A Digital Credentialing Transformation at Dublin Business School

Dublin Business School (DBS) had long struggled with the inefficiencies of issuing academic credentials. The traditional paper-based system, fraught with logistical challenges, often resulted in delayed deliveries, student frustration and distress over fraudulent documents. In an effort to streamline operations, enhance the student experience and mitigate security challenges, DBS implemented Parchment Digitary Services in 2022.

Like many institutions, DBS was trying to keep up with growing enrollments. However, the onerous process for issuing academic credentials prevented them scaling their operations in the manner they wanted. Darragh Breathnach, Chief Operating Officer & Registrar, explains, “As our student numbers grew we stopped issuing transcripts at each stage of the learner journey, whether it was first year, second year, etc. We couldn’t handle the volume and effort and were only issuing them to graduates. We wanted that to change.” 

Additionally, a high population of international students posed significant challenges that prevented students from getting their documents in a timely manner, causing frustration. "We have a lot of international students that come to DBS, and that brings its own challenges purely in terms of having up-to-date data," Darragh recalled. The process was not only slow but also costly and labor-intensive, with staff spending up to a week printing, sorting, and mailing documents. We would have students that are transient, who don't often update their home address, which resulted in us having to reach out to them or post letters that are going nowhere which was an absolute waste of money. We decided it was time for a better way and we decided to move forward with Parchment."

The implementation was not without its challenges, particularly in aligning the new system with DBS’s student information database. "We had recently implemented a new student information system and that had its challenges in terms of getting the data right to be able to pass over to Parchment." Despite these hurdles, DBS had a phenomenal implementation experience. Parchment Digitary Services integrates with the DBS student management system through a restful API. The data is pushed to templates created by Parchment which render a PDF before being securely issued to a learner’s digital wallet where they can collate, collect and share documents and badges. Despite the added complexity of the new system, the result was exactly what DBS was looking for. Darragh explains, “The entire team at Parchment was tremendous. Honestly, any delays during implementation were on our end as we worked with our new student information system. They were incredibly responsive throughout the entire process. Considering the challenges we had with a new system, the implementation process was very seamless.”

As they grew more comfortable with the platform, DBS expanded their use of Parchment Digitary Services. Darragh shares, "We started off with just transcripts and were able to issue them at the end of every year and final transcripts, which was one of our goals. We have since expanded to include the European Diploma Supplement and a Graduate Letter for international students to meet their visa requirements. The possibilities of the platform were greater than we anticipated.”

The transformation was immediately felt across the institution. What once took an entire team of program coordinators a full week to complete was now an automated, seamless process. "Before, every person in the Academic Operations team (eight program coordinators) would be working on this for at least a week. Now, it’s seamless." The impact on student satisfaction was equally striking. Complaints about missing or delayed transcripts, once a frequent issue, dropped to zero. "In the last issuance we had zero complaints. Previously, we’d be dealing with maybe 20 to 30 complaints on issuing transcripts."

The platform’s digital nature meant that DBS could accommodate significant student growth without additional strain on resources. "If we were to throw in another 500,000 students, the product will be fine. Whereas if you were to print out another 1,000 transcripts and try and post them, there’s the postage costs, the risk, the data problems with addresses."

Beyond efficiency and scalability, the system also bolstered security. With cryptographically signed documents, restricted credential access control for education providers and tamper-evident documentation, DBS is confident they are taking the necessary steps to protect student data and the reputation of their institution. Darragh explains, "Potential data breaches have been ruled out. Students aren’t getting the wrong transcripts anymore. We don’t have to worry about fraudulent activity. We have complete trust and verifiability now."

The adoption of Parchment Digitary Services at DBS serves as a testament to how digital credentialing can revolutionise administrative efficiency, security, and student satisfaction. By embracing innovation, DBS has not only solved its logistical challenges but has also positioned itself as a leader in modernising academic credentialing. "If another institution called me up and asked me about pursuing Parchment, without hesitation I would say, ‘Go for it’. It’ll introduce massive efficiencies to your organisation and provide a much more improved and sleek student experience."