Three teams of ICT students from Uganda celebrated an outstanding performance at the global final of the 8th Huawei ICT Competition held in Shenzhen, China. Ugandan students secured several prestigious prizes:
- Grand Prize: Network Track Team 1 (Gulu University and Muni University)
- First Prize: Network Track Team 2 (Kabale University)
- Second Prize: Computing Track Team 1 (Muni University)
- Women In Tech Award: Network Team 2 (Kabale University)
Flagged off by Uganda’s First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet K. Museveni, on May 16th, 2024, the team of 13 students embarked on their journey from State House Nakasero with high hopes and national pride. The First Lady commended the students for their determination and commitment, encouraging them to be resilient, represent their country proudly, and return with victory. She acknowledged their exceptional performance at the Southern African Region competition and urged them to replicate their success on the global stage.
The 2023-2024 ICT Competition circuit attracted over 170,000 students from more than 2,000 universities and colleges across 80+ countries and regions, making it the largest offline competition since its inception in 2015. More than 160 teams, comprising over 470 contestants from 49 countries and regions, reached the global final in Shenzhen, having excelled in their respective national and regional competitions.
Uganda’s Ambassador to China, H.E. Oliver Wonekha, expressed gratitude towards Huawei during a media interview at the event, stating, “This competition means a lot. AI and digital transformation are the future, and it is timely that Huawei is leading this initiative.”
Ambassador Wonekha congratulated the students for their engagement and achievements, urging them to return home and contribute to Uganda’s development. She emphasized, “The future is in your hands.”
At the Huawei ICT Competition 2023-2024 Final Closing & Awarding Ceremony, Zhou Hong, President of Huawei’s Institute of Strategic Research, addressed the finalists: “To ensure everyone can truly enjoy the benefits of digitalization, it is crucial to make digital technologies accessible to all.”
Peng Honghua, President of Huawei’s ICT Strategy and Business Development Department, added, “ICT is the cornerstone of the intelligent world. Through the Huawei ICT Competition, we provide students with a global platform to compete and exchange ideas.”
On the same day, Huawei also hosted the ICT Accelerating Education Transformation Summit, where they awarded 24 instructors the title of Huawei ICT Academy Global Most Valuable Instructor (MVI). This award recognizes the significant contributions these instructors have made to talent development and highlights them as role models for fostering future ICT talent.
One of the awarded instructors, Mr. John Peter Olinga, represented Uganda and emphasized the need to improve access to practical learning and reduce the gender digital divide in the industry. He encouraged more students to participate in the Huawei ICT Competition, noting its comprehensive approach to developing technical, professional, and soft skills in a short period. Mr. Olinga concluded, “I appreciate Huawei for helping Uganda take significant steps towards ICT development.”
The Huawei ICT Competition is an annual contest for global university and college students, providing an international platform for healthy competition and idea exchange. Since its launch in 2015, the competition has helped students enhance their ICT knowledge and practical skills, fostering innovation and technological advancement. As one of Huawei’s key Seeds for the Future 2.0 projects, the competition aims to promote digital inclusion worldwide.
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