Oxford Women in Computer Science Society Collaborates with Zilliqa to Bring Diversity to the Forefront of Blockchain

Zilliqa, the high-throughput public blockchain platform, is launching the return of Blockchain A-Z, a series of blockchain education workshops, this time with the University of Oxford, the world’s top-ranking higher-education institution. In order to champion greater diversity and inclusion across the sector, these workshops are being launched in collaboration with the renowned Oxford Women in Computer Science Society (OxWoCS) and will be open to all students currently enrolled at the University of Oxford. The workshops will be kicking off on October 31, 2019 and will culminate with a Demo Day on November 21, 2019.

Designed as an interactive workshop, Blockchain A-Z will be limited to up to 20 students, to ensure that each session is as hands-on as possible. The workshops aim to equip students with a foundational understanding of blockchain fundamentals from both the business and technological aspects of implementation. Taking place over the course of four weeks, these workshops provide a well-rounded overview of concepts, including philosophical foundations; technical topics; industry insights; and business advisory. As part of the Demo Day, winning participants will be invited to submit their solutions to Zilliqa’s US$5 million Ecosystem Grant Programme, in the hopes of receiving mentorship, technical tutorship, and a guarantee of funding for 0% equity in return.

Paula Fiddi, OxWoCS President said, “At OxWoCS, our goal is to ensure that female scientists are presented with equal opportunities to engage with various areas of the tech industry. From established fields of research to nascent disciplines ripe for exploration, it’s important that women are adequately represented in order to champion diversity both in action and in practise. With Zilliqa’s emphasis on nurturing growth from the ground up, this collaboration serves to prepare our students with the much-needed support, guidance, and industry connections, to truly excel in the blockchain space.”

Founded in July 2013, OxWoCS was founded with the mission of supporting and empowering female students enrolled in programmes at the University of Oxford’s Department of Computer Science. Zilliqa is joined by Google, QuantumBlack, Facebook, G-Research, Semmle and Oliver Wyman as OxWoCS sponsors. The University of Oxford is a world-renowned research institution, having been named as the best university as well as offering the best computer science degrees in the world according to the Times Higher Education’s global ranking of educational institutions.

Blockchain A-Z will be conducted on-site at the University of Oxford by Zilliqa Developer Marketing Lead, Saiba Kataruka, a former alumnus of the university. Kataruka is responsible for spearheading Zilliqa’s education initiatives, having hosted workshops at leading industry events and at educational institutions across Asia and Europe, including King’s College London and the National University of Singapore.

Saiba Kataruka, Zilliqa Developer Marketing Lead said, “Diversity continues to be an endemic problem in the wider tech industry, and blockchain is no different. Whether it be the diversity in race, profession, academic background, or gender, having a variety of individuals, each with a unique perspective and broad breadth of experiences to offer, is essential to success. Decentralisation is a core principle of blockchain, and you can’t really have decentralisation without diversity. We are excited to be embarking on this collaboration with OxWoCS, to champion the involvement of more women in this rapidly-evolving space.”

Of blockchain and cryptocurrency projects founded between 2012 to 2018, only 8.5% had a woman as a founder or co-founder, according to a survey conducted by American news organisation, Quartz. Across the wider tech industry, this percentage climbs to 17.7%, but equal gender representation evidently remains a challenge.

Initially launched in March 2019, the first set of Blockchain A-Z workshops were launched in collaboration with the award-winning King’s College London’s student-run society, KCL Blockchain. Blockchain A-Z further cements Zilliqa’s ongoing commitment to nurture future developers and entrepreneurs alike. The workshops are but one of the project’s several ongoing growth initiatives alongside its blockchain incubation programme, ZILHive and the US$5 Million Ecosystem Grant Programme.

Students currently enrolled at the University of Oxford are welcome to register their attendance at this form.