Nearly 100 students from 20 countries and regions gathered at Beijing Normal University's Changping campus from Oct 24-25 for the final of the ninth Global Competition on Design for Futures' higher education division, presenting AI-assisted design solutions to real-world challenges.
Jointly organized by Beijing Normal University and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education, the competition was launched in January under three themes: AI for Science, AI for Education and AI for Society. Regional selection rounds were held in Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Southeast Asia, with 23 teams advancing to the global final.
Eighteen teams qualified for the final presentations after refining their initial proposals through mentor guidance and project reviews.
Twelve mentors from fields including artificial intelligence, educational technology, design and learning sciences helped teams identify problems, improve their solutions and prepare their presentations.
AI tools were integrated into several stages of the competition. Before the final, teams used them to create cultural posters showcasing their countries and regions, which participants exchanged during the event.
An AI-assisted design platform guided teams through initial planning, revisions and final submissions. Its problem-solution matching cards helped participants define challenges and refine their approaches, while consultation and communication functions enabled them to seek suggestions and share their work.
The competition also introduced an AI-based stakeholder evaluation mechanism. Using project materials, the system simulated the perspectives of teachers, students and parents to assess proposals' innovation, feasibility and social value, providing an additional reference for the jury.
Five international experts in education, design and technology evaluated the 18 finalist teams against five criteria: problem awareness, innovation, technology for good, application potential and presentation.
The competition awarded one gold medal, two silver medals and three bronze medals. Ten additional awards recognized outstanding creativity, design, technological appeal and practical implementation. Special prizes included the Best Popularity Award and the Best AI Stakeholder Award. Seven other teams received finalist awards.
At the closing ceremony and awards presentation, guests congratulated the participants and highlighted the importance of international exchange and support for young innovators.
Chen Guangju, deputy director of the Smart Learning Institute at Beijing Normal University and chair of the competition's steering committee, reviewed its development since its founding in 2018. He commended the students for combining design thinking with AI to explore innovative approaches in science, education and society.
Looking ahead to the competition's 10th anniversary in 2027, Chen expressed hope for deeper international cooperation and broader participation by young innovators in developing solutions for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
