University Quiz: Turkish Airlines takes top coaches to the world
“Education and travel have something very important in common. Both expand horizons and connect people to new ideas, cultures, and opportunities,” Bagoth said.
Saidi Bagoth Muhammad, the Turkish Airlines’ corporate sales and marketing representative speaking during the quiz launch on September 10, at Bank of Uganda headquarters. (Photo by Miriam Namutebi)
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The top three coaches in the fourth season of Vision Group’s Ultimate University Quiz will get an opportunity to travel anywhere within Turkish Airlines’ global network after the airline announced fully paid return economy-class tickets as part of its partnership with the competition.
The offer will allow the coaches of the top three universities to choose their destinations from the airline’s international network, turning academic success into an opportunity for international exposure.
Speaking during the quiz launch on September 10, at Bank of Uganda headquarters, Saidi Bagoth Muhammad, the Turkish Airlines’ corporate sales and marketing representative, said the airline sees travel and education as similar forces that broaden people’s horizons and expose them to new ideas, cultures and opportunities.
“Education and travel have something very important in common. Both expand horizons and connect people to new ideas, cultures, and opportunities,” Bagoth said.
The airline will also extend a 15% discount to students and academicians from the participating universities, alongside additional travel benefits.
“For us, this partnership is not simply about offering tickets or discounts; it’s about investing in education, rewarding excellence, and encouraging Uganda’s young generation to think globally,” he said.
Turkish Airlines says it connects Uganda to the world through its Istanbul hub and currently operates 11 flights a week between Entebbe and Istanbul. The airline serves 356 destinations in 133 countries, according to Bagoth, including more than 65 destinations across 41 African countries.
The travel package forms part of a wider prize pool for the fourth season of the Ultimate University Quiz, which brings together 20 universities competing in a televised contest that begins on October 3 on Vision Group platforms and UBC TV.
The competition started in 2023 with 16 universities and has since expanded, with Kisubi University, Nkumba University and Mountains of the Moon University among the new entrants this season.
Vision Group chief executive officer Don Wanyama said the competition was designed to provide universities and students with a platform to demonstrate academic knowledge, teamwork and skills beyond the classroom.
“When we started in 2023, 16 universities found the faith and courage to demonstrate their wit and knowledge on national television,” Wanyama said.
The first runner-up will receive university equipment worth Sh15m, while the second runner-up will receive equipment worth sh10m. The fourth-placed university will receive equipment worth sh5m.
Each contestant and coach in the first runner-up team will also receive a laptop and Sh500,000, while those in the second runner-up team will receive a Samsung tablet and Sh400,000.
The competition has attracted growing public interest. Season Three generated 3.15 billion views across Vision Group’s digital platforms, with more than 25,000 unique authors generating over 95,000 messages and 59,000 interactions, including shares and comments.
The airline said its global network, linked through Istanbul, gives Ugandan students and academics access to opportunities for study, conferences, cultural exchange and professional development.
The fourth season will bring together universities from different regions in a contest that organisers, who are Vision Group, said is intended not only to identify the country’s sharpest university minds but also to expose participants to opportunities beyond academic competition.
Turkish Airlines joins the Bank of Uganda, the Capital Markets Authority, the Uganda Communications Commission, URA, Parliament, and Harris International as partners supporting the fourth season.