The University of New Brunswick’s Fredericton campus is now provisioning the Transact Mobile Credential to its students, faculty and staff. The launch will include use of mobile credentials on iPhone, Apple Watch and Android phones this year, making UNB the first Canadian institution to implement Transact Mobile Credential.

Mobile credentials enhance door access and contactless payment capabilities by provisioning student IDs to student, faculty and staff smartphones. The move to mobile reflects UNB's institutional mission of the innovation, environmental sustainability, and engagement.

“UNB is a leader in deploying technology that is convenient and easy to use,” says Terry Nikkel, associate vice-president, Information Technology Services at UNB. “Our students are really going to like the mobile UCard for its flexibility and usefulness, and we are pleased to offer this service on the most popular mobile wallet platforms.”

The mobile credential initiative at UNB will be a completely ubiquitous deployment, enabling mobile credentials to be utilized everywhere the plastic UCard is accepted. Students simply place their device near a reader to enter residences, computer labs and fitness centers, access meals, make purchases at campus stores, pay for laundry, or rent library materials.

The mobile UCard allows transactions to be safe, convenient and highly secure, and helps students avoid touching readers or handing over their ID cards to cashiers. UNB can provision mobile UCards remotely without the need to see students in-person or print physical cards.

“When UNB says its students are more than just a number, they mean it,” says Doug Parrish, regional vice-president, Transact. “As an institution focused on entrepreneurship, innovation and research, UNB is engaged and relevant. This technology will be a positive change for the entire UNB community.”

UNB is protecting its mobile UCards with multi-factor authentication to ensure only the student can access their account, even if someone else has gotten their password.

To set up the mobile UCard, UNB Fredericton students, faculty and staff first download the eAccounts app, authenticate with their university credentials, and then add their UCard to their Apple Wallet on their iPhone and Apple Watch or Google Pay on Android phones.

Photo: Joy Cummings