From June 28 to 30, the France Regional Final of the China International College Students' Innovation Competition (2026) was successfully held in Paris, France. The competition was guided by the Department of Higher Education of China's Ministry of Education, organized by Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), and co-organized by the Promotion Association of the Global Youth Innovation Leaders Community (PILC), Harbin Institute of Technology, Wuhan University, and Northwest A&F University.Wang Yubo, Member of the Standing Committee of the CPC Committee of NPU and Secretary-General of the University Council, participated in all competition activities throughout the event.
This year marked the first time that the Ministry of Education has established an overseas regional competition in France. Since the registration opened in May, a total of 434 teams from 94 French institutions, including Université Paris-Saclay, Université PSL, Sorbonne Université, and Université de Lorraine, submitted their applications. Following eligibility reviews and online evaluations, 42 teams were selected to advance to the final round. After on-site expert assessments and team presentations in a hybrid online-and-offline format, 15 Gold Awards were granted. The team InfiniteMaker from Université de Lorraine claimed the championship title. Wang Yubo presented the award to the champion team and encouraged young participants to maintain their passion for innovation, uphold a pragmatic spirit, and embrace the call of the times, urging them to be active practitioners of innovation and entrepreneurship, as well as witnesses to and participants in Sino-French friendship.
During the event, An Yan, Minister-Counselor of the Chinese Embassy in France, met with the NPU delegation and was briefed on the competition's preparations. The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on youth innovation exchanges and higher education international cooperation between China and France, agreeing that the competition serves as an important platform for Chinese and French students to compete, learn from each other, collaborate on research, and grow together.
The China–France Youth Innovation Forum was held concurrently with the competition. Participating teams exchanged ideas in fields such as artificial intelligence, new energy, and biomedicine. The forum, conducted in a hybrid format,combining online and offline participation, featured dialogues with representatives of French entrepreneurs, faculty from NPU’s Unmanned System Research Institute, and young entrepreneurs from both countries. Topics included digital empowerment, intelligent agent applications, and entrepreneurial practice sharing, effectively promoting cross-cultural mutual learning and integration.
The China International College Students' Innovation Competition continues to advance its vision of becoming "more international" and serves as a platform for innovation exchanges among young people from China and abroad. The successful hosting of this France Regional Competition not only showcased the innovative spirit and capabilities of today's youth but also highlighted the vibrant potential of Sino-French cooperation in youth innovation. Moving forward, NPU will continue to leverage the competition as a bridge to contribute to international scientific and technological exchanges and to drive progress in science and technology.
(Source: Student Science and Technology Innovation Center, NPU Youth League Committee; Editor: Ma Yidan; Executive Editors: Zhu Zhixiang, Ma Yidan; Reviewers: She Leilei, Liu Xing, Feng Huiying; Translators: Li Yiwen, Meileyun)
