On Aug. 6, Fanshawe College officially launched the MyCreds platform, a digital document wallet designed to certify, share, and verify academic credentials. This new system advances how the college manages and distributes academic documents, offering students more control and accessibility.

The MyCreds platform allows students to securely and conveniently access and share their academic documents, such as transcripts, credentials, and specific letters, with various institutions, employers, and government agencies. The documents issued through MyCreds are tamper-evident and cryptographically signed, ensuring they remain secure, authentic, and official.

“MyCreds is a system that provides our learners with 24/7 access to their learning documents,” said Associate Registrar of Systems, Records, and Business Analysis at Fanshawe College Cheryl-Anne Haber. “Students themselves are able to control sharing those documents, so they don’t need to request from the college to send it to a specific institution on their behalf. They’re able to facilitate all of that sharing independently.”

One of the platform’s key features is its ability to link accounts from different institutions within Canada, allowing students to create a comprehensive learner record that consolidates transcripts and credentials from multiple schools. This functionality benefits students who have attended more than one post-secondary institution.

Unlike previous systems such as Parchment, MyCreds offers broader integration, supporting not just transcripts but credentials, letters, and badges. Haber emphasized that MyCreds was designed in Canada with post-secondary institutions in mind, focusing on the specific needs of students as they continue their studies or seek employment.

Haber also highlighted the system’s accessibility and ease of use, noting that the transition to MyCreds is smooth for students.

“We have, so far, issued close to 1,000 transcripts in the last week and a half, and we’re looking at a 60 per cent student access rate. That means graduates share their documents, and a 60 per cent share rate is positive. We’ve also not received any complaints about transitioning over to MyCreds. It’s a very straightforward system.”

Students graduating at Fanshawe College will have their transcripts automatically loaded into their MyCreds digital wallets, eliminating the need to request these documents manually. Only students out of sequence or part-time must complete the intent to graduate form to access this service.

The system also benefits former students, as transcripts from the last five years will be issued without a request.

“Alumni will get the email from MyCreds to register and then gain access to their transcripts, just like current students,” Haber explained.

Security is another critical aspect of the MyCreds platform. Each document is securely loaded into the system and protected against tampering. If any tampering is detected, the system flags the document, maintaining its integrity.

“Students have their portal, separate from the college, where they can securely store and manage their documents,” Haber said.

As Fanshawe College continues to issue transcripts and credentials through MyCreds, the institution expects the platform to enhance the overall student experience by providing faster, more efficient access to essential academic documents. Haber remains confident that students will find the system easy to navigate, with ample support available through the MyCreds website.

With MyCreds, educational institutions are modernizing the management and sharing of academic credentials, setting a new standard across Canada.