Ripple is broadening its academic affiliations in Europe with the addition of four new institutions to its University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI).
Now in its fifth year, the UBRI program has enlisted Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), EPITA (France), IE University (Spain), and the University of Trento (Italy) to augment blockchain and cryptocurrency research and education across the continent.
According to Ripple’s blog post, since its establishment in 2018, the UBRI initiative has allocated over $11 million to a total of 14 European partners. This development comes as Europe is intensifying its efforts to become a global center for crypto innovation, backed by its Market in Crypto Assets (MiCA) legislation, which aims to clarify regulatory frameworks.
Eric van Miltenburg, SVP of Strategic Initiatives at Ripple, stated that the new partnerships would provide emerging talent with opportunities to explore and grow in the blockchain and crypto sectors. He emphasized the importance of equipping the next generation with the skills needed for real-world blockchain utility.
IE University plans to conduct a three-day virtual asset regulation workshop, focusing on applied research and corporate transformation. The workshop aims to equip students with the skills required for navigating the regulation-centric crypto landscape.
Ikhlaq Sidhu, Dean at IE University, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, stating that it would help prepare future leaders for a blockchain and crypto-enabled economy.
In addition to its new partnerships, Ripple is also renewing its collaboration with the UK Centre for Blockchain Technologies (UK CBT), an educational program initially started at University College London (UCL). The program will now extend its resources beyond UCL to include Birmingham and Edinburgh.
UK CBT aims to contribute to projects related to XRP Ledger (XRPL), and will offer specific programs to encourage innovation and adoption of XRPL. This includes workshops, accelerator programs, and support for conferences like UBRI Connect.
Dr. Paolo Tasca, Founder and Director of UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies, stated that the UK CBT aims to position the UK as a global leader in blockchain technology by fostering collaboration among governments, regulators, and universities.
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