The final of the China International College Students’ Innovation Competition (CICSIC) 2024 concluded at Shanghai Jiao Tong University on October 15. After a hard-fought competition, ZUFE secured two gold, one silver, and two bronze medals, achieving a historic milestone. Its gold medal tally ranked 45th nationwide, 3rd among Zhejiang’s provincial undergraduate institutions, and 1st among national finance and economics universities, setting a new record for ZUFE.

The winning projects included “Safe Track Intelligence: The Pioneer in Multi-Dimensional Digitalization and Intelligent Safety Operation and Regulation Standards for Rail Transit” and “National Charm: A Trendy Digital Cheongsam Design and R&D Service Provider,” which clinched the Gold Award in the Main Higher Education Track of the Mainland Projects for the Undergraduate-Startup Stage Group. Other notable achievements included “Numerate Innovations Warehouse” which won the Silver Award in the Main Track of the International Projects for the Undergraduate-Idea Stage Group; “Home Culture: A Pioneer in Benchmark Integrated Services for Future Communities,” which secured the Bronze Award in the “Youth Red Dream Journey” Track for the Undergraduate Entrepreneurship Group; and “Scent Seeker: National Pioneers in the Fragrance Industry Engaged in Digital Blending,” which won the Bronze Award in the Main Higher Education Track of the Mainland Projects for the Undergraduate-Idea Stage Group.

The competition is jointly organized by the Ministry of Education and 12 other governmental departments, along with the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government, and co-hosted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University and the Shanghai Minhang District Government. It embraces the theme “Dare to Challenge, Aspire to Create,” and sets ambitious goals to make the competition more Chinese, more international, more educational, more comprehensive, more innovative, and more collaborative. It aims to fulfill the fundamental mission of fostering moral character, promote the integration of vocational and general education, strengthen collaboration between industry and education, and merge science with education, leveraging higher education as a leading force in advancing the integration of education, science, and talent. The competition is dedicated to cultivating bold and capable young innovators while establishing a global brand for cultural exchange among young people from China and around the world. Since its launch in May this year, the competition has attracted 5.14 million projects and 20.836 million entries from 5,406 institutions spanning 153 countries and regions. It has truly become an international stage, showcasing the collaborative spirit of “hundreds of countries, thousands of colleges, and millions of participants” in a unique fusion of Chinese and global perspectives.

In preparation for the competition, ZUFE’s leadership made multiple visits to the training venue of the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship to extend their regards to the faculty and student teams. They attentively observed the teams’ practice presentations and inquired in detail about the progress and challenges. The leaders also encouraged the students to transform pressure into motivation to strive for outstanding achievements.

Since October 2023, ZUFE has been committed to enhancing quality of projects and effectively implementing the concept of “promoting teaching, learning, and development through competitions.” To achieve this, ZUFE has sequentially conducted training programs for competition tutors and general lectures for students. It has also invited relevant experts to provide series of guidance on competition projects. To date, over 20 competition-related lectures have been organized, attracting a total of more than 8,000 participants. In late May, ZUFE facilitated the registration for the provincial competition, with a total of 757 teams comprising 5,125 faculty and students participating, reaching a participation rate of 24.64%. With a focus on refining select projects for the provincial competition, ZUFE conducted 37 intensive training sessions. This effort led to 23 projects advancing to the online evaluation phase. ZUFE achieved its best historical results in the provincial competition, winning four gold medals, seven silver medals, and eight bronze medals.

The China International College Students’ Innovation Competition serves as a vital platform for cultivating outstanding talents in the new era. Guided by the “New Finance and Economics” strategy, ZUFE aims to develop “innovative, applied, and composite” MAQ-type talents (M stands for Morality, A for Ability, and Q for Quality) in entrepreneurship. Participation in high-level innovation and entrepreneurship competitions is regarded as a crucial pathway to cultivate students’ comprehensive and interdisciplinary abilities, including innovative spirit, entrepreneurial awareness, and innovation and entrepreneurship capabilities.