Zhejiang University and Japan’s Aichi Prefecture host Ideathon

From August 21 to 23, Zhejiang University, in partnership with the Aichi Prefecture Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, played host to a captivating innovation program-Ideathon in online and offline formats. This enthralling three-day event brought together students from China and Japan, engaging them in an intensive competition focused on entrepreneurship and business planning, with particular emphasis on aging populations and sustainable cities.

WANG Lizhong, vice president of Zhejiang University, attended the offline event during his visit to Nagoya University and delivered a speech to the participants. He highlighted Zhejiang University’s unwavering commitment to nurturing innovative and entrepreneurial talents. “The Ideathon serves as an exceptional platform for young people to explore the world and inspire one another through interdisciplinary exchanges,” said WANG.

This Ideathon attracted 21 students from 12 different colleges within Zhejiang University, including the School of Management, the School of International Studies, and the College of Information Science & Electronic Engineering, and 18 students hailing from eight universities in Aichi Prefecture in various disciplines, including humanities, economics, information technology, and medicine. The students fostered friendly interactions through a multitude of activities such as learning basic business concepts, delving into global issues, sharing creative ideas, presenting entrepreneurial blueprints, and exchanging the unique aspects of Chinese and Japanese culture.

As the Ideathon concluded, one winning team from Zhejiang University and one from Aichi Prefecture were selected. The winning team from Aichi Prefecture plans to visit Zhejiang University in December 2023 for in-person exchanges.

In 2022, Zhejiang University signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Aichi Prefecture government, which paved the way for a series of exchange activities primarily centered around innovation and entrepreneurship. This innovation program marks the inaugural student exchange event since the signing of the agreement, aiming to stimulate intellectual interactions among Chinese and Japanese youth, cultivate their innovative and entrepreneurial spirits, and promote friendly cultural exchanges between China and Japan.