What awaits University Quiz Season Four winners

KAMPALA - The fourth season of Vision Group’s Ultimate University Quiz has been launched with universities competing for millions of shillings' worth of equipment, cash prizes, laptops, tablets, international travel and new internship opportunities.

Twenty chartered universities will battle for the top prize when the televised competition begins on October 3 on Vision Group platforms and UBC TV. The fourth season has expanded from the 16 universities that participated when the competition started in 2023.

Among the new entrants are Kisubi University, Nkumba University and Mountains of the Moon University, joining institutions that have participated in previous editions.

The competition has since grown to 20 universities, reflecting increasing interest in the contest that Vision Group conceived as a platform for academic excellence, teamwork and knowledge beyond the classroom. (All Photos by Miriam Namutebi)

The winning university will receive equipment worth Sh25m, while each contestant and each of the contestants and their coach will get laptops and Sh1m cash.

The three top coaches will also receive a fully paid return economy-class ticket from Turkish Airlines to a destination of their choice within the airline’s global network.

Vision Group chief executive officer Don Wanyama said the prizes were part of the effort to make the competition rewarding for both participating universities and individual students.

“When we started in 2023, 16 universities found the faith and courage to demonstrate their wit and knowledge on national television,” Wanyama said.

The competition has since grown to 20 universities, reflecting increasing interest in the contest that Vision Group conceived as a platform for academic excellence, teamwork and knowledge beyond the classroom.

The university finishing second will also walk away with a substantial package. The first runner-up will receive university equipment worth sh15m, while each contestant and the coach will receive a laptop and sh500,000 cash.

The coach will also receive a fully paid return Turkish Airlines ticket to any destination served by the airline. The second runner-up will receive equipment worth sh10m.

Each contestant and the coach will receive a Samsung tablet and sh400,000 cash, while the coach will also receive a return Turkish Airlines ticket.

The fourth-placed university will receive equipment worth sh5m, while each contestant and the coach will receive sh300,000.

The prizes are expected to give participating universities tangible benefits that can continue after the competition, particularly through the equipment awarded to the institutions.

Wanyama said Vision Group's decision to attach institutional equipment to the prizes was intended to ensure that the benefits of the competition extend beyond the individual contestants.

The winner will receive equipment worth sh25m, followed by sh15m for the first runner-up, sh10m for the second runner-up and Sh5m for the fourth-placed institution.

The competition therefore offers universities an opportunity to strengthen their learning environment while giving students a national platform to demonstrate their knowledge.

Season Three attracted significant public attention, generating 3.15 billion views across Vision Group's digital platforms. More than 25,000 unique authors generated over 95,000 messages, while 59,000 interactions, including shares and comments, were recorded around the quiz.

Finalists get BOU internship opportunity

This year's competition has also introduced an opportunity that could prove more valuable to students than the cash prizes. Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego, who was the chief guest, announced that teams reaching the finals will be offered four internship positions.

“The team that gets to the finals will be offered four internship positions,” Atingi-Ego announced.

The offer adds a career-development component to the competition, giving students an opportunity to gain practical workplace experience from one of the country's key financial institutions.

Atingi-Ego said the quiz was testing skills that young people would need beyond university, including the ability to reason under pressure, assess evidence, question assumptions and work as a team.

He said more than 70% of Uganda's population is below 30, making investment in young people's knowledge and skills critical to the country's future.

“Uganda's true wealth is not only measured in shillings and reserves but also in the minds we nurture and the knowledge we cultivate,” Atingi-Ego said.

He urged employers and the private sector to invest in young people through internships, mentorship and practical exposure.

Saidi Bagoth Muhammad, the Turkish airline's Corporate Sales and Marketing Representative, said the coaches would be able to select a destination within the airline's network.

“Education and travel both open minds to new ideas, cultures and opportunities. Through this partnership, we want to reward excellence while encouraging students and universities to think globally and embrace opportunities beyond Uganda,” Bagoth said.

The airline also announced a 15% discount for students and academics from participating universities, together with additional travel benefits. Turkish Airlines operates 11 flights a week between Entebbe and Istanbul, connecting Ugandan travellers to its global network of 356 destinations.

The Uganda Revenue Authority and Capital Markets Authority have joined Bank of Uganda, the Uganda Communications Commission, Parliament, Turkish Airlines and Harris International as partners.

URA is using the competition to expose young people to tax education, while CMA is bringing capital markets and investment knowledge into the initiative.

Harris International has also pledged to use the competition to expose students to manufacturing and local value addition. Philip Kiboijana, the company's brand manager, said the company was considering making industrialisation and manufacturing a dedicated subject area in future editions.

Harris also plans to open its manufacturing plant to participating universities, giving students an opportunity to see modern manufacturing processes and understand local value addition beyond what they learn in classrooms, according to Kiboijana.

Kiboijana said the company also sees opportunities for internships, research and career pathways emerging from the partnership.

Isaac Mugabi, a senior environment assessment officer and Uganda's national focal point for the Montreal Protocol at NEMA, said that they have introduced an inclusive environmental component to the competition, which would deepen students' understanding of environmental issues beyond wetlands and other commonly discussed areas.

Mugabi also announced a special window for students with disabilities to participate in the environmental component, saying they too could contribute to environmental stewardship.

“Students with disabilities have an important role to play in protecting our environment. We want to give them an opportunity to participate, contribute their ideas and show that environmental stewardship is everyone’s responsibility,” Mugabi said.

The fourth season of the Ultimate University Quiz will begin airing on Vision Group platforms and UBC from October 3, with the competition bringing together universities from different regions in a battle for academic honors.

The new university entrants include Kisubi University, Nkumba and Mountain of the Moon University on top of the 17 others that have joined in the last competitions.

Godfrey Mutabaazi, the director of Nex Studios and former UCC, which will do the quiz production, commended Vision Group for bringing a fresh idea to Uganda.

“This kind of quiz challenge was in the UK. I have said this for more than 20 years, 10 years at the Broadcasting Council and another 10 years at UCC, that content creation is one of the things that will transform this nation,” he said.

UCC said it was proud to support the fourth season of the Ultimate University Quiz, describing the competition as more than an academic contest. The commission said the platform gives young Ugandans an opportunity to build knowledge, confidence and skills that can open doors beyond university.

“This platform is about knowledge, building confidence and putting opportunities in the hands of young Ugandans. We are proud to be part of an initiative that gives our young people a chance to demonstrate what they know,” Bossa said.

Bossa congratulated Vision Group for sustaining the initiative and welcomed the new partners, particularly the Uganda Revenue Authority.

He said partnerships were important in keeping the competition going and expanding the opportunities available to participating students.