The city-level finals of the third Shanghai vocational college student innovation and creativity competition were held at the Xuhui Riverside on Nov 15, bringing together 66 participating institutions, including 40 medium-level vocational schools and 26 higher vocational colleges.

The competition featured two main categories: technological innovation and cultural creativity.

This year, the cultural creativity group introduced a special track for licensed merchandise design for the 48th WorldSkills Competition, set to be held in Shanghai next year. It drew teachers and students from 51 vocational schools, eager to showcase their skills.

The designs stood out for their originality, with iconic Shanghai elements such as the Oriental Pearl Tower, magnolia flowers, and Lujiazui, incorporated into bookmarks and postcards. Participants from Shanghai Caoyang Vocational and Technical School focused Shanghai elements such as xiaolongbao, Shikumen, and the Jiuqu Bridge into their designs, crafting a series of cultural works such as puzzles, fans, and pillows.

This year's finals featured an innovation market format, where teams showcased their works at designated booths through physical products, models, and live demonstrations. Evaluations were based on innovation, practicality, and commercial potential.

Practicality played a central role in assessing value. To address the common problem of clothes left outside during sudden rain, one team designed a clothes drying pole with a small motor and a rain sensor. Once it starts to rain, the motor retracts the clothes hanger, and a canopy extends over it, offering a simple solution for the rainy season.

Another team applied technology to protect ancient bridges. They employed 3D laser scanning and drone aerial photography to conduct comprehensive, high-precision surveys of 51 ancient bridges in Qingcun, Zhuanghang, and Nanqiao towns in Fengxian district, creating digital archives for future restoration.

Since the launch of the competition, a total of 147 projects were selected from 1,141 entries from vocational colleges citywide for advancement to the finals.

The total number of participating projects increased by approximately 44 percent compared to last year, with medium-level schools submitting 693 projects, up 43 percent, and higher vocational colleges submitting 448 projects, representing a 45percent increase.

The final shortlisted included 55 projects in the "creativity makes life better" track, 32 in the "licensed merchandise for the 48th WorldSkills Competition" track, and 60 in the "technological innovation group" track, covering fields such as smart manufacturing, information technology, and cultural creativity.

Source: Wenhui Daily