KAMPALA – After seven (7) months of intense preparation, Huawei Sub-Saharan Africa Regional ICT Competition was successfully held on February 22, 2023. The competition attracted over 16,000 entries from over 500 institutions.
At least 16 countries from the region took part in the competitions, with Team Uganda represented by Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Gulu and Kabale Muni University.
During the competition, Team Uganda (Makerere University) took the top prize in the computer track and also managed to win the first prize in the network track, while Kyambogo University took second place. Gulu and Kabale made it to third place. The networking track consisted of 27 teams, each with three students from 16 countries.
Muni University (Uganda) won first prize in Cloud Trach from 18 teams of three from 16 countries. .
Out of the six Ugandan teams, four qualified for the global competition with Gulu and Kabale Universities taking third prize and not qualifying for the global event scheduled to be held in China in May 2023.
“Okello Stephen, a network and cybersecurity student who is also a Makerere University Network Track participant, praised Huawei for the opportunity and noted that he was exposed to more advanced concepts in the various technologies.
“Well, this year’s ICT competition was a bit challenging compared to the previous ones because we were introduced to more advanced concepts in datacoms, security and even wireless technology that we really had to put in a lot of effort to learn and to master in a very short time. Well, that prepared us well to solve problems in real life, because you need to learn fast and work together as a team to solve these IT challenges in order to thrive in this ever-changing global technology environment. I really appreciate Huawei for the great work in ICT competition and we hope the best will come in this 2023,” he said
Christopher Ivan Katoogo from Makerere University says: “After 7 months of intensive preparation, the exciting regional ICT competition in Sub-Saharan Africa took place on February 22nd, 2023, where the participants could get to know different technology areas. It focused on three main tracks: Network, Cloud and Computing. These are essential in today’s world and vital for businesses, institutions and individuals to stay connected and secure. The event was not only educational, but also entertaining. Participants were able to compete in a friendly and supportive environment, demonstrate their skills and gain valuable experience. Overall, the competition was an excellent opportunity for individuals to boost their confidence and gain recognition in the industry.”
Meanwhile, Kenya won the grand prize for both network and cloud tracks.
The annual Huawei ICT competition is a key element of the ICT Academy campaign. Aimed at university and college students worldwide, it aims to facilitate communication between schools, businesses and governments while building a robust talent ecosystem. Through this competition, Huawei aims to challenge students’ ICT knowledge, hands-on and application skills, and ultimately inspire innovation with the theme of “connection, glory, future”.
After seven years of development, the Huawei ICT Competition has grown into one of the largest events of its kind in Africa. The competition includes the latest technologies such as cloud computing, AI, mobile networks and big data that are relevant to student competitiveness in the job market.
Over the years, Huawei has signed cooperation agreements with over 250 universities in 14 sub-Saharan countries in the African region to set up Huawei ICT academies. This collaboration has enabled more than 7,000 university students to obtain Huawei’s ICT certification, making them better candidates for ICT-related jobs. In Uganda over 18 universities have signed including Makerere, Muni, MUBS, Soroti, Kabale, Kyambogo and Nkozi, Mbarara, KIU and IUIU among others.
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