Implementation of a self-sovereign digital identity ecosystem for verifiable academic credentials at the Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero

Abstract

Self-sovereign identity is a growing digital identity model whose objective is to grant users full and exclusive control over their data. This is achieved through the use of verifiable credentials, which serve as the digital representation of physical documents and guarantee their authenticity and integrity through cryptographic algorithms. This technical report documents the design and implementation of a self-sovereign digital identity ecosystem at the Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero to modernize the issuance of official documents. The methodology was structured in five sequential phases: analysis of institutional requirements, architectural design based on World Wide Web Consortium standards, development of the middleware integration layer, deployment of the issuance and registry infrastructure, and validation through a controlled pilot test with graduates of the Ponte Águila program. The system integrated the QuarkID self-sovereign digital identity protocol with the existing Student Administration and Tracking System, enabling the issuance of professional degrees, certificates, and student credentials as verifiable documents stored in digital wallets under the exclusive custody of each student. The pilot test results demonstrated a significant reduction of 50% in issuance times, elimination of forgery risk through cryptographic signatures, and student empowerment by granting them full control over verifiable documents. Among the main limitations identified are the complexity of integration with legacy institutional systems, the digital literacy gap among segments of the university community, and the absence of a national regulatory framework that grants explicit legal recognition to verifiable credentials. The results obtained from the project implemented at the Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, constitute a robust and replicable technological model for higher education institutions seeking to strengthen document trustworthiness through digital transformation.