By Peter Mabira
KAMPALA: Makerere University and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) have registered victories in Games Five and Six of the fourth season of the Ultimate University Quiz, with MUST defeating defending champions Uganda Christian University (UCU).
In Game Five, Makerere defeated Soroti University 260-170 points , while MUST overcame UCU 270-180 in Game Six, delivering a strong performance against the reigning champions.
Organised by Vision Group, the competition has attracted 20 chartered universities, up from 16 in 2023. It provides a platform for university students to demonstrate academic knowledge, critical thinking, teamwork and decision-making under pressure.
The quiz is broadcast every Saturday and Sunday at 7:30pm on Bukedde TV 1 and 2, TV West, Wan Luo TV and UBC TV. Viewers can also follow the competition through the Vision Digital Experience (ViDE) App and the official New Vision website.
At the official launch, Bank of Uganda Governor Michael Atingi-Ego announced four internship opportunities for contestants from teams reaching the final stage.
The competition promotes skills beyond classroom learning, including evidence-based reasoning, questioning assumptions and working effectively in teams. The internship opportunities are expected to give successful contestants practical exposure to the operations of Uganda’s central bank.
The winning university will receive equipment worth Shs25m, while each student on the victorious team will take home a laptop and Shs1m in cash. The team’s coach will receive a laptop, Shs1m and a fully paid economy-class return ticket courtesy of Turkish Airlines.
The first runner-up university will receive equipment worth Shs15m, with each contestant and the coach receiving a laptop and Shs500,000. The second runner-up will receive equipment worth Shs10m, while each contestant and the coach will take home a Samsung tablet and Shs400,000.
The fourth-placed university will receive equipment worth Shs5m, with each contestant and the coach receiving Shs300,000.
Turkish Airlines has also announced fully paid economy-class return tickets for the coaches of the three top-performing teams to destinations of their choice within its network. Students and academic staff from participating universities will benefit from a 15% discount on flights.
The 20 participating universities are Makerere University, Kabale University, Kyambogo University, Busitema University, Soroti University, Lira University, Gulu University, Muni University, Mountains of the Moon University, Uganda Martyrs University, MUST, Bishop Stuart University, Ndejje University, International University of East Africa, Bugema University, UCU, Nkumba University, ISBAT University, Kampala University and the University of Kisubi.
Nkumba University, the University of Kisubi and Mountains of the Moon University are among the new entrants this season.
The competition is supported by Bank of Uganda, the Uganda Communications Commission, Uganda Revenue Authority, Turkish Airlines, Capital Markets Authority, Parliament of Uganda, Hariss International, through Krystal Mineral Water, and the National Environment Management Authority. Netstudios Africa is the technology partner powering the competition.
