Smart Learning Institute

During July 7th- 8th, 2024, the Regional Selection Contest in Maldives, Higher Education Track of the 7th Global Competition on Design for Future Education (GCD4FE), was successfully held at Maldives Polytechnic. This event was jointly organized by Beijing Normal University (BNU) and UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE), and was hosted by Maldives Polytechnic, Maldives National University, Villa College, Islamic University of Maldives, Smart Learning Institute of Beijing Normal University (SLIBNU), and the UNESCO Chair on Artificial Intelligence in Education, with strong support from Rotime Engineering And Technology Co., Limited.

Group Photo of Regional Selection Contest in Maldives
 

Since its inception, the Regional Selection Contest in Maldives has received widespread attention from teachers and students of various universities, drawing participants from diverse majors such as education, computer science, software design, and development, etc. After rigorous and comprehensive evaluations, eight outstanding teams were ultimately selected to advance to the pre-finals. The esteemed gathering was graced by the presence of Prof. Asha Singh Kanwar, Chair of the Governing Board of UNESCO IITE and Chair Professor at SLIBNU; Prof. Chen Guangju, Deputy Dean of SLIBNU and Chairman of the Steering Committee of GCD4FE; Maldives Members of Parliament, Mr. Abdulla Rifau, Mr. Hussain Imran Latheef, and Mr. Hassan Mufeed; Ms. Fauziyya Ali, Former Education Development Professional of the Ministry of Education in Maldives; Mr. Midhuam Saud, Vice President at Maldives China Trade and Cultural Organization; Ms. Wang Huanhuan, Focal Contact of UNESCO Chair on AI in Education; Ms. Huang Lulu, Editor-in-Chief of China Education News’ Smart Education Column, among other distinguished guests.

The Regional Selection Contest in Maldives, featuring opening remarks, training session, topic report, project design, roadshow report, award ceremony, etc., spanned an engaging one day and a half. Under the meticulous guidance of experienced mentors, participants from esteemed international universities including Maldives Polytechnic, Maldives National University, Villa College, and the Islamic University of Maldives collaborated diligently, dividing tasks efficiently, and striving relentlessly to excel in the competition. The mentor group comprises esteemed individuals such as Ms. Wang Huanhuan, Assistant Research Professor at Beijing Normal University, Focal Contact of UNESCO Chair on AI in Education; Mr. Ibrahim Thorig, Senior Lecturer at Maldives National University; Mr. Mohamed Latheef, Lecturer at Maldives Polytechnic, and Ms. Aishath Mihna Mohamed, Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at Villa College, Maldives.

Group Photo of Experts and Mentors in the Regional Selection Contest in Maldives

The participating teams worked collaboratively under the guidance of mentors.
 

During the event, Prof. Asha Singh Kanwar, on behalf of the organizers, delivered an opening speech filled with heartfelt gratitude towards the hosts. She profoundly elaborated on the transformative impact of current technological advancements on the landscape of education, emphasizing the pressing urgency and paramount significance of fostering high-quality educational development on a global scale. Prof. Asha encouraged the participants to strive to be pioneers in educational innovation, seamlessly integrating educational concepts, science and technology, as well as design thinking to explore new paths to solve educational challenges. Mr. Zhou Weidong, General Managing Director of Rotime Engineering And Technology Co., Limited, expressed the company's unwavering commitment to providing steadfast support for educational endeavors, hoping that students in Maldives would capitalize on local educational experiences, fostering a deep exploration and utilization of these resources to propel the development of a novel paradigm for China-Maldives exchange and cooperation. During the training session, Ms. Wang Huanhuan focused on the innovative application of AIGC in the competition, highlighting the powerful functions of AIGC in areas such as information retrieval, image design, text composition, and automatic PPT generation. She encouraged students to integrate AIGC tools throughout the project design process, fostering a profound exploration of content, diverse forms of innovation, and notable enhancement in efficiency.

Prof. Asha Singh Kanwar (left) and Mr. Zhou Weidong (middle) are delivering the opening speeches, while Ms. Wang Huanhuan (right) is introducing the competition and providing training sessions.
 

During the topic report and roadshow sessions, each team tried to integrate Maldives' distinctive island geography with current educational landscapes, aligning with the competition's themes. They extensively explored the innovative potential of AIGC technology, showcasing how this cutting-edge innovation can create learning platforms that are cost-effective, universally accessible, deeply personalized, and inherently interactive. They focused on leveraging technological advancements to tackle challenges posed by scattered islands and resource disparities, determined to transcend geographical constraints and foster a more equitable distribution of educational resources. After intense competition, all participating teams triumphantly concluded the event, receiving invaluable feedback from expert judges such as Prof. Asha Singh Kanwar, Ms. Fauziyya Ali, Former Education Development Professional of the Ministry of Education; Ms. Mariyam Fizana Rasheed, Chief Executive Officer of Maldives Qualification Authority; Ms. Zushan Kamaldeen, Chief Executive Officer of Maldives Polytechnic; and Mr. Mohamed Shafeeq, Director of Centre for Information Technology Department, Villa College. During the review, judges highly praised on the contestants' innovative concepts while providing incisive analyses of their projects' pivotal issues. They prompted contestants to contemplate the feasibility and scalability of their solutions comprehensively and profoundly, thereby further igniting their creative spark and exploration prowess.

The participating teams are making roadshow reports.
 

The event culminated in the selection of one Gold Award, alongside various awards including Best Design Award, Best Creativity Award, Best Practice Award, Best Expression Award, and the Most Technologically Impressive Award. With the esteemed presence of Prof. Chen Guangju and Mr. Zhou Weidong, among other distinguished guests, the awards were jointly presented to the winners.

Prof. Chen Guangju, Mr. Zhou Weidong and other guests awarded prizes to the winners.
 

In their closing remarks, Members of Parliament, Mr. Abdulla Rifau, Mr. Hussain Imran Latheef, and Mr. Hassan Mufeed commended the event wholeheartedly. They emphasized the importance of inspiring young students to ground their ideas in the realities of local education, fostering innovative applications of emerging technologies and design thinking, and presenting creative, forward-thinking solutions. Mr. Midhuam Saud, Vice President at Maldives China Trade and Cultural Organization, observed that the exceptional teamwork and relentless pursuit of innovation showcased by the competing teams embody the profound vision and remarkable abilities of the younger generation in Maldives. He expressed his eagerness for more young people to seize this opportunity to broaden their international horizons, embrace multiculturalism, engage in open-minded cross-cultural exchanges, and forge a bridge connecting the Maldives to the world. On behalf of the organizing committee, Prof. Chen Guangju conveyed profound gratitude to the teachers, students, esteemed judges, and dedicated staff who made the Regional Selection Contest in Maldives a success. He cordially extended an invitation for all to continue collaborating, contributing their wisdom and efforts towards the vigorous advancement of the global education endeavor.

Mr. Abdulla Rifau, Mr. Hussain Imran Latheef, and Mr. Hassan Mufeed (left), Mr. Midhuam Saud (middle) and Prof. Chen Guangju (right) are delivering closing remarks.
 

The Regional Selection Contest in Maldives has constructed an exemplary platform for the global education community, highlighting innovative thinking and tangible accomplishments. As the competition progresses, elite teams from across the globe will converge in Beijing towards the end of July to compete in the Global Finals. We extend our warmest wishes to all participating teams, hoping for their outstanding performances in this upcoming event.