## 5 Discussion and Research Findings
### Negative Aspects of Blockchain Technology  
Despite its potential, blockchain's limitations--such as data immutability and implementation complexity--underscore the caution noted in the introduction regarding its evolving status in education. While the technology offers promising solutions, these challenges must be overcome to fully realise its potential. One primary concern is the technology's immutability, which makes it difficult to alter data once they are recorded in blocks [7; 14; 21]. This characteristic, while beneficial for security, can be problematic when dealing with erroneous inputs or when automatic revocation is necessary.  
**Implementation Complexity:** The implementation of blockchain in education faces several strategic management challenges. Despite being introduced over a decade ago, blockchain technology is still in its early stages of development, particularly in the education sector. Its implementation requires thorough testing, robust infrastructure, substantial resources, and forward-thinking management to address its complexities [24; 46; 44; 51].  
\begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt} p{113.8 pt}} \hline \hline
**Context** & **Main Benefits** & **Key References** \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Credential Management} & Secure verification and generation of certificates, enhanced recruitment processes & [21; 46; 47] \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Education Administration} & Academic metadata storage, copyright protection, resource management & [11; 24; 38] \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{E-learning} & Automated processes, seamless collaboration, reduced costs, increased accessibility & [6; 13; 44] \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Financial Support} & Crowdfunding loan platforms, secure transactions & [11] \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Future Applications} & Virtual environments, innovative thinking promotion, leadership enhancement & [7; 43; 45] \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table}
Table 2: Summary of key benefits of blockchain in higher education.  
For widespread adoption, institutions must actively promote and showcase blockchain's potential to a broader audience [38; 46].  
**Security and Privacy:** Security and privacy concerns pose another significant challenge. In public blockchain networks, data become visible to all participants, potentially exposing personal or sensitive information [7; 14; 24]. Moreover, there is a risk of system compromise if a powerful miner gains control of more than 50% of the computational power [52; 53]. Regular maintenance and audits are crucial to mitigate these risks.  
**Environmental Impact:** Environmental concerns associated with blockchain technology are also noteworthy. The proof-of-work consensus mechanism, used in many blockchain systems, consumes enormous amounts of electrical energy, contributing to climate change and generating a significant carbon footprint [11; 40].  
**Regulatory Compliance:** Regulatory compliance presents another hurdle, particularly for international educational institutions. While European institutions must comply with regulations like GDPR, there is a lack of consistent regulatory frameworks in other regions [11; 35; 49]. This regulatory disparity could complicate the implementation of blockchain solutions across different jurisdictions.  
**Scalability:** Scalability is another critical issue facing blockchain technology in education. As the number of transactions increases, processing times may slow down, leading to higher transaction fees [6; 40; 44]. This could significantly impact e-learning systems that need to reach a large number of online students [6]. For a summary of the challenges of blockchain in higher education, please refer to Table 3.  
Addressing these challenges requires careful consideration of blockchain's limitations, including its environmental impact and regulatory compliance issues. These limitations highlight the need for ongoing research and strategic implementation, which we explore further in Section 5.3.