The 2025 China International College Students' Innovation Competition finals kick off at ZZU on Oct 13. [Photo/zzu.edu.cn]
The finals of the 2025 China International College Students' Innovation Competition commenced on Oct 13 at Zhengzhou University. Since its launch in April, the competition has attracted an impressive global turnout, with participants from 161 countries and regions, involving 5,673 schools and over 24.43 million participants, submitting 6.19 million projects.
The finals consist of 4,720 projects across five categories, including higher education, red tourism, vocational education, industry, and budding tracks. The competition will culminate on Oct 15 with a championship contest featuring four domestic and two international teams.
The competition aligns with national strategies. New categories in the higher education track, such as low-altitude economy, biotechnology, quantum technology, new energy, and new materials, have been introduced to inspire young innovators to address critical challenges. The budding track for high school students has enhanced the leadership role of higher education.
Participants head to the competition venue. [Photo/zzu.edu.cn]
The competition emphasizes a global perspective, and for the first time, regional contests were held across Europe, Africa, and other locations, covering all top 100 global universities. This has significantly enhanced cross-cultural exchange among students, establishing the competition as a key platform for global student engagement and innovation.
There is a strong focus on practical application. The industry track attracted 2,355 universities and 248,000 projects, with 6,976 industry challenges proposed by 3,104 enterprises. This promotes the integration of industry and education, with specific groups focusing on regional industries and technology transfer.
Concurrent events include an exhibition of outstanding projects, a resource matchmaking event, and the World College Students Innovation Conference, where reports on global student innovation development and standards will be released.
The competition venue at ZZU. [Photo/zzu.edu.cn]