On October 26th, a press briefing took place at Guizhou University (GZU) for the 18th “Challenge Cup” National College Students’ Extracurricular Academic and Scientific Works Competition (“the 18th ‘Challenge Cup’ Competition” for short). The press briefing, chaired by Luo Changjiang, Deputy Secretary of GZU Party Committee and spokesman of GZU, saw the participation of relevant officials, outstanding instructors, award-winning student representatives from the 17th “Challenge Cup” Competition.
Kan Baokui, Deputy Director of the Youth Development Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, expressed gratitude to the media for their continuous support. He provided insights into the “Challenge Cup” competitions, detailing recent reforms, optimizations, and the notable features of this year's edition. The “Challenge Cup” competition, first held in 1989 at Tsinghua University, has evolved over 34 years into a significant platform for young students, serving as a platform for scientific and technological innovation, for fostering a scientific spirit, and for enhancing collaborative abilities and collective consciousness. Often referred to as the “Olympics” of contemporary college students’ scientific and technological innovation, it upholds the tenet of “advocating science, pursuing truth, diligent learning, keen innovation, and meeting challenges.”
The 18th “Challenge Cup” Competition is in process, with university-level and province-level competitions accomplished, and the works selected for the nation-level will be reviewed from October 27th to 31st. This year’s “Challenge Cup” is hosted by Guizhou University and co-organized by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, China Association for Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, All-China Students’ Federation, and the People's Government of Guizhou Province. It encompasses the main competition, the special “Leaderboard Challenge” competition, the special red-themed projects, and the “black technology” exhibition. The special “Leaderboard Challenge” competition concentrates on cutting-edge scientific and technological developments and core technologies, addressing major topics and practical issues in philosophy and social sciences. In this special competition, the student teams should accomplish the tasks designated by the government, enterprises, or research institutions. Red-themed projects encourage students to engage with the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the CPC through social practice, investigations, research, and competition participation with research reports. The “black technology” exhibition is a showcase of college students' scientific and technological innovation, inspiring students to propose and demonstrate imaginative, creative ideas, methods, and technologies.
The main competition of the “Challenge Cup” features a three-level system — university-level, province-level, and nation-level competitions — with the nation-level divided into preliminary and final rounds. In the 18th “Challenge Cup”, a total of 1,745 works have been submitted for the national competition, and 690 works from 344 mainland colleges and 23 works from 9 Hong Kong and Macau colleges have advanced to the final. The final, taking place from October 27th to 31st at Guizhou University, will determine the special prizes, first prizes, and second prizes through public defense, culminating in the recognition of the winning universities with the “Challenge Cup” and “Victory Cup.”
Through years of efforts and optimization, the “Challenge Cup” competition has established its influence across the country as a prestigious platform for college students’ scientific and technological innovation, aligned with Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
According to Kan, the 18th “Challenge Cup” Competition will yield significant advancements in practical effectiveness, local engagement, and communication. He said this Challenge Cup features the following key developments:
Optimized Competition Structure: The competition offers diverse opportunities for colleges and universities at various levels and students across different majors. the main competition, the special “Leaderboard Challenge” competition, the special red-themed projects, and the “black technology” exhibition showcase a differentiated approach, encompassing arts and sciences, and fostering high-low matching. This framework has attracted participation from over 2,000 colleges and universities, with more than 400,000 works submitted by over 2.5 million students nationwide.
Enhanced Student Participation: The competition sees a more extensive involvement of students by increasing the number of works submitted for the national competition. Policy-oriented measures have been adopted to incline towards central and western colleges, universities, and those not previously involved. The final shortlists 44.3% more works than the previous session, with a threefold increase in the number of topics in the special “Leaderboard Challenge” competition. Notably, participation in red-themed projects increases by 14% year-on-year, and “black technology” exhibition witnessed a 57.1% YoY increase in participating colleges.
Active Organization and Mobilization: Efforts has been made to strengthen university-level competitions, focusing on increasing the number of mobilized schools and fostering active participation. The red-themed projects have been strategically organized at the group branch level, enhancing grassroots engagement through competitions.
Standardized Evaluation System: The competition implements a rigorous system, including work repetition checks and public announcements. The “double blind” judge selection mechanism and on-site public defense during the final ensures a standardized and credible evaluation process.
Deeper Publicity and Communication: Various initiatives, such as college Communist Youth League services and competition work training classes, have been organized to deepen publicity and communication. Online exhibitions, thematic displays, and project roadshows have enhanced the coverage and influence of the competition.
Prominent Local Characteristics: Held for the first time in Guizhou, the competition integrates local resources and power, featuring special events like visits to Guizhou’s historical sites, rural areas and FAST (the 'China Sky Eye'). Local themes, including “Meeting with Data Valley” and “Witnessing Guizhou’s Transportation Change”, are highlighted during the final.
Li Jian, Deputy Secretary of the Guizhou Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, emphasized the positive impact of this year’s “Challenge Cup” on Guizhou’s college students, contributing to the province's youth engagement in scientific and technological innovation.
Linghu Caitao, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Guizhou University, expressed gratitude for societal support in hosting this national event. Guizhou University, hosting a top-level national event for the first time, is meticulously preparing to present a distinctive “Olympic event” for university students across the country and the public. The competition aligns with national strategic goals and Guizhou's characteristics.
The press conference concluded with the release of the slogan, emblem, and mascot of the 18th “Challenge Cup” Competition. Participating units discussed media-related queries, including the organization of the competition's special events, its impact on the practice of Chinese-style modernization in Guizhou, and the enhancement of scientific and creative abilities among team members.
Editor：Pang Aizhong
Chief Editor: Li Xufeng
Senior Editor: Yan Nan
Translator: Xiao Qi
