What is the main educational approach used at Holberton School?

Holberton School employs a project-based learning approach, where students work on real-world projects individually and collaboratively. This method emphasizes self-learning and peer-to-peer interaction rather than traditional lectures and teacher-led instruction.

How does Holberton School ensure inclusivity in its student body?

Holberton School actively works to remove barriers to entry in tech education, focusing on inclusivity by encouraging individuals from diverse backgrounds to apply. The school aims to represent a wide range of perspectives in software development, which is essential for creating applications that serve all users.

What role does technology play in the learning process at Holberton?

Technology is central to Holberton's educational model, as it provides the framework for project management, feedback, and curriculum delivery. The school utilizes software and AI to guide students through their learning tasks and to assess their progress, ensuring a consistent quality of education across all campuses.

In what ways does Holberton School aim to impact society positively?

Holberton School aims to create a positive societal impact by training developers who are aware of the broader implications of their work. This includes fostering an understanding of accessibility in technology and encouraging students to consider how their projects can improve various sectors, such as healthcare and education.

Who are the founders of Holberton School and what motivated them to create this educational model?

Holberton School was founded in 2015 by three French software engineers: Julien Barbier, Sylvain Calache, and Julien Cyr. They were motivated by their own educational experiences and aimed to create a school that eliminated barriers to entry, provided high-quality education through technology, and prepared students for meaningful careers in software development.

Why set up an IT developer school in a world full of IT engineering schools?

Inclusion

Julien Cyr

CEO — Holberton

Why set up an IT developer school in a world full of IT engineering schools?

11:04·13 May 2026

To make developing more accessible; to empower students; to change the world by changing the apps and websites we all use every day!

Betty Holberton helped shape modern computing. Along with her 6 person team, she programmed the first ever major electronic computer, the ENIAC, to carry out essential, complex calculations during the Second World War. Almost a hundred years after she was born, a ground-breaking new IT school was named after her. The Holberton School was founded in 2015 by three French software engineers in San Francisco. Today, they have more than thirty campuses around the world, where the same standard of education is guaranteed, largely by the techology at the heart of the whole venture. I met Julien Cyr, CEO of Holberton France to hear about how their revolutionary learning techniques aim to impact society for the better. Listen to our conversation here.

Questions fréquentes

Holberton School employs a project-based learning approach, where students work on real-world projects individually and collaboratively. This method emphasizes self-learning and peer-to-peer interaction rather than traditional lectures and teacher-led instruction.