GDPR-Compliant Academic Certification via Blockchain: Legal and Technical Validation of the GAVIN Project
Source abstract
Abstract
For years, combining the immutability associated with blockchain technology with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has been considered a practically unsolvable conflict due to the very nature of blockchain and the GDPR. This article presents the GAVIN project (GDPR-Compliant Blockchain-Based Architecture for Universal Learning, Education and Training Information Management), a pioneering initiative that overcomes this challenge through an innovative technical and legal approach to trusted digital academic certification. Developed by atlanTTic (University of Vigo) and funded by the European Union, GAVIN proposes a scalable architecture that combines off-chain storage, encrypted Hash-Based Message Authentication Code (HMAC) anonymization, access notarization, and blockchain-based access control. The legal validation of the working prototype under development demonstrates that blockchain decentralization is compatible with GDPR compliance. The model is presented as a replicable reference for institutions wishing to leverage distributed ledger technologies without compromising personal data protection. This paper details the legal design, technical architecture, and compliance mechanisms, offering a practical framework for implementing decentralized systems with privacy by design.
Source: crossref · Quality: baseline
Research context
OpenAlex topics: Blockchain Technology Applications and Security · Ethics and Social Impacts of AI · Privacy, Security, and Data Protection
SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.
Affiliations
Faculty of Business Administration, Universidad Intercontinental de la Empresa, 15704 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
atlanTTic, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Funding
MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 · Universidade de Vigo/CISUG
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