Abstract
<jats:p>In the context of the digital transformation of higher education, ensuring the authenticity of academic documents, preventing the circulation of fraudulent diplomas, and maintaining data immutability have become critically important. Traditional centralized information systems are characterized by a single point of failure risk and multi-stage administrative verification procedures that increase time and organizational costs. In this regard, the article presents the development of a consortium blockchain-based architecture for secure academic data verification and its model-based validation. During the study, a prototype model was developed using the Ethereum Proof-of-Authority (PoA) network, and diploma registration and verification processes were automated through smart contracts. The proposed architecture follows a hybrid approach, where actual data are stored off-chain, while their cryptographic hashes are recorded on the blockchain. A model-based evaluation was conducted using a synthetic dataset of academic records to analyze the temporal and functional efficiency potential of the verification process. The findings indicate the possibility of optimizing administrative procedures, ensuring data integrity, and enhancing institutional trust. Pilot testing within a real university infrastructure is considered as the next stage of further research.</jats:p>