Tuition-free coding school to open in Abu Dhabi in February

Abu Dhabi - The Abu Dhabi campus in the historic Mina Zayed warehouses district will accommodate up to 750 students once fully operational.

The first GCC campus of the internationally renowned 42 Network of coding and computer programming schools will open in Abu Dhabi in February 2021. 42 Abu Dhabi will follow the tuition-free model of coding and programming education pioneered by French billionaire Xavier Niel, who founded the Network's inaugural campus in Paris, École 42, in 2013.
The Abu Dhabi campus in the historic Mina Zayed warehouses district will accommodate up to 750 students once fully operational, the Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (Adek) announced on Wednesday.
"An innovative and disruptive coding school built on the philosophy that everyone deserves the opportunity to explore their talent, the purpose-built 42 Abu Dhabi campus will offer a revolutionary approach to divergent and gamified learning," the Adek said.
According to Sara Musallam, chairperson, Adek, 42 Abu Dhabi makes coding and code-thinking accessible to people of all levels and abilities. "42 Abu Dhabi embodies the emirate's vision for a tech-enabled business ecosystem and contributes to our leaders' vision to build a secure and confident society that is competitive, sustainable and open."
Operating a project-based, problem-based and peer-to-peer learning methodology endorsed by global tech luminaries including Evan Spiegel, Co-Founder & CEO of Snapchat; Jack Dorsey, Co-Founder & CEO of Twitter; Keyvon Beykpour, Co-Founder & CEO of Periscope; and Brian Chesky, Co-Founder & CEO of Airbnb, 42 Abu Dhabi students will learn at their own pace and develop through collaboration and creativity.
"The 42 Network aims to contribute to the development of an open and ethical world, without discrimination and without boundaries in terms of generation, culture or geography," said Sophie Viger, CEO, 42 Network.
What students will learn
Students will master soft skills, creativity, problem-solving, collaboration, communication, as well as how to work in teams, according to Majid Al Shamsi, director of Higher Education Business Development at Adek and project lead on 42 Abu Dhabi.
"No previous coding experience is required of 42 Abu Dhabi students. However, students must be curious, committed, proactive, and creative, and must possess an innate ability to adapt and collaborate," said Al Shamsi.
How to apply
Students interested in applying must be 18 years old and above, and can register now at www.42AbuDhabi.ae.
An online pre-selection assessment evaluates cognitive capacity via logic and memory tests. Successful pre-selection candidates are then invited to 'The Piscine', an immersive month-long programme testing motivation, endurance, and commitment.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com 

• Abu Dhabi