Shanghai Students Put Engineering Dreams Into Action

The 23rd Shanghai Future Engineers Competition is now open to Shanghai primary, secondary, and vocational school students.

Launched in 2004 and hosted by the Shanghai Science and Technology Education Development Foundation, this competition has drawn nearly one million student participants across its 22 sessions.

With the theme "Innovate Every Day with Wisdom and Action," this year's competition includes 14 events in structural, architectural, mechanical, software, aerospace, industrial, and electromechanical engineering. Each task is based on real-world engineering scenarios, so students can observe, investigate, create, produce, and present.

To balance practicality and creativity, participants will have to design and build load-bearing chairs and conduct virtual pressure tests for the "Lightweight Chair" project. In the aerospace designer category, the "Manned Lunar Travel Project (Phase Three) Design" challenges students to use aerospace technologies to create innovative lunar return devices that can bring travelers back to Earth using physical production and software simulation.

Wang Xiaoming, the foundation's executive vice chairman, said the competition puts emphasis on practical problem-solving to develop students' overall skills. Many student projects, including an upcoming space experimental device for on-orbit experiments, have found real-life applications.

Over the past decade, semiconductor leader ASML has sponsored the tournament.

Shen Bo, executive vice president of ASML and president of ASML China, said the event encourages curiosity, resilience, rigor and pragmatism – qualities that help young people approach real-world problems and turn ideas into practical solutions.

He added that such competitions can help young people develop teamwork and problem-solving skills, while building a lasting interest in science and engineering.

Students and schools interested in participating may contact the organizing team via email at fe.sh@163.com.