Polkadot Blockchain Academy; PBA-X production and launch, Wave 6 production and execution. September 2024 to the end of March 2025.

On behalf of the Polkadot Blockchain Academy, I am posting this proposal for the creation and execution of PBA6 and PBA-X, the online version of the PBA.

The PBA is the single biggest producer of talent for Polkadot. Having spent 2 years educating and introducing over 400 developers and entrepreneurs to Polkadot with its in-person program, the PBA is embarking on a new trajectory. The objective now is to scale and increase inclusivity, to educate thousands of new potential contributors to the ecosystem, whilst diversifying educational content to fit the needs of the ecosystem.

To do so, the present proposal is asking the community to fund a longer than previously proposed, 6 months of activity in order to deliver the following:

• Provide funding and reimbursement for costs associated with a advanced whilst reduced in length Wave 6 in-person cohort of students
• Develop and deliver a new, highly scalable online program : PBA-X, including running the first cohort in January 2025
• Diversify the program with the addition of a new DApps track in addition to the established Protocol track
• Produce a written syllabus to serve as the basis of a ‘Mastering Polkadot’ book
• Grow a network of university partners to make PBA content available to their students
• Create continuous learning, placement and productivity initiatives for the alumni community

Below is a link to the proposal in detail.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rBLD2sd9UYYc0pxdbMtoWp7kn0JoZfKKqafUVbOVqE4/edit#heading=h.gjdgxs