Frequently Asked Questions

The UniGeek Challenge is a technology and digital-based academic competition among universities in Ghana. Each competing university will be represented by a team of five students. The various universities will have the opportunity to select their representatives for this maiden edition. The teams from the various universities will each be assigned a digital or technology-based project to complete before the commencement of the main challenge.

The main UniGeek challenge will run for two days and will consist of 4 combats and an Ultimate Combat.

The 2020 edition is the first of its kind and will consist of nine (9) competing schools.

9 schools will be selected based on regional balance and interest. Consideration was also given to the public and private split with focus on schools with strong ICT and technology bias.

The eligibility criteria for selecting the students are based on:

1. Registered Student of the University: Each applicant must be a registered student of the respective university, must be an undergraduate within a degree programme and must have at least a semester left to completion.
2. Gender: Both male and female students are qualified to participate so long as they meet the registration and age requirements.
3. Field of Study: There are no requirements nor restrictions for a specific field of study. However, composition of shortlisted applicants should reflect a unique diversity of fields of studies offered by the University.
   That is, three (3) registered students offering a Technical degree programme such as Computer Science, Information Technology (IT) and or Engineering and related programme (not limited to above listed programme only).
   Two (2) registered students offering a Non-Technical degree such as programmes in the Humanities, Liberal Arts and Languages.
4. Team Composition: Each participating University must form a team of five (5) registered students with a maximum of three technical students.

The UniGeek Challenge is a fast-paced contest involving five students in each of the competing universities. There shall be four rounds (known as combats). At each stage of the first four combats, two students from each of the teams will compete head-to-head, playing face-off questions.
The players rotate between combats so that each of the five players will compete in at least one combat. Each combat is approximately 15 minutes in length.
Prior to the commencement of the four combats, each of the 9 teams will have 10mins each to present their project to the UniGeek Council.

Yes, the final stage of the contest is known as the Ultimate Combat. The top four teams with the highest scores from the first-four combats and scores from the project task, will make it to this stage. However, one more lifeline to be given to the remaining six teams through a special combat and the winning team will get to join the four finalists in the ultimate combat.

There is a project task, four combats and the Ultimate Combat of the UniGeek Challenge.

Project Task: This is the first stage of the UniGeek Challenge were competing universities will get to pick their technology or digital based project. These project tasks will be based on real life challenges where the competing universities will have to come up with a digital or technological based solution to address these. The competing universities will have a minimum of 6weeks to complete and submit their project.

Combat 1 -4: This is a fast-paced pop-quiz with each team expected to answer questions relating to technology, perform ICT related tasks and solve practical technology problems within a given time. Points will be awarded for every correct answer and winners from each combat, will get to pick the subject area for the next combat. Four teams will qualify from these four combats to participate in the Ultimate Combat.

Ultimate Combat: This is the final stage of the contest. There will be four qualified teams and a fifth from a lifeline contest on the Hotseat Challenge. These five finalists will then participate in a mini-project contest to determine the overall winner of the UniGeek Challenge.

• Contestants from the winning University will receive a cash prize of Ghs5,000 for the team, a laptop each and products from MTN including internship opportunity when they meet the criteria set by MTN.
• The first runner up will receive Ghs2,000 for the team + products from MTN Pulse (data packages and airtime)
• The second runner up will receive Ghs1,000 for the team + products from MTN Pulse (data packages and airtime)
• All competing schools to walk away with consolation packages.

The UniGeek Challenge is a purely technology and digital based contest. Hence, all questions will relate to technology and digital advancement.

The questions and tasks for the UniGeek Challenge will be set by question submitters. However, final determination of which questions will make it into the contest will be the sole prerogative of the UniGeek Council.

The UniGeek Council is made up of five (5) members from academia and Industry. These are experts from various fields with very good knowledge and understanding of technology and the new digital age. They have oversight responsibility for the Challenge by ensuring its authenticity, credibility of the process, compliance of the rules and strict adherence to the process. They work closely with the question submitters, quiz facilitator and score monitor.

1. The UniGeek Challenge is a combination of a project based and fast-paced question and answer contest between ten teams of five contestants in each team.
2. The contest starts with a project task where each of the 9 teams are assigned a problem and must find solutions to these leveraging technology. The teams will have 6-8weeks to complete this project.
3. This is followed with the fast paced five combat contest. The first four rounds are known as COMBAT. Every correct answer is worth 10 points and Bonuses answers, worth 5 points. In each of the four Combats, each team will select two people to answer the questions.
4. There are three new categories in each combat with five Combat questions. Each Combat has a related Bonus question.
5. The last contestant to correctly answer a Combat question selects the category for the next Combat.
6. The fifth round is known as the ULTIMATE-COMBAT. Only the teams that make it to the finals get to participate in the ULTIMATE-COMBAT. The teams will have 15mins each in the ULTIMATE-COMBAT to complete an ICT mini-project and face off in the final fast paced combat.
7. In the Ultimate Combat, the qualified teams will not be expected to choose two representatives as this will be opened to all.
8. Scores from the Ultimate Challenge will be added to scores from the Combat and the main project task to determine the overall UNIGEEK Challenge Winner.
9. The team with the most points at the end of the entire contest wins.

