ESA launches computer coding school

ESA Business School has launched a computer coding school ‘ESA Coding Lab’ that will open next January.

“We have teamed up with ITESCIA, a French information technology school which operates a ‘Coding Factory’, in order to benefit from their expertise on how to develop and manage a coding school,” said Maxence Duault General Director of ESA Business School.

It will be a tailored-made short program of three months, the students get a certificate recognized by ESA, and an official certificate recognized by ITESCIA and consequently by France. There will be a general certificate and another for mobile applications.

The program mainly targets young people holding Bachelor of Computer Science degrees or similar degrees. The courses will be given for free then the graduates will pay back their tuitions when they start working.

The project aims to fill a technological gap because there is a lack of coding skills in Lebanon despite the existence of general computer skills, Duault said. “We have noticed this at SmartESA,” he said.

The investment in the development of the coding school totals €1 million ($1.2 million), the French Development Agency (AFD) will contribute €500,000, the Central Bank contributed $250,000 at the beginning of the project two years ago to help in its launch, and the remainder will be provided by ESA, Duault said.

Thierry Liscia, Deputy Director of the AFD for Lebanon said that the financial assistance provided by the AFD aims to help ESA develop the program over four years such as to buy computers and pay other expenses.

ESA aim to have a self-sustainable coding school after four years from now that caters to 300 students, Duault said.

The ‘ESA Coding Lab’ will open in January in the premises of l’Institut Français in Nabatieh, then after a couple of months it will open in the ESA campus in Beirut.