Introduction

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The alliance between POK (Proof of Knowledge) and UAssessment (uPlanner) brings together two worlds: verifiable digital credentials and rigorous competency assessment. The result is a unique proposal that promises to transform the way students, universities, and companies engage with learning and employability.

In this interview, Guido Grinbaum (POK) talks with Juan Pablo Mena (uPlanner) about the value of this alliance, its impact on the educational ecosystem, and how it could become a global model.

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Guido Grinbaum: Juan Pablo, what does the alliance between POK and UAssessment mean to you?

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Juan Pablo Mena: For me, it represents a qualitative leap. For years we worked on measuring learning, competencies, and educational outcomes with UAssessment. But we always felt one step was missing: taking that evidence into a verifiable, portable, and globally recognized format. With POK, we achieved that perfect integration: evidence + digital credential, combining the best of both worlds.

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Guido: How would you describe the concrete value this alliance brings to universities?

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Juan Pablo: For universities, it means raising the standard of what they offer. It's no longer just about giving a diploma or a digital certificate: now it’s about providing a credential that includes rigorous assessment data. This gives graduates a much more powerful tool in their professional life.
Additionally, institutions can differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market, showing that their programs not only teach but demonstrate real results.

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Guido: And for students and workers?

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Juan Pablo: For them, it means dignity and confidence. When you receive a digital credential backed by serious assessments, you know you have something that isn’t symbolic: it’s proof of what you can do. That increases employability, international mobility, and self-esteem.
For those over 40 or 50 looking to re-enter or update their skills, it’s an incredible engine: it gives purpose and real opportunities.

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Guido: How do you see this alliance in the context of the future of work and lifelong learning?

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Juan Pablo: I believe we are responding to a global need: the world no longer runs solely on long, rigid degrees, but on modular and specific microcredentials. This alliance allows those microcredentials to be more than promises: they become verifiable guarantees.
In the future, I envision any company or university being able to trust an ecosystem where digital credentials issued by POK and assessed by UAssessment are an internationally recognized standard.

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Guido: Finally, what does it personally mean for you to work with POK at this stage?

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Juan Pablo: For me, it’s a source of pride. I deeply admire what POK has built in such a short time, and working with Guido and his team is inspiring. It’s not just business; it’s sharing a common vision: making education more transparent, inclusive, and genuinely useful for real life.

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Conclusion

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The POK + UAssessment alliance is not just a strategic agreement: it is the beginning of a new paradigm in digital education, where credentials not only certify but also validate and transform real opportunities for work and learning.

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