ICT students from Gulu and Muni University have won the 2023/24 grand prize at the 8th annual Huawei ICT Global competition in Shenzhen, China beating their competitors across the world. This becomes Uganda’s first grand prize win since the inauguration of the Huawei ICT competitions.
Uganda achieved remarkable success by winning the grand prize in the Network Track. Additionally, students from Kabale University secured first place in the Network Track, while students from Muni University earned second place in the Computing Track. Furthermore, Kabale University students were honored with the Women’s in Tech Award in Network Track.
The Ambassador from Uganda to the People’s Republic of China H.E Oliver Wonekha congratulated all the students for their remarkable achievement. “I congratulate these students for not having just shown interest and engaged, but for having come this far in the competitions,” she said during a media interview at the event. “With what you have learned, make sure you go back home and help in the development of the country because the future is in your hands.”
The Ambassador thanked Huawei for this initiative remarking that the competition means a lot to the country’s transformation. “AI and digital transformation is the way to go,” she said. “It is important and it is timely that Huawei is doing what it is doing.”
On Thursday, May 16th, 2024, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports of Uganda, Janet Museveni at State House Nakasero flagged off 13 students to participate and represent the country in the 2023/24 global finals of the Huawei ICT Competition in Shenzhen, China
Museveni appreciated the students’ determination and commitment to the competition which saw them secure a spot in the global finals. She encouraged the students to be resilient as they represented their country and wished they returned home victorious.
“I thank the students for their exceptional performance at the Southern African Region competition level and I tasked them to do the same at the global level,” said Museveni as she flagged the students off to China.
The 2023/24 competition circuit attracted more than 170,000 students from over 2,000 universities and colleges across more than 80 countries and regions, making it the largest offline competition since its launch in 2015. More than 160 teams with of over 470 contestants from 49 different countries and regions reached the global final in Shenzhen, China having previously been successful in their respective national and regional competitions.
During the competition’s final closing and awarding ceremony, Peng Honghua, President of Huawei’s ICT Strategy and Business Development Department while addressing the finalists, said, “ICT is the cornerstone of the intelligent world and through the Huawei ICT Competition, we aim to provide students with a global platform to compete and exchange ideas.”
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Huawei also awarded 24 instructors the title of Huawei ICT Academy Global Most Valuable Instructor (MVI) for the first time. The award shows gratitude for the contributions instructors have made to talent development and marks them as role models who show how the brightest minds can develop even brighter minds.
These instructors help drive the sustainable development of the ICT talent ecosystem.
Mr. John Peter Olinga one of the Most Valuable Instructors from Uganda urged more students to take part in the competition. He also applauded Huawei’s support remarking, “I appreciate Huawei for helping Uganda take the first important gigantic steps towards the development of ICTs.”
The Huawei ICT Competition is an annual contest held by Huawei for global university and college students. Through the competition, Huawei aims to provide students with an international platform for healthy competition and the exchange of ideas.
Since its launch in 2015, the competition has helped students enhance their ICT knowledge and practical skills, while also increasing their ability to innovate by using new technologies and platforms.
The ultimate goal is to advance technological development and facilitate digital inclusion around the world. As one of Huawei’s key Seeds for the Future 2.0 projects, the Huawei ICT Competition aims to provide a platform for college students to compete and communicate with each other around the world.
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