working with a blockchain. That experience is much more valuable and meaningful than just learning from a textbook.”
While being very innovative this lab will not be the first of its kind, as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University already host similar spaces. The former provides a lecture series on blockchain taught by SEC chair Gary Gensler, which conveniently is online for free.
Professor of Economics at UC, Debashis Pal, commented on the importance of giving students a class on cryptocurrency, better preparing them for the job market.
“Students who work with the cryptocurrency fund will develop immediate and relevant knowledge about the fast-growing digital asset industry,” he said. “Educational programs from the Kautz-Uible Economics Institute will establish the University of Cincinnati as a thought leader in this cutting-edge technology.”