FOR20 Introduction to Blockchain

• Topics

  The ability to understand and leverage brand new technologies is nowadays a fundamental requirement. The course "Introduction to Blockchain" provides a comprehensive overview of what blockchain is and how it works. It explores the transition from the accounting traditional ledger to a distributed one and describes how transactions occur under this new paradigm. Insights on how blockchain affect the future of industry and organizations also are covered.

  The course also covers aspects related to automation of assurance procedures and provides some concepts to develop a blockchain system. Finally, an introduction to the concept of the digitalization of assets and related contract automation which leads to Smart Contracts are discussed. Some issues related to sustainability and environmental impact (e.g., carbon emissions) will be briefly discussed. The mission of this course is to introduce concepts and tools to understand the potential of blockchain technology in real world applications.

  The content of the course is the following:

  • What is a Blockchain and how it works.
  • Centralized, Decentralized, and Distributed Systems.
  • Integrity and Trust in Distributed Systems.
  • Ownership: management and decisions.
  • Cryptographic Algorithms: symmetric and asymmetric cryptography.
  • Elliptic Curves Cryptography.
  • Hash functions and digital signature.
  • Distributed Consensus Protocols: proof of work and proof of stake.
  • Contract automation in a Blockchain: the Smart Contract.
  • Other Distributed Ledger Technologies.
  • Limits and ethical issues of Blockchain.

• Learning outcome

  Knowledge

  Upon successful completion of the course the student will know how to

  • Define what a blockchain system is and describe its working principles.
  • Illustrate the differences between a classical ledger and a distributed one.
  • Explain what a transaction in a blockchain is and how they are regulated.
  • Explain what a consensus protocol is in the context of blockchain.
  • Explain the concept of cryptography in the context of blockchain.
  • Illustrate the transition to the digitalization of an asset.
  • Describe and explain the working principles of a Smart Contract.
  • Describe and explain the working principles of DeFi.
  • Have an understanding of any potential sustainability issue over the use of blockchain.

  Skills

  Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to

  • Examine a blockchain system in its different forms and compare the differences
  • Decompose a blockchain system in its fundamental components
  • Conceive a business idea based on Blockchain in all its different flavours

  General competence

  Upon successful completion of the course the student will possess

  • Critical sense to evaluate a given blockchain context and opportunities
  • Communication skills that enable interactions at both technical and non-technical levels with the different stakeholders

• Teaching

  Teaching will consist of lectures as well as guest lectures with speakers from academia. In addition, students will have to deliver a group project due at the end of the course. The aim of the project is to apply the theory learned in class to a real business case, involving blockchain technology.

• Recommended prerequisites

  Some prior basic knowledge in finance and accounting is helpful. Some general knowledge on information systems and coding.

• Credit reduction due to overlap

  None.

• Compulsory Activity

  None.

• Assessment

  Group project (in groups of 2-5 students).

  • The group project will be developed during the course and will be divided into two parts that will be graded separately: a written report (counts for 50 %) and an oral presentation (pre-recorded video) (counts for 50 %).
  • Students will be working on both the written report and the oral presentation in due course and must submit both by the end of the course.

  Both the written report and the oral presentation has to be in English.

  Both elements have to be taken in the same semester.

• Grading Scale

  A-F

• Literature

  • Slides provided by the instructors
  • D. DRESCHER, Blockchain Basics: A Non-Technical Introduction in 25 Steps, Editor APress.