ABU DHABI, October 10, 2021 (WAM) – His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office, inaugurated the new innovative coding school, 42 Abu Dhabi.

During his visit, His Highness visited the specially constructed campus at Mina Zayed.

Her Highness was accompanied by Hussain bin Ibrahim Al Hammadi, Minister of Education; Sara Musallam, Chair of the Department of Education and Knowledge – Abu Dhabi (ADEK); Mohammad Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Economic Development Department; Saif Saeed Ghobash, Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Executive Office; Amer Hussain Al Hammadi, undersecretary of ADEK; Homaid Al Shimmari, deputy general manager of the group and general manager of human capital and business in Mubadala; and Xavier Chatel, Ambassador of France to the United Arab Emirates.

42 Abu Dhabi is the first GCC campus of the 42 Network of internationally renowned coding schools, which opened its first campus in Paris in 2013. 42 Abu Dhabi was created in partnership with ADEK, as part of the acceleration program Ghadan 21.

During the visit, the inaugural delegation group witnessed Abu Dhabi’s collaborative learning methods. They also met with the school administration and the students of the program’s inaugural cohort.

Commenting on the inauguration, Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed said: “As part of Abu Dhabi’s vision to foster a diverse, inclusive and world-class educational ecosystem, 42 Abu Dhabi represents a further step in our strategy. leadership to nurture tomorrow’s leaders today. This pioneering new school will provide an additional educational platform to develop digital skills and a local, future-ready workforce, equipped to lead the tech-driven 21st century economy.

42 Abu Dhabi’s tuition-free model is anchored in a peer-to-peer learning methodology that creates flexible learning paths through a fun, project-based approach. Open 24 hours a day and offering its programs free of charge, the school aims to cultivate creativity, collaboration and self-discipline by giving students ownership of their learning without classrooms or teachers. The school received initial accreditation from the National Qualification Center. To date, the 42 Network’s disruptive program has equipped more than 12,000 students around the world with essential digital and business skills.

Al Hammadi said: “42 Abu Dhabi reflects the Abu Dhabi government’s commitment to develop a generation of digitally aware and technology-driven young professionals who are not only technically skilled, but also push the boundaries of innovation. digital. Support the youth of the UAE by creating opportunities that nurture local talent and develop their abilities to master future digital skills and meet the growing demands of this field. As a result, this paves the way for building a generation with specialized knowledge and expertise, especially in the areas of digital transformation, digital economy and entrepreneurship which are high on the priorities of the United Arab Emirates as accelerators of the transition to a sustainable knowledge-based economy. “

Musallam commented: “42 Abu Dhabi is critical to the strategic development of technological talent in our region and to Abu Dhabi’s mission to build a future-ready human capital pipeline that will contribute to our leadership vision of a a safe and confident, competitive, sustainable and open society Coding is no longer just for ICT specialists; it is a universal language that we all need to speak to navigate the convergence of technology between industries operating in the global digital economy. ”

As part of the selection process for the inaugural cohort of 42 Abu Dhabi, 401 applicants took part in a pre-selection trio ?? Pools ?? between May and August. A pool of 225 candidates successfully passed the immersive 26-day motivation, endurance and commitment tests, and joined 42 Abu Dhabi on September 26, 2021.

Nationals of the United Arab Emirates represent 43% of the inaugural cohort. Among UAE national applicants, almost three-quarters (70%) are women. The enrollment rate for expatriate students is 57 percent. Almost all (93 percent) of the students live in the United Arab Emirates. Of the total number of students, 60 percent are men and 40 percent are women. More than three-quarters (81%) are between the ages of 18 and 30.

42 Abu Dhabi represents a new chapter in the UAE-France strategic dialogue, further strengthening the two nations ?? bilateral cooperation and knowledge exchange in areas of mutual interest, including culture, education, advanced sciences, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, medical technologies and agricultural technologies.

Chatel said: “42 Abu Dhabi embodies the ambitious and daring vision shared by our two nations. France and the United Arab Emirates are determined to explore new opportunities for cooperation in many areas, none of which is more important than education and new technologies. I am sure that 42 Abu Dhabi will provide an innovative benchmark to further strengthen our productive bilateral relations for years to come. coders based in the United Arab Emirates. “

Applicants interested in applying to 42 Abu Dhabi must be 18 years of age or older and do not need any prior coding experience. Enrollment requires an online screening registration and assessment that assesses cognitive abilities through logic and memory tests. Candidates selected for preselection are then invited to the “Pool”, from which candidates will be invited to join the program. For more information, visit www.42AbuDhabi.ae.