The year 2023 was another successful year for Digital School, marking numerous achievements, expansion into many new cities, and contributions to equipping new generations with the skills to create creative and functional applications from an early age.

Expansion into New Locations

Following high demand and success through Digital School franchises worldwide, this year we expanded our network into the Asian market with a new location in the Philippines, as well as in Albania, with new branches in Tirana and Durrës. Additionally, we expanded within Kosovo, opening new branches in Deçan, Gjilan, and Lipjan.

This expansion has led to an increase in the number of students, particularly in Kosovo, where we now have over 2,800 active students, representing a 30% growth compared to 2022. This proves the growing interest of children and young people in acquiring skills in information technology and programming. Digital School continues to be the largest programming school in Kosovo in terms of locations and student numbers.

Furthermore, Digital School has successfully secured re-accreditation and has been re-validated by the National Qualifications Authority for the ‘Junior Programmer’ level for the next five years.

Increase in Female Participation

In an effort to promote gender equality, Digital School has successfully increased female participation both in its staff and student body. While women make up over 56% of the staff, their representation among students is around 30%, reflecting our ongoing commitment to encouraging and involving more girls in the field of technology.

On the occasion of Girls in ICT Day, under the motto "Girls who code change the world", we welcomed over 150 participants to Digital School in Pristina for a discussion panel about the journey of future female programmers and opportunities for girls in the ICT industry.

Additionally, during this event, we provided our female students with information on available opportunities for girls in ICT and inspirational success stories from the tech field.

Student Successes

In the prestigious 'ICT Awards', Lirik Rexhepi, a student of Digital School in Ferizaj, won the award in the 'Best Education Technology Project' category, while Orhidea Ollogu, a student from Digital School in Dibra, was recognized in the 'Rising Stars' category. Students from Digital School in Prizren, Tarik Ajvazi, Enes Ramani, and Ejmen Ajvazi, claimed top spots at the 'Albania Science & Engineering Fair'.

Melos Shabani, a student who joined our program at the age of 14, has now become part of the staff at Digital School in Ferizaj, working as an instructor. Additionally, former student Denis Hoti from Digital School in Prizren will start his studies in Data Science at Eichstaett-Ingolstadt University in Germany.

Student Projects:

Masar Hakiqi: ‘Digital Library’

Lart Sejdiu: ‘Xixë’

Tarik Ajvazi: ‘Green Planet’

Dielli Jashari, a former student of Digital School in Pristina, who started programming at the age of 6, was named a finalist at the International Olympiad in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), which brings together students from grades 1 to 12 to tackle challenges in these fields. Out of over 9,000 students from 98 countries, Dielli successfully completed coding challenges and reached the final stage of this competition.

Furthermore, Nart Hoti, a 9-year-old student from Digital School in Pristina, represented our school in the 'Bebras Computing Challenge' or 'Beaver of Informatics', an international initiative promoting computing and computational thinking for students aged 8-18. Among over 2,000 students from all municipalities in Kosovo, Nart reached the final stage of this competition, which fosters critical thinking, algorithmic thinking, and problem-solving skills. We wish him the best of luck in the final.

Social and Educational Initiative

To encourage youth, Digital School offered a one-year free scholarship in the regular program as part of the initiative 'DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality'. This scholarship was also awarded to three students participating in the Summer School as a reward for their commitment during the special summer program.

At the Digital School locations in Pristina, Ferizaj, Gjilan, Gjakova, Mitrovica, Peja, Prizren, Lipjan, and Deçan, we had the pleasure of assisting approximately 6,000 students from public schools, who came to learn and test their coding skills during an hour of class. We are happy that this year more emphasis was placed on the Hour of Code, through a partnership with SHPIK and the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology.

We organized a special event with students who completed their courses at Digital School (Alumni) to celebrate an unforgettable journey, the achievements of the graduating community, and the strong connections we have built together. This event was a great opportunity for everyone to reunite, share plans, and discuss new projects together, marking the beginning of our shared adventure. We hope to have many more events like this in the future.

From Local Technological Events to the Global Arena of Innovation

Through the staff and students of Digital School, this year we have been actively involved in important local and international competitions, events, and conferences, including Game Jam, Junction X Tirana, International B2B Software Days, DOKUTECH, Albania Science and Engineering Fair, and others. Our participation in such events has once again showcased the high level of skills and talent of our students.

