</IoC Director, Professor Rachid Hourizi, has been awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)>
LEADING ACADEMIC and digital pioneer at the University of Bath’s Institute of Coding has been awarded Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the King’s Birthday Honours.
The University’s Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Ian White said the award to IoC’s Director, Professor Rachid Hourizi was “richly deserved”, hailing the work of the Institute in breaking down barriers to digital learning.
Hourizi has led the IoC’s successful collaboration of more than 300 employers, 35 universities and 20 outreach partners since 2018. Together the partners work together to help a larger and more diverse group of learners into tech careers.
Prior to his current role, he worked for ten years as a financial markets and commodity trader in London, Paris, Geneva and the USA, before taking up his first post at the University of Bath in 2005. He said the King’s award was “a celebration of colleagues, friends and partners across the country.”
Since the IoC was established it has helped more than 900,000 learners to gain digital skills and employment in the tech sector. The organisation promotes learning as a lifelong process, and aims to spread opportunity by “providing what you need, when you need it, in a place you can reach.”
With that mission in mind, the Institute partners with universities around the country from Durham and Manchester to Swansea and London.
Commenting, the University of Bath’s Vice Chancellor and President Professor Ian White said:
“I offer my warmest congratulations to Rachid on his richly deserved award of an MBE in The King’s Birthday Honours List.
“Rachid’s leadership of the Institute of Coding has enabled the team and our partners to come together to break down barriers to digital learning and employment in a most special way.
“Education is a life-changing experience, and Rachid’s work has already made a real difference to the lives of so many people.”
Jacqueline de Rojas CBE, Co-Chair of the Institute for Coding’s board, and a Board member at Tech UK said:
“In his understated but ever effective style, Rachid has long been a man on a mission. His work for the Institute of Coding has created opportunity for people in every corner of the country.
“We are privileged to have him lead the institute and especially proud that his contribution has and will continue to promote employment and opportunity in the tech sector for diverse groups previously unable to pivot into tech.”
Commenting, the University of Bath’s Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research, Professor Sarah Hainsworth OBE said:
“I am delighted to see that Rachid has been recognised with an MBE. The award recognises his leadership of the Institute of Coding from its inception. The Institute has delivered skills, education and training to more than 900,000 students so far, greatly contributing to delivering the digital skills that industry needs.”
Professor Rachid Hourizi MBE, Director of the Institute of Coding, added:
“I’m very grateful for the award but entirely conscious that it celebrates the work of colleagues at the Institute of Coding, the University of Bath and our friends and partners across the country.
“The need for digital skills is more pressing than ever and the employers, universities and charities that have done the hard work here are more important than ever.”