Open Campus, a decentralized education protocol, has received grant funding from the Arbitrum Foundation to support the launch of EDU Chain, a first-of-its-kind Layer 3 (L3) blockchain designed specifically for education. The EDU Chain blockchain aims to create an ecosystem of decentralized applications (dapps) for learners and educators, with a focus on blockchain-powered ownership. Open Campus plans to leverage its network of over 60 education and Web3 partner companies to drive participation in EDU Chain, including recording learning achievements on-chain and developing dapps for deployment on the platform.
The grant from the Arbitrum Foundation will also support the Arbitrum Ambassador Program, which involves educational content initiatives and hackathon competitions. Open Campus will offer incentives to developers who create dapps for EDU Chain, including educational games. By collaborating with Lil Snack, GamesBeat is excited to provide customized games for their audience, allowing gamers to engage with GamesBeat content through play.
EDU Chain will be built as an Arbitrum Orbit Stack L3 Rollup, settling Layer 3 transactions on Arbitrum’s Layer 2 (L2) scaling solution for Ethereum. This integration will offer Ethereum-level security with improved scalability due to faster and cheaper transactions. At the time of writing, Arbitrum has the highest Total Value Locked (TVL) among all L2 networks, making it the fifth largest blockchain protocol.
Yat Siu, executive chairman of Animoca Brands and a member of the EDU Foundation Council, believes that this grant is a significant step forward in using blockchain technology to address challenges in education. The collaboration between Open Campus and the Arbitrum Foundation positions them to redefine the education industry by leveraging the power of decentralization and the Arbitrum ecosystem.
The partnership between Open Campus and the Arbitrum Foundation aims to expand the Open Campus learner base and enhance content creation by connecting Arbitrum ambassadors and affiliated universities with the Open Campus Foundation. Nina Rong, head of ecosystem development at the Arbitrum Foundation, emphasizes the Foundation’s dedication to nurturing a decentralized educational hub within the Arbitrum network.
Open Campus is a community-led protocol that empowers educators, content creators, parents, and students by putting decision-making about learning back into the hands of educators and students themselves. The protocol fosters a collaborative environment and enables teachers to create materials tailored to the needs of their students. Open Campus also recognizes and rewards the achievements of effective educators and content creators, creating new revenue streams for them.
Open Campus is currently working on projects that will host user-generated educational games and similar learning experiences on EDU Chain. These games and gamified learning tools will enhance student learning through interactive and engaging content. Content partners such as TinyTap, EduCup, and KIP will contribute to the launch of these educational games on EDU Chain.
When the EDU Chain mainnet launches later this year, Open Campus will offer a comprehensive content hub that includes not just games, but also AI learning tools, video content, and traditional courses from top universities. The protocol aims to provide a diverse range of educational resources to learners, with a strong focus on data sovereignty, AI, and decentralization.
Overall, the collaboration between Open Campus and the Arbitrum Foundation represents a significant advancement in using blockchain technology to revolutionize education. The support from the Arbitrum Foundation will enable Open Campus to drive participation in EDU Chain and create an ecosystem of decentralized applications that empower learners and educators alike. With the launch of EDU Chain, Open Campus aims to address the challenges learners will face in the future by providing innovative and engaging educational resources.