The President of the Republic of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, during her address at the plenary session of the European Parliament, highlighted the successful journey of Hana Qerimi, the co-founder of Digital School. She was part of the delegation that represented our country by sharing their story and international success, turning a startup into global brands with over 500 locations worldwide and positioning Kosovo as a technology hub in the region. Hana was also part of the delegation of President Vjosa Osmani at the world's largest technology conference, Web Summit, held in Lisbon, Portugal.

Digital School closed 2023 by receiving decorations and recognition from President Vjosa Osmani for its contribution to Information Technology and the development of youth skills.

Summer School 2023

During the months of July and August, Digital School organized a unique two-week summer program for age groups 8-18, offering a curriculum with the most attractive fields of technology, all in one package: Artificial Intelligence, Cyber Security, Entrepreneurship, 3D Game Development, Online Streaming, and E-Sports. The program also included full-day attendance with meals and beverages, two instructors per class, various tournaments, visits to successful tech companies, and guest speakers.

Over 150 students participated in the Summer School in Prishtina, where they engaged in intensive technology lessons, visited successful tech companies, enjoyed various games, and took part in many other exciting activities.

Hackathon: 48-hour Challenge

This year, the biggest coding competition for children aged 8-18, November Code Fest - Sixth Edition, was held again as a 48-hour challenge. Students from Digital School made us proud once again with their successful projects, and the winners of the competition were selected as follows:

Uvejs Borovci: Best Code Game Orges Hajzeraj, Sali Axhija & Andi Neziraj: Best Scratch Game Lora Vega: Best WordPress App Riga Hyseni: Best Mobile App Blin Halimi, Jon Mehmeti & Nil Bakija: Best Game App Amar Alija, Agon Kamberi & Dijedon Tairi: Best Web Development Leart Ramadani: Best React Native App The conclusion of this competition at Digital School in Prishtina was an inspiring moment for all participants, marking another great success with the development of approximately 60 projects in various categories. The participation of a large number of students from Kosovo and Macedonia, particularly the involvement of girls, and their success in this competition, reflects the growing interest and progress of the younger generations in Information Technology.

This successful moment also reflects the commitment of the Digital School staff and volunteers in Prishtina and its franchises, who continue to provide an environment for the development of new talents in programming.

Recognition of Success Through Prestigious Media and Magazines

The successes of Digital School and StarLabs were featured in an article about building the digital economy in one of the most renowned global magazines, The Economist, which reaches millions of readers weekly. The Economist journalists visited our offices in Prishtina, where they conducted an interview with Hana.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) published an article highlighting the achievements of Digital School and Hana Qerimi, the company's leadership. It emphasized the benefits from the “Youth in Business” program by EBRD and recognized Hana as one of the young entrepreneurs influencing the future of the Information Technology industry, particularly in the development of applications and providing external services to the international market.

Hana was also featured in an interview on Poland's international television, where she supported the work of entrepreneurs, stressing the great potential of the youth in our country.

Work Appreciation through Official Visits

We had the pleasure of hosting several official visits this year, including: the Deputy Mayor of Prishtina, Alban Zogaj, the Chairman of the Democratic League of Kosovo (LDK), Lumir Abdixhiku, the Senior Marketing Manager at the famous company LinkedIn, Hava Maloku, and a delegation of leaders from major Swiss companies, including Groupe Orllati, Edipresse Groupe SA, Lamuniere Holding SA, Probst Group Holding SA, and Editions Favre.

During these visits, the co-founders and leaders of Digital School, Hana Qerimi and Darsej Rizaj, informed the guests about the work and achievements of our company, and discussed potential opportunities for collaboration in the fields of technology and innovation.

Opportunity to Follow the Online Course

Many students from Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, the United States, and beyond have become part of the programming course thanks to online learning. A large part of this online community includes students who live in rural areas and regions surrounding major cities, providing them the opportunity to join the course online no matter where they are located.

Teamwork and Professionalism of the Staff

One of the key factors behind our extraordinary success is the teamwork and professionalism of our staff. We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all of you for your continued partnership and support this year, being an essential part of our success, especially the staff of Digital School, all our partners, students, and parents for their trust.

As a token of appreciation for their hard work, all employees of Digital School with over three years of service have enjoyed an unforgettable trip to Milan. Additionally, the entire Digital School staff had a memorable experience in Albania for a ‘staff retreat,’ where we exchanged gifts, created fun moments, and celebrated our collective successes at the year-end party of Digital School.