Bank Frick, a Balzers, Liechtenstein-based private financial institution, has announced that it will be celebrating its 20th anniversary by sponsoring a blockchain-related project – through a partnership with the University of Liechtenstein.

The distributed ledger technology (DLT)-focused initiative will reportedly be a five-year collaboration involving active participation from the university’s students. Starting next year, Bank Frick will be funding various DLT-related research projects at the University of Liechtenstein.

Courses On Bitcoin, Blockchain, & Other Major Cryptos

Notably, there will also be a certificate program (called “Blockchain and Fintech”) that Bank Frick will be sponsoring. Founded in 1998, Bank Frick has decided to support the university’s blockchain and fintech-focused program – in order to help the Principality of Liechtenstein in integrating the latest technology into its various industries.

The joint initiative between the family-run Bank Frick and the University of Liechtenstein will also involve establishing a blockchain competence center at the university’s Institute of Finance. At present, the Institute offers a general certificate program for fintech, and it is also planning to develop a certification track for blockchain-related technologies.

Assistant professor Dr. Martin Angerer has been in charge of preparing curriculum for the fintech courses. Dr. Angerer will now be focusing on creating more courses and a certificate program for those looking to learn more about blockchain, bitcoin (BTC), and other cryptocurrencies.

Courses Will Cost $10,000, Limited To 22 Students

One of the main objectives of the DLT and crypto-related certification programs is to help prepare students for jobs in the nascent blockchain industry. Prerequisites for the courses include participants having the appropriate background (academic and professional) in the traditional financial services sector. Students must also attend 75% of the classes offered in order to receive a certificate of completion.

Moreover, the courses may only be offered after there are at least six students who have registered for the program. The educational initiative will also involve a relatively small number of participants as there can only be a maximum of 22 students who can enroll in the blockchain and crypto-related courses (for now).

The total cost for the course and certification program is about $10,000 (per student).

Woolf: Managing A University On A Blockchain

Commenting on the education initiative, Edi Wögerer, the CEO of Bank Frick, said:

The university is providing its blockchain expertise both in the financial and legal domain. Students will therefore benefit from a research-based approach and learn how the future of our sector is being shaped through innovation.

Edi Wögerer

As CryptoGlobe reported in early October, Woolf University aims to become the world’s first educational institute to offer a “fully-accredited, borderless, blockchain-powered” university courses.

Moreover, Woolf University’s website states that its program will ensure “regulatory compliance”, “reduce bureaucracy”, and provide custodian solutions for students’ financial and personal information by using a blockchain-based data management system.