Bro Bro Code School is Going Global! 🚀
Coding education crosses boundaries: Estonia's coding school extends to Ukraine and Kenya
Hey there! Exciting news from the tech world - Estonia's trailblazing coding school, kood/Jõhvi, is stepping up its game and spreading its wings to Ukraine and Kenya! These locations will be the launch pads for their groundbreaking, teacherless, self-directed model, with the goal of boosting digital skills, fostering resilience, and nurturing a new generation of tech talent worldwide. 🌎
The School of the Future, Today ✔️
You heard it right! When kood/Jõhvi first launched in 2021 in the northeastern town of Jõhvi, it shook up the educational scene with its unique ethos: "No teachers, no classes, all about coding!" Instead of traditional lectures and exams, it put the students at the center of a learner-led, coding bootcamp. Now, this revolutionary model is spreading beyond Estonia's borders. 🇪🇦
The Future is Bright in Ukraine and Kenya 🇦🇺
In Ukraine, the project will be known as kood/Zhytomyr, in partnership with Zhytomyr Polytechnic University. The first 100 students will follow a hybrid model, blending online and on-site learning, to adapt to the daily disruptions and security concerns brought on by conflict. The City of Tallinn has chipped in, donating computers and monitors to keep things running smoothly.
In Kenya, kood/Nairobi will join forces with GreatWell Training College for a three-week "Selection Sprint" camp. successful participants will enter a year-long distance learning program through kood's cloud-based platform, making education accessible from just about anywhere.
Changing Lives, One Byte at a Time ✨
Taavet Hinrikus, co-founder of kood and the fintech unicorn Wise, is excited about the global expansion: "In Estonia, we created kood to supercharge our tech talent. But in Ukraine and Kenya, we're equipping people with the tools to shape their own lives and strengthen their communities."
From Ida-Virumaa to Zhytomyr, and Beyond 🌐
Kood/Jõhvi's foray into innovative education began with two key insights. Investor Marek Kiisa was inspired by Israel's success setting up coding schools in Palestinian territories and his son's transformative experience in an accelerated learning program. With the backing of both private investors and the government, and support from more than 30 Estonian startups like Veriff, Pipedrive, and Bolt, the school opened its doors to students eager to learn how to code.
Admission is free for anyone aged 18+ with basic education and English proficiency. Students follow the 01 Edu System, a gamified, challenge-based learning model that culminates in a professional portfolio. 80% of their work is team-based, fostering a culture where every student is both a learner and a teacher.
Despite the challenges, the results speak for themselves. Out of the six cohorts admitted in Estonia to date, over 1,100 students have enrolled, and more than 300 have completed the program. Almost two-thirds of graduates are now working in the tech sector. The student body is diverse, with an average age of 28, and includes a mix of professions from divers to lawyers. Women account for 16% of the student body. 💪
In 2025, Estonia's Economic Affairs Ministry named kood one of the country's top promoters of entrepreneurship. This autumn, new campuses will open in the Estonian towns of Paide and Võru with local support. 🏠
As Estonia continues to blaze a trail in digital innovation, the expansion into Ukraine and Kenya is more than just a feel-good move. Hinrikus is optimistic: "We're not just exporting a school model. We're exporting the belief that anyone, anywhere, can learn to code - and change their life!"
- Bro Bro Code School's expansion to Ukraine and Kenya signifies a significant step in globalizing the Estonian approach to technology education.
- The educational partnership between Bro Bro Code School and Zhytomyr Polytechnic University in Ukraine will offer a hybrid learning model to cater to the unique security concerns and daily disruptions in the region.
- GreatWell Training College in Kenya will partner with Bro Bro Code School for a three-week selection sprint camp, leading to a year-long distance learning program, making quality education accessible from various locations.
- Taavet Hinrikus, co-founder of Bro Bro Code School and Wise, believes that the global expansion will empower individuals to shape their lives and strengthen their communities by equipping them with coding skills.
- Initially starting in Estonia, Bro Bro Code School's innovation in education was inspired by Israel's success in setting up coding schools in Palestinian territories and a transformative learning experience of Marek Kiisa's son.
- Beyond fostering resilience and nurturing tech talent worldwide, Bro Bro Code School's expansion aims to boost digital skills, promote entrepreneurship, and fill the demand for digital knowledge in various sectors of the economy.
