Tongji University and German Water Association Co-Host the 2024 China University Challenge

On April 20, 2024, the grand opening of the China University Challenge, a prestigious competition aimed at promoting technological innovation in the fields of water, wastewater, and waste management, took place at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre.

Southeast University won the First Prize, while Tongji University, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, and Donghua University received Second Prizes. Zhejiang A&F University, East China University of Science and Technology, China Three Gorges University, and Wuhan University were awarded Third Prizes.

This year's competition brought together 42 outstanding students from 14 universities across the country. Competing in teams, the participants tackled pressing and complex issues in the field of environmental technology. The competition consisted of two assessment tasks:

Task 1: Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM)

Teams were required to design water, waste, and energy management infrastructure using DWA environmental cards based on the geological, topographical, and demographic conditions of a specific region in Germany provided by the organizers. Each participant then delivered a 90-second oral presentation, which was scored.

Task 2: Simulated Business Management

Acting as company managers, teams gathered and analysed information from businesses in the German exhibition area to compile focused reports, which were assessed for their content and structure.

The competition was judged by a panel of experts from the German Water Association (DWA), German Binder Company, and Shanghai Municipal Engineering Design Institute. The experts rigorously evaluated the proposals based on scores from the task modules, ensuring fairness and credibility in determining rankings and awards.

The successful hosting of the China University Challenge not only provided university students with a platform to integrate theory and practice and showcase their comprehensive skills but also established a new paradigm for Sino-German collaboration in cultivating exceptional environmental engineers.