Ripple’s UBRI marks its fifth anniversary with European university partnerships, advancing blockchain education and aligning with Europe’s crypto ambitions.
By expanding its University Blockchain Research Initiative (UBRI) initiative, Ripple is enhancing its foothold in Europe. In celebration of its fifth anniversary, UBRI is pleased to add Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), EPITA (France), IE Madrid (Spain), and University of Trento (Italy) to its roster.
Through these partnerships, the continent as a whole will benefit from blockchain education and research.
UBRI has given more than $11 million to its 14 European partner universities since it was founded in 2018. As seen by its Market in Crypto Assets (MiCA) law, which was created to give legislative certainty for crypto growth and mainstream use, Europe’s lofty objectives of becoming a global crypto hub also coincide with this expansion. With education that keeps up with the fast changing crypto scene, UBRI is committed to advancing this vision.
Eric van Miltenburg, SVP of strategic initiatives at Ripple, emphasized the significance of educating the next generation in the theoretical concepts and practical abilities necessary for blockchain utility in the real world.
“As UBRI marks its fifth year of assisting international universities to advance and revolutionize blockchain teaching and research, four top universities with burgeoning talent will now gain access to brand-new opportunities to explore, create, and advance in the blockchain and cryptocurrency worlds.
“It’s imperative that we provide the next generation with the information and skillsets required to advance blockchain technology for practical use. Europe is well-positioned to advance this aim by bringing more regulatory certainty, which increases the opportunity for crypto initiatives to prosper.
Workshop
As part of the collaboration, IE Madrid will hold a three-day workshop on virtual asset regulation to help students get ready for the industry’s regulatory environment while fostering applied research, entrepreneurship, and corporate change.
With the backing of UBRI, Ikhlaq Sidhu, dean of IE University in Spain, declared: “IE University is proud to drive and prepare our next generation of leaders toward a crypto– and blockchain-enabled economy for years to come.”
Additionally, Ripple is expanding its partnership with the Centre for Blockchain Technologies (CBT), which was initially established at University College London (UCL) with assistance from UBRI. This national network of blockchain research and teaching efforts, now known as UK CBT, also includes Birmingham and Edinburgh in addition to UCL, with plans to grow even further.
UK CBT will keep supporting XRPL-related projects and promoting XRPL innovation and uptake through conferences, workshops, and accelerator programs.
“With the support of Hedera, together with Ripple’s UBRI, we are shaping a future where blockchain revolutionizes socio-economic systems and propels the UK to the forefront of technological leadership,” said Dr. Paolo Tasca, founder and director of the UCL Centre for Blockchain Technologies.
The third iteration of Ripple’s Apex XRPL Developer Summit is now taking place in Amsterdam, making it the event’s first appearance in Europe. In the Netherlands, TU Delft and UBRI are still collaborators. In advance of the meeting, UBRI hosted the XRPL Hackathon – Apex 2023 for partners across Europe and beyond. High-level challenges were presented during the on-campus competition, and innovative solutions like XRPL Charity and ZeroEnter won top honors.
