University Quiz: BOU opens internship opportunities to finalists
“The team that gets to the finals will be offered four internship positions,” Atingi-Ego said.
Vision Group chief executive officer Don Wanyama with Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego during the launching the fourth edition of the competition at the bank’s headquarters in Kampala. (Photos by Miriam Namutebi)
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Bank of Uganda has opened a new career pathway for university students competing in the fourth season of the Ultimate University Quiz, with the winning teams set to receive four internship opportunities at the central bank.
Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego, who was the chief guest at the launch, announced the opportunity on September 10th at the Bank of Uganda headquarters while launching the fourth edition of the competition at the bank’s headquarters in Kampala, where BOU is a platinum sponsor.
“The team that gets to the finals will be offered four internship positions,” Atingi-Ego said.
The internship offer adds a practical career-development component to the competition, which has traditionally rewarded academic knowledge with institutional equipment, cash, laptops, tablets and international travel.
Atingi-Ego said BOU’s support was based on the belief that Uganda’s future economic strength depends not only on financial reserves and a stable currency but also on the quality of its young workforce.
“A nation’s true wealth is not only measured in shillings and reserves but also in the minds we nurture and the knowledge we cultivate,” he said.
The governor said this was particularly important as Uganda’s financial sector becomes increasingly digital and the country seeks a population that is financially literate, innovative and adaptable.
More than 70% of Uganda’s population is below 30, according to Atingi-Ego, making investment in young people’s skills critical to turning the country’s youthful population into an economic advantage.
He urged other employers and private-sector organisations to provide young people with internships, mentorship and practical exposure so that university education can translate into employment and productivity.
Atingi-Ego urged the participating students to use the quiz to develop habits that would remain useful after university, telling them to “ask boldly, reason rigorously and build together.”
He said the country needed young people who could question assumptions, assess evidence and work collectively to solve problems.
“The greater prize is what this competition is going to make you sharper, bolder and more useful to Uganda than you were this morning,” Atingi-Ego said.
The BOU opportunity comes as the Ultimate University Quiz expands into its fourth season, with 20 universities set to compete when the televised contest begins on October 3 on Vision Group platforms and UBC TV.
The competition started in 2023 with 16 universities and has since grown to include institutions from different parts of the country. New entrants this season include Kisubi University, Nkumba University and Mountains of the Moon University.
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.
Vision Group chief executive officer Don Wanyama said the competition was designed to reward both universities and students while creating a platform where young people can demonstrate their knowledge 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.
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.
Wanyama said the continued growth showed the public interest in a competition built around knowledge, teamwork and academic excellence.
The fourth season brings BOU together with other partners, including the Uganda Revenue Authority, the Capital Markets Authority, the Uganda Communications Commission, Parliament, Turkish Airlines and Harris International, each bringing different learning and career opportunities to the competition. The first quiz episode will air on October 3.