Binance Academy and FIR: Study cryptocurrencies with VŠE

The Faculty of International Relations is launching an accredited course on digital assets and blockchain in cooperation with Binance Academy. The central theme of the course will be cryptocurrencies, their practical use in life, but also an explanation of important concepts and context from the world of digital assets. The aim of the course is to prepare students and the public for the changes, opportunities and risks that cryptocurrencies present. How will the course be run and what is required to complete it? These and other additional questions are answered by Mgr. Ing. Jakub Jedlinský, Ph.D., assistant professor at the Department of International Economic Relations of the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE).

Binance is the largest cryptocurrency company, with 180 million users using its platform worldwide. The company is also heavily involved in education on digital asset topics and has recently added university collaboration to its portfolio. One of the first three universities to be approached by Binance Academy is VŠE.

The accredited course is open to both students of VŠE and the public

“The Digital Assets and Blockchain Industry course is conducted entirely online, and in English. All you need is an active Binance Academy account to start studying. Not only students of the University of Economics, but also the general public interested in the topic can enrol in the course,” comments Jakub Jedlinský.

The accredited course is divided into 4 study weeks, with each week containing 3 educational videos with a duration of up to 10 minutes. The end of each week is summarized in a test that verifies the knowledge of the lessons. Each test can be scored for 25% of the overall grade. The graduate of the course receives a certificate that confirms the knowledge acquired.

“The individual tests of the course are admittedly quite challenging, as they verify that the student has really understood the topic and has gone through all the material. And this may even include the extra handouts that are provided in the course. On the other hand, the instructional videos are processed in a very user-friendly way, using engaging graphics,” explains Jedlinský.

The course will provide students with information but also realistic expectations about the world of cryptocurrencies

“The aim of the course is not only to explain the basic concepts, but also the context of cryptocurrencies in the financial world. Thus, we use material from official financial institutions such as the Bank of England and the Bank for International Settlements to teach, but we also confront this material with narratives and rhetoric that is typical of the crypto world,” adds Jedlinsky.

The course is also designed to prepare students for the realistic expectations they should have with the world of digital assets. “There are a lot of unrealistic to toxic ideas related to cryptocurrencies. These are what we try to set the record straight in the course and prepare students for any risks or pitfalls that may be associated with digital assets. For example, to be able to identify trustworthy companies and projects and not be fooled by any project that promises high valuations and so on. We take this to be part of the financial literacy that students of VŠE should have,” Jedlinský explains the other benefits of the course.

The Binance Academy course is not the end of the education, students can also follow the semester course.

The Faculty of International Relations also offers students a follow-up course, namely Digital assets and blockchain industry. The first run of this course took place in the summer semester 2024 and will continue in the following semesters. The course will also fall under the ECTS credit system, so students will be able to choose it as part of their study schedule, both at the Bachelor’s and Master’s level.

“We are already more practical in this university course. Even though the course is also online, students will be tasked with several practical assignments that will teach them how to work with digital assets in, for example, their own work, their own business, a non-profit, etc. These practical projects will also be the subject of the final assessment of the course,” adds Ing. Kareem Abdallah, the second lecturer of the Digital Assets and Blockchain industry course.

Mgr. Ing. Jakub Jedlinský, Ph.D.

Ing. Jakub Jedlinský, Ph.D. has been an assistant professor of the department since 2016. He defended his PhD thesis on Alternative view of the EU monetary system. He teaches specialized courses on cryptocurrencies at the Department.

Ing. Kareem I. Abdallah

Ing. Kareem I. Abdallah has been an assistant professor in the department since 2023. His doctoral research mainly focuses on quantifying the natural rate of interest and its long-run determinants. He teaches seminars in the department on International Economics I, International Economics II, Bitcoin and Blockchain, and Digital Assets and Blockchain.