1. The answers provided by the UniGeek Challenge are the official answers.
2. At the end of each combat, the Score monitor verifies the score and it is declared official.
3. If the score is tied at the end of the game, the tie is broken by a sudden-death play-off of the combat questions with all players within the respective teams eligible to answer. The first correct answer scores 10 points and wins the game.

1. Contestant signals the facilitator and is directed before beginning to answer a question. Once a contestant has been directed, He/she must immediately begin the answer.
2. After the facilitator completes the reading of the question, the lockout signal system is activated and the players are given approximately 3 seconds to signal and must answer immediately they are directed.
3. A correct answer on a Combat question scores 10 points. If the answer is incorrect, the question is turned over to the contestant on the other team.
4. If a contestant does not answer immediately, a game official calls “time.” An answer given after time is called does not count. Where applicable, the question is turned over to the player on the other team.
5. If a contestant confers with a teammate on a Combat question, the answer is disqualified, even if it was correct. The question is turned over, where applicable.

1. A team earns the chance to answer a Bonus question after its team member correctly answers a combat question.
2. Team members can confer on a bonus question. The facilitator will take the first clear answer obviously directed toward him/her, so teams should be sure that they agree on their response before anyone gives an answer.
3. The team is given five seconds to confer on each Bonus question. The judge will allow for a natural pause but no stalling. Once the facilitator has prompted for an answer (“Your answer please”), the team must begin the answer immediately.

1. The correct answer and acceptable alternatives are given to the facilitator who determines if the answer is correct, clear and precise.
2. Answers which show clear and precise knowledge will be judged correct.
3. The first response given is the one that counts. If a contestant gives more than one piece of information, the facilitator will evaluate the first answer only.
4. Unless otherwise stated in the question, contestant may use abbreviated answers, such as last names only, acronyms, etc.
5. Instances where the facilitator gives a list of choices for answers, the contestant must give the specific answer. Answers like “the third one” or “the last one” are not acceptable.

1. If the facilitator inadvertently gives an answer to a Combat without giving either team a chance to respond, the facilitator simply reads the next Combat in the same category. If the problem occurs on a Bonus, the facilitator uses the next Combat/Bonus pair in the same category. The facilitator reads the Combat, gives the team the answer, then reads the new bonus.
2. If the facilitator gives the answer to a Combat after one contestant has answered incorrectly, without giving the second player the chance to respond, the facilitator reads the next Combat in the same category for the second contestant only.
3. If someone in the audience shouts out an answer, the facilitator throws out the question and reads the next Combat /Bonus pair in the same category.
4. If, however, all questions in the category have been used, the facilitator will select a replacement from the remaining questions available in the combat.

1. The UniGeek Council have ultimate authority in all matters during the competition. Their decisions are final.
2. Every attempt will be made to rectify procedural discrepancies (discrepancies concerning the implementation of the contest rules and procedures) quickly and fairly. During the contest, the officials will talk to the leader and coach of each team, one team at a time, away from the rest of the contestants. They will then attempt to decide if the discrepancy is valid and if so, what adjustments should be made.
3. At the end of each combat, the contest officials must review the combat amongst themselves to ensure that no errors were made. They must also approach each team and ask if they have any questions.
4. If a contestant or coach feels an error has been made, s/he must wait until the end of the combat to bring this to the attention of the Council.
5. The Council will review the discrepancy and adjust the point totals in accordance with their decision. The outcome of the review and resultant score changes must be announced before the start of the next combat.
6. The only points in question are those points awarded or not awarded in error. Intangible issues like momentum are not considered.
7. In most cases, discrepancies will be resolved by the addition or subtraction of points and/or the playing of additional questions without the clock. Replaying a combat will only occur in extreme situations, such as one plagued by various discrepancies, poor officiating or equipment malfunctions.

1. In the Ultimate Challenge, each of the five teams will pick their mini project challenge.
2. Each team will have 15mins to complete the project and 5mins to present to the facilitator and council.
3. Points will be awarded by the Council based on their assessment and their decision will be final.