Bitcoin + Universities

[Crindon]

Since companies (like Coinbase) are giving college students bitcoins, should universities start incorporating virtual currencies like bitcoin, litecoin, dogecoin, etc. into their curriculums? What do you think? 

Some universities are already doing so (Cyprus, etc.). They have programs dedicated towards cryptos in economics and finance departments, but also in the political arena as well. Bitcoin has such a huge impact that its effects are far-reaching and are not limited.

[Levis]

I think it's wonderful! After all, universities contributes to the development of the system, an experiment in MIT could give crypto-community a new «crypto-geniuses»

[Predatorian]

This is a good information, i think it's a perfect choice.

[Crindon]

It may not be entirely difficult to incorporate Bitcoin in various disciplines. You can get engineering programs surrounding the technological aspect, computer science will be onboard, as well as computer engineering. There is also the economic perspective, political, and even the schools of laws.

[freedomno1]

I did read an article last week that said MIT students will receive bitcoin when they begin their semester
http://tech.mit.edu/V134/N22/bitcoin.html

So I can see it having a role in universities

I'm surprised it took 9 posts before someone mentioned MIT. The experiment in Boston is very exciting, one of the best stories all year.
Ideally, it could be repeated at many schools, but you need someone honest collecting the donations at each location.

I definitely agree a young prestigious place like MIT is the type of place that seems like a great place to get bitcoin started.
It will take a while but I would like to see more universities starting to accept bitcoin and trusted people to manage those transactions of course.

[freedombit]

I did read an article last week that said MIT students will receive bitcoin when they begin their semester
http://tech.mit.edu/V134/N22/bitcoin.html

So I can see it having a role in universities

I'm surprised it took 9 posts before someone mentioned MIT. The experiment in Boston is very exciting, one of the best stories all year.
Ideally, it could be repeated at many schools, but you need someone honest collecting the donations at each location.

I hope they do some close analysis of the usage after the semester is over. I suspect that they will find that most of the Bitcoin was never used and ultimately wasted. Give a kid a fish, he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime.

Anyone want to take bets? I give it a 25% usage rate. I hope that I am wrong and it is higher, but unearned Bitcoin will be deemed as a trashy marketing ploy. I do think we might see some good ideas come from the giveaway, but those ideas would have come about with other tactics that don't require giving away Bitcoin.

[freedomno1]

I did read an article last week that said MIT students will receive bitcoin when they begin their semester
http://tech.mit.edu/V134/N22/bitcoin.html

So I can see it having a role in universities

I'm surprised it took 9 posts before someone mentioned MIT. The experiment in Boston is very exciting, one of the best stories all year.
Ideally, it could be repeated at many schools, but you need someone honest collecting the donations at each location.

I hope they do some close analysis of the usage after the semester is over. I suspect that they will find that most of the Bitcoin was never used and ultimately wasted. Give a kid a fish, he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish, he'll eat for a lifetime.

Anyone want to take bets? I give it a 25% usage rate. I hope that I am wrong and it is higher, but unearned Bitcoin will be deemed as a trashy marketing ploy. I do think we might see some good ideas come from the giveaway, but those ideas would have come about with other tactics that don't require giving away Bitcoin.

Considering the university is MIT and most of its students are technologically literate and it specializes in that field it may be a bit higher than if it was another school or university.
I am genuinely curious though what the usage rate would be in a year, I assume it will be correlated to their knowledge of the goods and services they can exchange Bitcoin for, but I agree we will need time to see the usage rate, one thing is for sure 25% of 11,000 is a pretty nice number around 2750 users in one location is enough to build an economy around some place.
http://web.mit.edu/facts/faqs.html

[Trance]

Conbase scams 10% of users and out of the 10% maybe 5% come through with trying to prove what happened, this selective scamming has been going on for awhile..

[ShakyhandsBTCer]

Since companies (like Coinbase) are giving college students bitcoins, should universities start incorporating virtual currencies like bitcoin, litecoin, dogecoin, etc. into their curriculums? What do you think? 

This will likely (if it hasn't already) make it's way into classes that are computer and IT related.

It will likely be a long time until there are separate classes regarding crypto currencies and this is still a very new concept.

[Catmoonglow]

If you want to promote Bitcoin at your university, start a club; promote vicarisly with advertisements of other bitcoin services. Hold events, raise money for bitcoin charity's. Don't need to be the sole salesmen, people wouldn't trust that anyway.

[joshraban76]

Already there are universities who do accept bitcoins, and it will need time to let the list grow.

[Nawaytes]

it would be very complicated if the university related to bitcoin,
but it is possible because some universities are already using bitcoin

[davidgdg]

It's already happening in the Uk. For example UCL runs regular high level seminars on bitcoin.

[henryjames1003]

hey! i think bitcoins can becomes the local currency in the campuses. sounds great. Does anyone there learning now in an university with big campus? Good idea,  i think.
- could u help me with chemistry?
- 0.2 BTC, please 

[Nerazzura]

Since companies (like Coinbase) are giving college students bitcoins, should universities start incorporating virtual currencies like bitcoin, litecoin, dogecoin, etc. into their curriculums? What do you think? 

it sounds strange, but it would be very nice if it runs. so, they will better understand and accept bitcoin, until his government later endorsed bitcoin for all payments

[ShakyhandsBTCer]

hey! i think bitcoins can becomes the local currency in the campuses. sounds great. Does anyone there learning now in an university with big campus? Good idea,  i think.
- could u help me with chemistry?
- 0.2 BTC, please 

I don't think many people pay their friends to get help with classes. Most departments offer free tutoring if the department is big enough (has enough students taking classes in the subject) and professors must have office hours to help students who are struggling and to provide clarification on what was discussed at class.

I think it would be more likely for places like school bookstores and the cafeteria/restaurants on campus to accept bitcoin   

[Standup4]

When all huge unversities will start to accept BTC, it will be a new era in education system

[wordman267645]

Really a good topic.If universities will start to accept bitcoin it will be so helpful for international students.

[freedomno1]

Really a good topic.If universities will start to accept bitcoin it will be so helpful for international students.

Well it will save them some political risk of having their accounts frozen and being unable to fund them
And save some conversion costs etc.
But international students still pay a premium to study abroad so every bit certainly helps.

[Trance]

Since companies (like Coinbase) are giving college students bitcoins, should universities start incorporating virtual currencies like bitcoin, litecoin, dogecoin, etc. into their curriculums? What do you think? 

I think they should first stop selecting their students by a worthless piece of paper and instead select them by how motivated and talented they actually are.

They do.. just how motivated and talented are you get obtain that 'piece of paper' which gets you a job>others.