Verificient to implement ID authentication/verification for online university students

Penn State and Verificient Technologies have partnered to develop the first of its kind, identity authentication and verification tool that will meet federal compliance standards for distance learners.

Through the initiative, the technology will enable the university to verify whether a registered student who logs into an online course, performs individual assignments and completes the assessments is, in fact, the same student enrolled in the program.

“The online education ecosystem continues to see a rise in sophisticated threats that can negatively impact academic integrity, question the value of our graduate credentials, and derail the student aid process,” said Jeff Smith, assistant vice president for Penn State World Campus Operations & Ed Tech Network. “The Penn State World Campus has always been a leader in the advancing online higher education, and we wanted to once again lead the industry against these threats. Verificient’s patented technology and close collaboration demonstrates the new power of partnership Penn State is promoting through its Ed Tech Network.”

Verificient Technologies provides patented continuous identity verification solutions through the use of machine learning, computer vision, and biometrics.

The company said the identity authentication and verification process is automated, scalable, and within the Canvas Learning Management System by Instructure.

“It’s been a pleasure to work with the Penn State leadership team to address the perils of academic integrity for their highly recognized online programs,” Tim Dutta, CEO of Verificient Technologies. “As higher education becomes accessible across the world, so does the risk of student impersonation and academic fraud. Penn State’s commitment to upholding academic integrity will become the model for other online programs to soon follow.”

Verificient is working with Penn State to implement the technology within the World Campus in the 2017/18 academic year.

Article Topics

biometrics  |  computer vision  |  identity verification  |  machine learning  |  online authentication  |  Verificient Technologies