Ripple, the third largest cryptocurrency in the world, has pledged over $50 million to universities worldwide to promote research into cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology. The project is aimed at developing blockchain related academic research and college curriculum.

Ripple plans to donate the fund around 17 universities: MIT, Princeton, IIT Bombay, the University College of London and Korea University are among the benefiting. The project is called the University Blockchain Research Initiative.

Keeping with the partnership, ripple plans to permit the universities to come up with their own research topics. For example, Princeton has proposed a program to discern the policy impact of cryptocurrencies and blockchain.

Ripple’s press release calls the initiative the “first wave of university partners”. The $50 million donation is just the beginning.

Universities in general have been trying to keep with advances in blockchain technology and cryptocurrency in recent years. The funding has arrived at the nick of time.

Stanford University is among the universities to offer cryptocurrency related topics in their curriculum. Other prominent universities like the Oxford University have also added programs focused on the crypto and blockchain industry.

In coming years, classes on cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies could gain popularity at colleges.