On May 24, the 15th “Challenge Cup” Zhejiang Provincial College Student Entrepreneurship Plan Competition concluded at Zhejiang University of Technology. The programs recommended by our university secured one gold medal, four silver medals, and seven bronze medals, setting a new record for the highest number of gold and silver medals since our university began participating in the competition. This achievement fully demonstrates the solid results of our university’s applied talent cultivation.

The competition was jointly organized by the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Provincial Department of Education, and other institutions. A total of 105 universities and colleges across the province participated, of which 2,174 works advanced to the provincial semifinals and 459 works qualified for the provincial finals.

Our gold award-winning program, “Silaura--A Pioneer in Silk Fashion Accessories Inspired by Intangible Cultural Heritage Craftsmanship”, was selected to participate in the Zhejiang College Students’ Innovation and Entrepreneurship Youth Market under the theme “Innovation Without Boundaries, Youth with Purpose”. The program showcased the contemporary charm of traditional silk craftsmanship, bringing intangible cultural heritage to life in the modern era and promoting its sustainable development for the future.

Since the launch of the competition, the Party Committee of our university has provided overall leadership and strategic guidance, while various departments worked collaboratively to establish a full-process service support system. The Youth League Committee and the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship formed an expert guidance team comprising both on-campus and off-campus specialists, established an innovation and entrepreneurship training platform, and organized 18 program coaching and refinement sessions to support the participating programs. All schools and residential colleges of the university actively contributed to program improvement and quality upgrading. Faculty and students worked together with a shared purpose, demonstrating the sense of responsibility and commitment of the Shuren youth.

Looking ahead, the Youth League Committee of our university will continue to leverage sci-tech innovation competitions as a key driver, deepen the effectiveness of technology innovation in talent cultivation, and inject youthful vitality into the university’s high-quality development during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period.