Minister Dara Calleary; Professor Gina Quin, President of NCI, and members of the Code4Europe project team celebrate EU Code Week 2024
National College of Ireland congratulates JA Worldwide on their nomination for the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize.
JA Europe is the largest and leading organisation in Europe dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed. For over a century, JA Worldwide has delivered hands-on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial health. In the last school year, the JA Europe network provided almost 7 million learning experiences for youth in online, in-person, and blended formats.
JA Europe is the coordinator of Code4Europe, a project where NCI participates as a partner. Dr Adriana Chis, Assistant Professor of Computing at NCI and EU Code Week Ireland project lead, celebrates JA Europe's nomination:
"The nomination of JA Worldwide for the Nobel Peace Prize resonates strongly as the Code4Europe Consortium meets in Madrid today, ahead of the award announcement in October. Our mission is not only to significantly elevate the scale of EU Code Week but also to integrate it with the broader digital skills community, ensuring effective and engaging coding education for all ages. JA Europe’s leadership continues to inspire efforts to empower young people across Europe. At NCI, we are proud to contribute to advancing digital education that fosters opportunity, equality, and peace."
The Code4Europe Project brings together a consortium of 41 partners and 4 Associated Partners from over 20 countries, with the aim of addressing the urgent need for digital upskilling among Europe's youth. With the digital decade target of 20 million ICT professionals in Europe still a distant goal, this project will play a crucial role in bringing together various stakeholders to enhance digital education across the continent.
"Not everyone will want to learn to code, but that should be by choice, there should be no other barrier to access. Technology is already impacting our daily lives and reshaping wider society. Leaving such important knowledge in the hands of a minority of the population can lead to an imbalance and inequity in the use and exploitation of technology. More people learning to code will help the majority of us navigate and shape for ourselves this rapidly evolving digital landscape, opening up pathways to innovation and future opportunities," observes Dr Horacio González Vélez, Professor of Computer Science at National College of Ireland and Head of NCI's Cloud Competency Centre.
Professor Gina Quin, President of National College of Ireland says: "I extend my congratulations to JA Europe. Code4Europe aligns seamlessly with NCI’s strategic vision to foster innovation and excellence in digital education and resonates deeply with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals to promote quality education under SDG4 and gender equality under SDG5. Through focusing on inclusive digital education with initiatives such as Code4Europe, NCI is contributing to a more equitable and sustainable future, addressing the crucial need for diversity and inclusion in STEM fields."
The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced on 10th December, 2025.