Mastercard, Australia Post & Deakin University collaborate for seamless Digital Identity

By Pavithra R

Mastercard has announced working with Australia Post and Deakin University to expand tests of Mastercard’s digital identity service ID, to verify students taking exams online. 

The pandemic has resulted in people and businesses increasingly adopting digital life, particularly for shopping and sending money. Mastercard’s digital identity platform represents an opportunity to create new ways for people to confirm their identity without having to share any physical documents when completing an application, accessing benefits, booking accommodations and more.

“The rising demand for, and myriad challenges of, premium online education is accelerating the implementation of new solutions for the global higher education sector. Being able to pilot this emerging digital identity technology with our students aligns with Deakin’s digital-first strategy and keeps us at the forefront of the innovation wave to deliver a superior experience for students while bolstering the integrity and confidence of identity verification systems that are safe, secure and accurate,” said William Confalonieri, Chief Digital Officer at Deakin University.

Deakin University has been working on exploring ways on how ID can connect and integrate with services securely from other providers like Australia Post’s Digital iD. The pilot saw students creating digital identity in Australia Post’s Digital iD app and use it to have access to Deakin University’s exam portal. ID, integrated into both organisation’s platforms, successfully orchestrated the sharing of verified identity data between the two parties, sending only the required specific personal information to permit entry using its highly secure network. Connecting with these trusted third-party platforms is expected to extend the value and use of the service to more providers and partner organisations in Mastercard’s ID network.

“As the number of online transactions grows, so does the need for individuals and organisations to have access to a safe, convenient and uniform way to verify a person’s identity in both the physical and digital worlds. By collaborating with other industry leaders such as Mastercard, we can help grow adoption of digital identity in Australia, tackle fraud and improve trust in online interactions,” said Christian Seely, General Manager, Identity Products and Services, Australia Post. 

“Digital identity must be built on a framework of trust, partnership and consumer choice. Demonstrating this level of interoperability points to the huge potential for more partners across more sectors – such as telecoms, retail, banking and government – to provide greater value and impact. Integrating with ID’s highly secure network enables these services to extend the reach of their existing offering, while enabling consumers to stay in complete control over where their identity data is stored and how it is used,” said Richard Wormald, Division President, Australasia, Mastercard.

Mastercard is a global technology company in the payments industry. The firm is committed to building a more inclusive digital economy that works for everyone. Mastercard as a leader in secure technology, is focused on creating a digital identity service that is global in scope, reusable and interoperable between institutions and sectors, sensitive to local needs, while ensuring that consumers are the guardians of their data.