Largest computer programming lesson, world record set in Lisbon, Portugal

April 1, 2025

Lisbon, Portugal--A total of 1,668 participants, aged between 12 and 67 gathered at the University of Lisbon's IST school of technology to set a new World Record for the largest computer programming lesson in a single venue, according to the WORLD RECORD ACADEMY.

"Nearly 1,700 students aged between 12 and 67 gathered at the University of Lisbon's IST school of technology on Saturday to set a new Guinness World Record for the largest computer programming lesson in a single venue," Reuters says.

"Organisers sought to draw more international attention to Portugal as a growing hub for information technology and to generally popularise computing. IST chief Rogerio Colaco said computing literacy these days was the same as the ability to read and write 100 years ago, adding this meant "everyone must know a little bit about computer science, about programming, to live in the present world".

"The largest computer programming lesson has 1,668 participants and was achieved by Magma Talent Studio and Instituto Superior Técnico - Universidade de Lisboa (both Portugal) in Lisbon, Portugal on 12 October 2024, the Guinness World Records says.

"The total time of the computer programming lesson was 1 hour 42 minutes."

"The Técnico Innovation Center powered by Fidelidade hosted the ‘World’s Largest Computer Programming Lesson’, organised by Instituto Superior Técnico and Magma Studios that ended up setting the Guinness record of the same name, with 1668 participants (the minimum would have been 724). The lesson was taught by Rodrigo Girão Serrão, and the Técnico professors Inês Lynce and Arlindo Oliveira," the tecnico.ulisboa.pt says.

"Even before confirmation that the record had been successfully set – which would come from an official Guinness World Records representative a few minutes later – Rogério Colaço declared, in his speech almost at the end of the event, that it was the largest class given at Técnico. The president of Técnico declared the day to be ‘a celebration of young talent’, a necessary condition for the country’s development."

"A new Guinness World Record for the largest computer programming class in a single location was set on Saturday by nearly 1,700 pupils, ages 12 to 67, who convened at the University of Lisbon’s IST school of technology. The previous record was set on October 31, 2016, in Dallas, Texas, with 724 participants," the Entrepreneur Mirror reports.

"Rogerio Colaco, the head of IST, stated that “everyone must know a little bit about computer science, about programming, to live in the present world” since computing literacy now is equivalent to reading and writing one hundred years before.Paulina Sapinska, the Guinness World Records Adjudicator, stated, “The final total was determined by the number of people present, and 1,668 participants were achieved.”