KUWAIT CITY, October 20: Boursa Kuwait entered a strategic partnership with CODED Academy, the first coding bootcamp in the Middle East. As part of this partnership, the Kuwaiti stock exchange will sponsor and host the academy’s UniCODE coding program for college students and recent graduates. The Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz) will also participate in the program as a co-sponsor.

CODED Academy's UniCODE program empowers college students and recent graduates with the coding and programming skills needed to thrive in today's competitive job market. Through training in cybersecurity, mobile, and web development, participants gain valuable expertise and enhance their career prospects.

The fourth edition of the program commenced on October 19th and will run until December 14th, 2024. The seven-week program, composed of three tracks, will help students master key cybersecurity topics including Linux, web security, cryptography, and digital forensics to help them effectively secure digital environments. The mobile development track will focus on Flutter, which will help students become proficient in building high-performance, cross-platform apps using its reactive framework and widget-based architecture while the web development track will explore some of the more fundamental languages of webpage development.

Speaking about the partnership, Boursa Kuwait’s Senior Director of Marketing and Communication Mr. Naser Meshari Al-Sanousi said, “Boursa Kuwait is proud to support CODED Academy's UniCODE program, an initiative providing intensive training to 250 students in the dynamic fields of AI-powered mobile application development, web development, and cybersecurity. This program directly addresses the widening gap between academic learning and the evolving needs of the labor market. Our sponsorship reflects Boursa Kuwait's commitment to investing in Kuwaiti youth, empowering them with essential technical skills and the exceptional innovation sense and business acumen to build a promising future.”

As part of the sponsorship, Boursa Kuwait will host some of the program's workshops and interactive training sessions, providing an inspirational backdrop for students to engage in real-life practical on-the-job training. Both the exchange and CODED Academy stressed the importance of hosting the program in the iconic Boursa Kuwait building, which will provide an extra impetus for participants and inspire the next generation of market participants and financial sector professionals.

Boursa Kuwait is delighted to welcome participants of the Unicode program to its landmark building. This initiative underscores the company’s commitment to fostering young talent and investing in their development. By empowering the next generation of Kuwaiti professionals, Boursa Kuwait contributes to the nation's progress and the growth of a robust and diversified economy. We are confident this program will serve as a launchpad for their success in their careers, leading to tangible achievements that contribute to the advancement of Kuwaiti society. We sincerely thank CODED Academy for their dedication to cultivating young talent and fostering innovation within our nation. To the students, we wish you a journey filled with success as you embark on this path of learning and development,”Al-Sanousi added.

“Markaz is committed to supporting effective initiatives like UniCODE that equip young people with essential technical and digital skills. At Markaz, we recognize the growing importance of these skills for our future workforce. Coding and computer literacy are quickly becoming vital in the financial industry, and the training this program provides will undoubtedly benefit these students in their careers. We applaud CODED Academy for their efforts and wish the students every success in the program,” said Mr. Abdullatif W. Al-Nusif, Managing Director of Wealth Management and Business Development at the Kuwait Financial Centre (Markaz).

CODED Academy Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Mr. Hashim Behbehani thanked Boursa Kuwait for sponsoring the program, saying: “We are delighted to launch the fourth edition of this program in collaboration with Boursa Kuwait, marking the beginning of a promising strategic partnership. The UniCODE program has a strong track record of inspiring innovation, and we are excited to see the creative solutions this group of coders will develop. We thank Boursa Kuwait and the Kuwait Financial Centre for their generous support and look forward to further collaboration in the future.”

The strategic partnership with CODED Academy and sponsorship of its UniCODE program forms part of Boursa Kuwait’s efforts to develop and educate Kuwaiti society and create a lasting meaningful impact on the communities where it operates. Part of the company’s Corporate Sustainability (CS) strategy, the initiative is also in line with Goal 4 – Quality Education – and Goal 17 – Partnership for the Goals - of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Boursa Kuwait’s Corporate Sustainability strategy stipulates ensuring initiatives apply and fall in line with the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), industry best practice standards, and investor expectations, creating strong and sustainable partnerships that ultimately achieve success and allow Boursa Kuwait to leverage the capabilities and strengths of other companies or organizations that have experience in different fields, and integrating sustainability efforts with the company culture, to achieve longevity and ongoing impact that is carried on and instilled in the day-to-day operations of the stock exchange.

As part of the strategy, Boursa Kuwait has launched many initiatives in partnership with local and international organizations, focusing on support for nongovernmental organizations and charity programs, financial literacy and capital market awareness, the empowerment of women, and environmental protection.