Algorand Will Develop Web3 Education Program with the United Nations

The Algorand Foundation has been tasked by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to create an educational curriculum focused on Web3 for its workforce. The announcement, made on November 30th, reveals that the Algorand Blockchain Academy will be accessible to over 22,000 UNDP employees as well as personnel linked to various other United Nations agencies.

A global initiative

The curriculum will reportedly emphasize the practical applications of blockchain technology within the framework of sustainable development. During the first quarter of 2024, a beta version of the course will commence, progressively rolling out across the UNDP global staff throughout the year. Robert Pasicko, a UNDP research and data analyst specializing in alternative finance and low carbon development, announced the initiative at the Algorand Impact Summit in New Delhi.

Pasicko expressed enthusiasm, stating that the Algorand Blockchain Academy will be instrumental in equipping the team with the tools needed to address complex global challenges using blockchain technology. He further mentioned the goal to upskill, empower, and inspire UN practitioners globally.

The initiative will also involve participation by representatives of Algorand ecosystem projects such as HesabPay, Wholechain, Koibanx, and Quantum Temple.

Slow and steady

Doro Unger-Lee, Head of Education and Inclusion at Algorand Foundation, sees this initiative as a crucial step toward identifying and delivering practical use-cases of blockchain to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across various areas.

This move aligns with the broader trend of the UN embracing Web3 and distributed ledger technologies. Still, while the UN has shown a progressive stance toward adopting blockchain, a cautionary note was sounded in August 2022 by the UN Conference on Trade and Development, warning about the potential risks of unregulated cryptocurrencies, such as threats to monetary stability and the potential for tax evasion in underdeveloped economies.