Syllabus

If the Internet we use today is the Internet of information, blockchain is the Internet of value that can fundamentally disrupt business, economy & society as we know it. The aim of this lecture is to understand the methodology of token engineering and its application to the design, analysis and maintenance of tokenized decentralized ecosystems. Furthermore, we will explore how the decentralized applications of today are being developed under this methodology and explore some use-cases with economic & mathematical modelling as well as computational simulation techniques. We will treat cryptoeconomies as dynamic complex systems and will investigate how they can be governed via decentralized control and how interaction mechanisms can be designed that uphold desired system properties.

About Blockchain

Blockchain, the technology behind Bitcoin, is considered by many to be the driving force of the next generation Internet - the Web3. Blockchain is a game changer that will allow us to distribute trust, creating the basis for a peer-to-peer crypto economy powered by self-enforcing code, and a new token economy building on a fat technology stack, with slim applications on top.

In this course, you will learn the fundamentals of token engineering including the key characteristics of the research and design process required for successful project completion.  You will also learn about the methods necessary for each step of the process and how analytical and simulation techniques can inform the system architect about recommended design choices.

In your group work, you will present a case study / project concerning the discussed topics.

In your individual work, you will finish smaller homeworks before each class.

• For this course we expect students to participate in the first introductory unit as it is a prerequisite for the subsequent lectures and students who miss the first lecture will not be able to continue the course. There is no opportunity to catch up or redo the first unit.

• As the type of this class is ‘PI’ students are expected to be present for 90% of the total time. This is true regardless of whether the class will be conducted in distance learning or in presence. For online classes students have to have their camera turned on, be prepared and participate in discussions. Students will be selected by the lecturers to present their homework during the meetings as this course will be based on ongoing collaboration and continuous assessment exercises and quizzes.

• When students miss to achieve an attendance rate of 90%, fail to contribute to the exercises or receive a negative grade for the exercises there will be one possibility for a colloquium for each student during the lecture times. In this colloquium the student will have the opportunity to present a missed exercise and can compensate for absences or negative grades

• In general a reasonable cause for missed attendance lower than 90% has to be provided and this reason has to be communicated to the lecturers. Unexcused missed lectures after already having missed 10% will not be eligible for a colloquium.

This course will be run as a combination of lectures, group study, discussions, and presentations. Substantial classroom discussion is encouraged and expected. All students are required to present a case study / project (alone or as part of a group). In addition, there will be a written exam covering all the readings provided and items discussed during the course.

This is a weekly PI, where we will deep dive into the theory of the technology in the first two lectures. In the third lecture we will have a written exam covering the contents of the first two lectures to ensure a solid foundation of theoretical and technological concepts for the remainder of the course. Lectures 4, 5 and 6 will start with student presentations of small homework assignments and then cover  practical areas and research topics. In the final lecture 7 each group will present their project work.

    In-class exam in lecture 3: (30%) This exam will include questions from reading materials.

    Case Study: (30%)  Combination of group assignment (practical) 

    Homework: (30%) Individual work

    Ongoing participation: (10%) in-class participation & activity in classroom work.

 

60% of the maximum of the total number of points and 50% of the maximum points achievable for the exam have to be reached in order to pass..

The following grading scheme is applied:

1: >90 Points
2: >80 Points
3: >70 Points
4: >60 Points

Available places in this class are given based on a "first-come, first-served" principle.

After the registration period is over, still available places will be given to students on the waiting list who have no vaild registration for any other class on this Level of the SBWL.

Students who do not participate in the first session without proper excuse will be deregistered from the class and the next student on the waiting list, will receive it.

It is recommended to be familiar with the contents of the course: "Introduction to Blockchains" held in summer term 2021 by Jakub Hackel, MSc. either by previous participation in this course or by self-study of the following material:

• WP “Foundations of cryptoeconomic systems”:
• WP “ Kultur-Token”:
• "Token Economy", Shermin Voshmgir, 2019, available at the WU library.
• “Mastering Bitcoin”, Andreas Antonopoulos
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBC-nXj3Ng4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-vrdPtZVXc
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUNGFZDO8mM

Please note that it is very beneficial to watch some videos or read some articles on the topics to be somewhat familiar with the general themes. This theoretical know-how will serve as a basis for your seminar projects.

In addition to that, and to further prepare for the contents of this course, it is recommended to get familiar with the following material:

• Token Engineering Handbook
• Token Engineering Community Homepage
• Paper on Bonding Curves (focus on introduction & conclusion)
• Paper on Economic Games (focus on introduction & conclusion)
• Paper on Cryptoeconomic Systems