11 February 2025
A university plant quiz competition has helped to address the decline in botanical education, a new study shows.
The research examines the impact of the Botanical University Challenge (BUC), which was set up by the ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø in 2016 and is now Europe's largest botanical contest.
Published today (Tuesday, 11 February) in , the study found BUC has successfully helped to connect botanists across higher education institutions. Annual competitions have been held at the University of Oxford, Kew Gardens, and the University of Nottingham in recent years.
Dr Jonathan Mitchley from ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏÍø, a co-founder of the competition, said: "We launched Botanical University Challenge in 2016 after recognising a decline in botanical skills including plant identification skills among our students. To see it grow into such a dynamic force for botanical education demonstrates the vital role this initiative now plays in developing the next generation of botanists.”
Creating connections
According to the study, the decline in botany content across biology degrees has left many plant-aware students feeling disconnected from the broader scientific community. The researchers found that by combining competitive quizzes with professional development opportunities, the program successfully addresses this isolation while building crucial skills.
Budding botanists have found connection opportunities at the annual BUC, which started in 2016 with five participating institutions has grown dramatically and the 2024 competition saw 126 students from 28 institutions compete in the online heats before 85 competitors took part in or watched the finals at Queens College Oxford, in August 2024.
Survey results from the event showed overwhelming success in meeting its core aims of fostering community and advancing botanical education. 96.6% of participants reported increased botanical knowledge and expanded professional networks, while 91.4% discovered new career opportunities through the program.
Botany festival
Alongside the finals of the botany quiz, BUC runs an annual student botany festival which aims to expose students to the wide range of career options both inside and outside academia. The festival also provides students hands on practical skills, training and networking opportunities with professionals from key industry areas.
Historically, botanical careers have not been presented clearly within the education system. The festival helps highlight the huge diversity of career pathways available to students, from solving the food security crises of tomorrow to building sustainable cities and protecting global plant diversity.
BUC co-founder John Warren said: “It is a great forum for students to make links with potential employers and establish their own botanical networks.”
BUC 2025
A record 31 teams will compete in Botanical University Challenge 2025, which gets underway with round 1 on Wednesday 12 February. Round 2 takes place on Wednesday, 19 February before the Quarter Finals on Wednesday, 26 February. All rounds will be livestreamed on the The live Semi Finals and Final will take place in August. Visit for more information.
is a multi-disciplinary Open Access journal, owned by the and published by Wiley. The journal publishes outstanding plant-based research in its broadest sense and celebrates everything new, innovative and exciting in plant-focused research that is relevant to society and people's daily lives. The is an independent, not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of plant science.
Hall, H., Stroud, S., Culham, A., Clubbe, C., Batke, S., Medcalf, S., Jones, M. G., Baker, L., Lydon, S., McGale, E., Acedo, C., Charmley, J., Warren, J. M., & Mitchley, J. The Botanical University Challenge: Bridging isolation and empowering plant-aware students. Plants, People, Planet. https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp3.10636
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