Decoding QR codes

Between two-dimensional matrices and hidden modules.
Concert tickets, admission to museums, menus in restaurants: QR codes are everywhere. They give us access to various activities and information, but how are they designed? How reliable are they and what kind of data can they contain? This is what you will discover during this pre-university week combining programming and mathematics.

Offered by EPFL’s School of Computer and Communication Sciences, this pre-university week is open to students from high schools interested in discovering all the secrets that are hidden in QR codes. From the encoding of data and its placement on a matrix to the principles of automatic error correction, participants will learn how to master all the steps leading to the construction of this tool that is becoming increasingly used, but remains complex to design.

Practical information

When and where: April 14-17, 2025 at EPFL (Lausanne)
Timetable: From 9:00 to 16:00 (to be confirmed); a detailed program with the final schedule will be sent to the participants.
Who: High school students (2nd year and beyond). Ideally, you should have some initial experience of programming.
Language: French
Teaching staff: Dr Romain Edelmann and a team of EPFL students.
Costs: CHF 50.- (excluding VAT).
The lunch on the first and last day will be provided. Lunch on the other days and any accommodation costs are at the charge of the participants.
Registration: Online registration will open soon.

Each student may register for one pre-university week per school year.
Exceptions may be considered if sufficient places are available.
Contact: Please contact the Education Outreach Department for any question: [email protected].