Vanguard Properties takes part in 42 Lisboa inauguration

José Cardoso Botelho, CEO of Vanguard Properties and Alexandre Berda, board member at Vanguard Properties took part at the inaugural event of 42 Lisboa, the best international programming school which officially opened in Lisbon on 26 October.

The project is sponsored by Vanguard Properties, Banco Santander and the Chinese-American philanthropist, Ming Hsu, one of the founding partners of this philanthropic initiative, to which she contributed 1.2 million euros.    On Monday 26th, at the inauguration ceremony José Cardoso Botelho and Alexandre Berda shared the reasons as to why they supported this revolutionary and internationally prestigious educational project, highlighting the importance that training programmers will have in a knowledge-based society. On the other hand, they mentioned that computerisation/computing and digitalisation are strategic areas for the future of the country and and the sustainable growth of the Portuguese economy, which meant Vanguard Properties felt bound to support this project.   

Since 27 July, over 5,700 people, between the ages of 17 and 70 have applied and from 19 October, the first 150 candidates took the next step and dived in to attend a 26-day bootcamp which constitutes the last phase of the selection process for the students who will enrol at 42 Lisboa in February 2021. 

Also taking part in the inauguration ceremony were the latest partners who have joined this initiative, including Fidelidade (joined in the quality of Founding Partner), Mercedes-Benz.io, Fundação José Neves (education partner), Observador, B14ALL, Família Alves Ribeiro and the Grupo DST.

The ceremony was closed by the Secretary of State for Digital Transition, André de Aragão Azevedo who congratulated Professor Pedro Santa Clara for the project and referred to the importance that it has towards Portugal’s digitalisation.