Why QR Codes Are Used on Student ID Cards - From Attendance Management to Libraries
Why Paper Attendance Sheets Disappeared
In the past, attendance at university lectures was taken either by passing around a paper attendance sheet for students to write their names or by the instructor calling out names one by one. However, this method had a critical problem. Proxy attendance (having a friend write your name for you) happened easily. In a large lecture hall with 300 students, it was impossible for the instructor to check everyone's face.
Attendance management systems using QR codes help improve this problem. When a student holds the QR code on their student ID card up to a scanner installed in the classroom, the student number, name, and scan time are recorded automatically. Even if the same student ID card is scanned twice, the duplicate is ignored. In addition, systems that combine this with GPS or beacons to confirm "being inside the classroom" have also appeared.
Use in Libraries - Self-Service Borrowing and Returning
In university libraries, the QR code on student ID cards has made borrowing and returning self-service. Simply holding your student ID card up to a self-checkout machine and scanning the barcode of the book you want to borrow completes the borrowing procedure. There is no need to line up at the counter, and the workload of library staff is also reduced.
As the due date approaches, a reminder is sent automatically to the email address linked to the student ID card. If a book is overdue, the scanner displays a warning at the next borrowing. Some libraries also work with the catalog search system to display recommended books based on "the books this student has borrowed in the past." With a single QR code, the library experience can be changed.
Cashless Payment at Cafeterias and School Stores
Some universities link a prepaid balance to the QR code on the student ID card and use it for payments at the cafeteria and school store. In this system, parents top up the balance online, and students pay by scanning the QR code at the cafeteria register. Students do not need to carry cash, and the usage history can be checked in an app, which also gives parents peace of mind.
Systems linked with nutrition management have also appeared. The nutritional information of the menu items bought at the cafeteria is recorded automatically, and the nutritional balance for the week can be checked in an app. At some universities, advice such as "You are short on vegetables" or "Keep calcium in mind" is displayed. At these universities, QR codes support students' health management and food education behind the scenes.
Privacy Issues - How Far Are You Tracked
Behind the convenience of student ID cards with QR codes lie privacy issues. Attendance management, library use, and cafeteria purchase history. When these data are combined, a student's behavior patterns can be grasped in considerable detail. What gets recorded is "which classroom they were in at what time on which day of the week, what books they read, and what they ate."
Many universities have established personal data protection policies, but the data retention period, whether data is provided to third parties, and whether students themselves can have their data deleted differ from university to university. Students have the right to check how their data is handled. Read the personal data protection policy distributed at enrollment, and if anything is unclear, contact the university's information management department.
Preparing for Loss or Theft
Student ID cards that use QR codes have the advantage of being prepared for loss or theft. Even if you happen to lose one, if the information linked to that student ID card can be quickly invalidated on the records side, the damage from it being used fraudulently can be limited. A distinctive feature is that, unlike methods that rely only on physical keys, it can be handled by managing the registered information. On the other hand, it is also important to check in advance what can be seen when someone reads the code and how far they can operate with it. Convenience and safety can coexist, but knowing the procedure for when the card is lost is the prerequisite for carrying it with peace of mind.
Comparison with IC Cards - Why QR Codes Are Chosen
Some universities use IC cards (the same technology as Suica and PASMO) for student ID cards. Because an IC card can be read just by holding it up, it is easier to operate than a QR code. So why do some universities adopt QR codes?
One reason is cost. IC card readers and cards with built-in IC chips tend to cost more than QR code scanners and printed cards, and this difference grows larger at universities with more students. Furthermore, with a method that displays the QR code in a smartphone app, issuing a physical card itself becomes unnecessary, and reissuing after a loss is completed just by logging in to the app again.