EduTranscript by CertifyMe partnered with one of Africa’s premier universities, ranked among the Top 5 in Africa by Times Higher Education in 2024. With a diverse community of over 29,000 students from more than 100 countries and six faculties, the university needed a secure and efficient solution to address rising concerns about document authenticity. By implementing EduTranscript, they dramatically reduced forgery attempts and enhanced their reputation for excellence and trustworthiness.

Background

Managing academic records for a multicultural and multinational community is a complex challenge. This prestigious Cape Town university, which graduates over 7,200 students annually, faced growing concerns about the authenticity of academic credentials. With degrees spanning six faculties—Commerce, Engineering & the Built Environment, Health Sciences, Humanities, Law, and Science—the university had become a target for fraudsters attempting to forge its highly regarded credentials.

As a leader in African higher education, the institution recognized the urgent need for a cutting-edge solution to protect its reputation and ensure the integrity of its graduates’ credentials.

Challenges

Despite its academic excellence, the university grappled with increasing forgery attempts and inefficiencies in its transcript management process. Key issues included:

1. Forgery Concerns: The university’s paper-based and semi-digital credentials were susceptible to tampering, with one in 20 credentials identified as fraudulent during verification checks by employers and institutions.
2. Manual Verification Bottlenecks: Verifying transcripts and degrees often required 2-4 weeks, leading to delays for graduates applying to international institutions or employers.
3. Reputation at Stake: Growing forgery incidents raised concerns among stakeholders about the credibility of the university’s academic records.
4. Administrative Strain: The registrar’s office processed over 10,000 transcript requests annually, requiring significant resources for manual reviews and verifications.

Tamper-Proof Digital Transcripts

EduTranscript introduced verifiable, forgery-proof digital transcripts, ensuring academic records could not be tampered with or falsified. Each credential came with unique verification features such as ID Tagging and OTP based verification, enabling instant validation by employers and institutions.

Instant Online Verification

The platform enabled real-time verification, eliminating the need for manual processes. Employers and institutions could authenticate transcripts and academic records instantly, significantly reducing the verification backlog.

Seamless User Experience

The intuitive platform made it easy for students and alumni to request their academic documents as per their need. Automatic notifications and real-time tracking minimized follow-up inquiries, freeing up administrative resources.

"The automation, error reduction and security features have been priceless. We've saved so much time and operational costs, while increasing student satisfaction and loyalty."

– Coordinator, Enrollment Services Technology

Key Results

The implementation of EduTranscript delivered transformational results for the university, addressing forgery concerns while enhancing efficiency and user satisfaction.

Unparalleled Transcript Security

Forgery attempts were reduced by 94.7% within the first year of implementation. Employers and institutions globally praised the university for its secure and trustworthy digital credentials.

Faster Verification Process

Credential verification time was reduced from 2-4 weeks to less than 20 minutes, ensuring graduates could meet tight deadlines for job and academic opportunities.

Administrative Efficiency

The automated system reduced the burden on the registrar’s office by over 50%, enabling staff to focus on strategic initiatives rather than time-consuming manual verifications.

Global Reach and Reputation

Employers and academic institutions in over 100 countries benefited from instant, verifiable credentials, boosting the university’s reputation as a leader in secure academic record management.

“The drastic reduction in forgery attempts has restored confidence in our credentials, while the automation has freed up significant resources in our administrative team. This partnership has not only safeguarded our reputation but has also created an invaluable experience for our graduates and their prospective employers."

– Registrar, Academic Records and Certification