The first "Plan ₿ Summer School" was presented

Lugano's Plan ₿, an initiative of the City of Lugano, promotes knowledge and awareness of the world of Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies and blockchain. A summer training programme from 3 to 16 July. Pro-rector Luca Maria Gambardella states, "USI follows this fast-growing scientific, economic and cultural sector very closely and collaborates with great interest in the Plan ₿ Summer School with its faculty."

As part of Lugano's Plan ₿, a pioneering initiative presented on 3 March, the City of Lugano and Tether Operations Limited presented the first "Plan ₿ Summer School" on 19 May. The Plan ₿ Summer School - which will be held from 3 to 16 July - is tailored for education on Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies and the blockchain world and is intended for a broad audience, including non-specialists, who will be able to acquire skills in the field, empowering a new generation of entrepreneurs, students, researchers and those interested in the topic. Attendees of this first Plan ₿ Summer School are not required to have special training or specific technical skills but a keen interest in the field with possible self-directed experience. "The estimated global cryptocurrency ownership rate in 2021 averages 3.9 per cent, with more than 300 million users managing cryptocurrencies worldwide," said Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether. "As the adoption of cryptocurrencies continues to drive participation in the blockchain ecosystem, it is essential that the world of education is responsive to help better educate traders and investors and future business owners who wish to implement these tools in their daily lives." In March 2022, Tether and the City of Lugano finalised a strategic partnership with "Lugano's Plan ₿" initiative, a collaboration aimed at creating a European-level hub for blockchain adoption and making Bitcoin, Tether and LVGA de facto legal tender coins in the city. The Plan ₿ Summer School will allow participants to work closely with global industry experts and leaders for two weeks, following theoretical and contextual aspects of the blockchain world, case studies, and critically participating in debates about the industry. Thanks to coaches and experts in the field, participants will also tackle the development of local and international blockchain case studies practically, building prototype projects on blockchain during the summer school. This theoretical and practical approach will enable participants to understand how blockchain works and the opportunities, implications, and aspects to consider for implementing this technology in different areas, both business and institutional. Thanks to the support of several partner companies of the 3Achain Network, as well as industry leaders, students will be able to try developing practical applications designed to improve the activities of companies already active in various industrial and economic sectors, directly bringing a contribution of knowledge and experience and, at the same time, learning about the dynamics on the business and corporate side. Students will learn about Bitcoin, cryptocurrencies and blockchain, focusing on three levels: business, regulation and technology. Specifically, topical issues will be covered, such as consensus mechanisms, stablecoins, digital assets, tokenisation, compliance and AML procedures, blockchain data tracking, cybersecurity, DeFi/Dao, sustainable mining, etc. At the culmination of the programme, Plan ₿ Summer School participants will present the results of their hands-on projects and have the opportunity to meet industry leaders creating new employment or business opportunities. Speakers will include prominent industry leaders, including Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, Paolo Ardoino, CTO of Tether, and Oleg Mikhalsky, Partner of Fulgur Ventures. "Within Plan ₿, education is a relevant aspect and one that is particularly close to my heart. We have committed to this project because we want to allow future generations to acquire knowledge and experience so that they can be key players in the technology of the future and specialised consultants in a world that will experience a real revolution," says the Mayor of the City of Lugano, Michele Foletti. "We also want Lugano to establish itself globally as a hub of excellence for the adoption of Bitcoin and blockchain technology." Plan ₿ Summer School partners include the 3Achain Network, the blockchain promoted by the City of Lugano, and Lightning Network. This decentralised network uses smart contracts to enable instant payments through peer-to-peer networks. The Plan ₿ Summer School's main university partner is Franklin University Switzerland, and faculty from Università della Svizzera italiana will also contribute to the summer school's educational offerings.

"In an ever-changing environment, we need to realise that blockchain is here to stay, and academia must also be able to make a qualitative and valuable contribution to benefit society and the economy," said Kim Hildebrant, President of Franklin University. "We are delighted about collaborating with the City of Lugano and Tether to bring to life the first Plan ₿ Summer School, which will impart to the next generation of leaders the skills and abilities they need to thrive." "USI has long initiated relevant research and teaching activities in blockchain," said Luca Maria Gambardella, Pro-rector of USI. "USI closely follows this fast-growing scientific, economic and cultural field and collaborates with great interest in the Plan ₿ Summer School with its faculty."