The 19th "Challenge Cup" National College Students' Extracurricular Academic and Technological Works Competition, jointly organized by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League, the Chinese Association of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the National Federation of Academics and the People's Government of Jiangsu Province, concluded successfully at the Xianlin Campus of Nanjing University from October 31st to November 3rd, 2025.

Through works exhibitions, expert reviews, and other sessions, the competition mainly assessed contestants' scientific and technological innovation capabilities, academic research levels, and ability to solve practical problems. It provided a high-end platform for university students nationwide to exchange academic achievements and showcase their innovative potential, helping to enhance their research practice and teamwork skills. Students from the City University of Macau shone brightly in this competition. The university sent five teams to participate in the competition in Nanjing, and the Faculty of Business ultimately won one second prize and one third prize, fully demonstrating the students' solid academic foundation and outstanding innovative potential.

Among them, Xiyan Yu from the Faculty of Business and Xian Cheng from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, under the guidance of Associate Professor Mei Ge, Assistant Professor Peixin Zuo, and Assistant Professor Echo Chan, won the Second Prize in Category A of Scientific and Technological Inventions with their project "National Herb Essence – Industrialization Project for Targeted Removal of Extrinsic Toxins from Traditional Chinese Medicinal Materials"; Guanliang Lu from the Faculty of Business and Chuifei Li from the Faculty of International Tourism and Management, under the guidance of Associate Professor Mei Ge, won the Third Prize in the Philosophy and Social Sciences category (Social Survey Reports) with their project "Dual-Habitat Warm Station: Path Construction and Prospect Research on a New Cross-Border Elderly Care Model in the Guangdong-Macao Deep Cooperation Zone".

This competition not only provided a top-level stage for university students nationwide to showcase their academic innovation achievements and challenge their limits, but also built a valuable platform for academic exchanges and resource sharing among universities. The outstanding performance of students from the City University of Macau in this "Challenge Cup" further demonstrated the university's remarkable teaching effectiveness in cultivating students' innovative thinking, research capabilities, and social responsibility.

The remarks of the winning teams

Xiyan Yu

“We are very honored to represent the City University of Macau in the 19th "Challenge Cup" National College Students' Extracurricular Academic and Technological Works Competition and win the second prize. This achievement would not have been possible without the strong support of the university, the meticulous support of the Ung Choi Kun Entrepreneurship and Career Centre, and the professional guidance of the three instructors – Associate Professor Mei Ge, Assistant Professor Peixin Zuo, and Assistant Professor Echo Chan. It also embodies the dedication and teamwork of the team members. From Macau to Nanjing, the journey across mountains and seas, we have delved deeply into the field of traditional Chinese medicine and expanded our academic horizons through exchanges with outstanding teams across the country. Looking forward to the future, we will take this honor as a new starting point and continue to delve deeply into the field of traditional Chinese medicine. We will promote the deep integration of traditional wisdom and modern industries, and with concrete actions, fulfill the original intention of "benefiting the people through medicine". Moreover, we will innovate while inheriting and strive for greater achievements through solid work. We strive to achieve even better results in the future!”

Guanliang Lu

“It is a great honor for me to represent the City University of Macau as the project leader in the 19th "Challenge Cup" and win the third prize. I would like to express my special thanks to City University of Macau for its support and Associate Professor Mei Ge for her meticulous guidance. This is also the best proof of the joint efforts of the team members. Looking back on this competition, we have further combined data analysis models and tools with the market demand and the market environment, constantly improving our research project. During the competition, we competed with project teams from all over the country, which refined our ability to identify and solve problems, and broadened our horizons and ways of thinking. In the future, we will continue to work hard and, through continuous practice, uphold the team's original intention of "Double Habitat Warmth Connecting Zhuhai and Macao" and provide new concepts and ideas for cross-border elderly care.”