Founded in 1888, Still Scanning Diplomas in 2023: How FEI Changed That

TL;DR: FEI has taught working professionals since 1888. Until 2023 its diplomas were issued on paper, then scanned one at a time so the student and the vocational college authority could be given a copy. The school now issues them online, in its own design, available the moment a programme ends and impossible to forge. Several thousand diplomas have been issued this way and viewed tens of thousands of times.

What does an institution from 1888 have to prove?

That age is an asset rather than an explanation. Företagsekonomiska Institutet has taught working professionals for more than a century, running business, finance and technology programmes for people who already have jobs.

What did the old process cost?

Every graduation certificate was issued physically, and then a great deal of time went on scanning each one so the student and Myndigheten för yrkeshögskolan could be given a digital copy. The work took time, and the result did not match what the diploma was meant to represent.

“We needed a professional solution that made the process more efficient and better reflected the value of the diplomas we issue.”

The complaint is not about administration. The document undersold the thing it was meant to represent, which is the quiet cost every paper diploma carries.

For a school built on lifelong learning, online availability and flexible formats, a posted diploma also sat oddly against everything else it did.

What changed in 2023?

FEI began issuing blockchain secured diplomas online. They are available the moment a programme ends, shaped in FEI's own visual identity, so the document now carries both the weight of what the student did and the design of the institution behind it.

Administrators issue a diploma in a few clicks. The recipient gets a secure link they can share on LinkedIn or send to an employer, rather than a file they have to keep somewhere and hope to find again.

What did it give the students?

Something usable at the moment it matters. A working professional does a programme at FEI for a reason, usually a promotion, a career change or a formal requirement, and the proof arriving as an attachment three weeks later helps with none of that.

“TRUE lets us give our students a modern diploma they are proud to show off. And the best part is that it is efficient for us too.”

Several thousand diplomas have been issued across the whole programme range, from accounting to logistics, and they have been viewed tens of thousands of times.

What does the school get back?

Reach it did not pay for. Every diploma a graduate shares carries FEI's name into a professional network that is already interested in the subject, which is the audience a school spends money to reach.

Where to read more

FEI describes its programmes at fei.se. Two other schools that made the same move: IHM Business School and Berghs School of Communication.

Frequently asked questions

What is FEI?

Företagsekonomiska Institutet, a Swedish provider of adult education with roots going back to 1888. It runs business, finance and technology programmes built for people who are already working.

How were FEI's diplomas produced before?

By hand. Each one was issued physically and then scanned so the student and Myndigheten för yrkeshögskolan could be given a digital copy, which took time and did not match the standard of the education itself.

When did FEI move to TRUE?

In 2023. Diplomas are now issued online in FEI's own design, available immediately and impossible to forge.

How does a student use the diploma now?

They receive a secure link they can share on LinkedIn or send to an employer, rather than a file they have to store and hope to find later.

How many diplomas has FEI issued this way?

Several thousand, viewed tens of thousands of times.