Academic WorldQuest

What is Academic WorldQuest?

Academic WorldQuest (AWQ) is a national academic competition that challenges students’ knowledge of international affairs in a fun and engaging way. In teams of four, high school students work together to answer 10 rounds of 10 multiple choice questions on critical global issues.

While in Missoula, competitors also participate in two full days of global events. During the 2018 AWQ, students had the opportunity to talk to students in Congo through live, video streaming, thanks to the Eastern Congo Initiative and our partners at Inspired Classrooms, while a panel of international students from the University of Montana discuss their different cultures. AWQ students also collaborated in small groups as they worked together to solve a “Global Team Challenge” developed by the Davidson Honors College.

State champions have the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to represent Montana at the National AWQ Competition. While in Washington, teams are exposed to a variety of unique experiences, such as dinner at an embassy and a tour of the State Department. This exciting program is generously sponsored by The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. In addition, AWQ provides students from the winning team with a $1,000 scholarship to the University of Montana, courtesy of the University President’s Office.

Academic WorldQuest prepares students to face the growing challenges they may face in an increasingly global, yet interconnected world.  It is our hope that by participating in AWQ, Montana students are provided with a greater sense of what is going on in the world and what may be possible on the global stage while demonstrating that we are all part of something larger. This program is more than a competition; it is an opportunity to engage students from across Montana, in conversations and engaging analysis of international affairs and responsible global citizenship.

Although it is now the Council’s largest education program, AWQ began in 2005 with only three teams and has grown to include almost 70 teams from around the state. Over the years, teams have traveled to Missoula from all corners of Montana, including Libby, Carter County, Lodge Pole, St. Regis, Gardiner, Billings, Wolf Point, Lincoln, and Noxon, to participate in the competition.