Oberthur Technologies has teamed with Banca Popolare di Sondrio on a pre-paid contactless Visa card that can also be used for ID and access control by students and staff at two Milanese universities.
Issued in conjunction with ICBPI Group, the "Carta di Ateneo" is the European Union's first dual interface payment card that combines Visa-certified contactless and EMV payment as well as access control and personal identification features.
It has been introduced for students and faculty employees at the Politecnico di Milano and the University of Milan Bicocca and is expected to be rolled out to other colleges in the city soon.
The cards contain the personal data and photos of students and can be used to access university buildings. Physical access can be automatically approved or limited to different rooms of the university, such as laboratories, libraries or classrooms. The card can also be used to record student attendance at exams, classes and seminars, as well as provide access to Internet and university Web services.
The Carta di Ateneo is also a reloadable pre-paid contactless card that can be used for purchases of up to EU15 at the point of sale at more than 300 merchants within the vicinity of the university campuses. It can also be used online and at ATMs.
Eric Duforest, MD, card systems division, Oberthur, says: "The emergence of pre-paid and contactless cards in Europe gives European issuers many new opportunities to target new customers and expand their programmes."