The ADAPT Centre at Trinity College Dublin has teamed up with Ripple to create the Ripple Blockchain Collaboratory, a new research initiative focusing on blockchain, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity and fintech.
Funded by Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative with $200,000 over two years, the multi-year collaboration will be led by Professor Hitesh Tewari of Dublin Trinity’s School of Computer Science and Statistics.
It aims to drive innovation and develop solutions addressing real-world challenges through advanced research projects and hands-on learning opportunities. The partnership also includes hosting an XRPL validator at Trinity, enhancing the university’s involvement in global blockchain infrastructure.
Professor Tewari commented: “We are delighted to be the first university in Ireland to receive support through Ripple’s UBRI programme. The Ripple Blockchain Collaboratory will provide a platform for advancing blockchain research, allowing our students and staff to research and develop solutions that address real-world challenges in fintech, cybersecurity and privacy.”
The partnership
Together, the partnership will prioritise research development, advancing projects such as a decentralised social media network – a platform designed to operate without central authority, ensuring greater user privacy and control; post-quantum cryptography, which enhances security to resist future quantum computing threats; and zero knowledge proofs, a method for verifying data without revealing the underlying information.
The ADAPT Centre will also manage an XPR Ledger (XPRL) validator, a critical component of the XRPL network. The XRPL is a decentralised blockchain ledger and XRPL validators evaluate transaction proposals from a specific set of trusted validators called a Unique Node List (UNL), augmenting the network’s security and decentralisation.
The programme will also support seminars, conferences and workshops to deepen public understanding of blockchain’s transformative potential. Students will also have the opportunity to connect with industry leaders through activities such as attending Ripple’s global UBRI Connect event.
Why Ireland?
According to Ripple, a provider of digital asset infrastructure for financial institutions, Ireland has established itself as a leading hub for blockchain and cryptocurrency advancements and is a thriving ecosystem.
The programme will also focus on the next generation of business leaders, entrepreneurs and innovators to develop and apply these technologies.
Lauren Weymouth, senior director of university partnerships at Ripple, also commented: “By hosting an XRPL validator at Trinity, we’re connecting the university to the heart of decentralised technology, enabling groundbreaking work in areas like fintech, cybersecurity and next-generation blockchain solutions.”
Ripple’s University Blockchain Research Initiative has partnered with top institutions worldwide to drive academic research in blockchain.
