Students from Shandong University (SDU) won an all-time high number of awards at the final of the 14th National Mathematics Competition for College Students held at Guangdong University of Technology on May 27.

The 21 SDU students participating in the event won seven first prizes, eight second prizes and six third prizes. SDU's haul of first prizes was the third highest among all universities in the country.

Some 230,000 students from 1,024 colleges and universities participated in the preliminary session, with 922 of them, including 56 from Shandong Province, progressing to the final, which was divided into three groups for senior students in mathematics, junior students in mathematics and students in other disciplines.

Prior to the competition, the School of Mathematics at SDU put together a team comprising experienced professors to provide comprehensive coaching and guidance to the students.

Initiated in 2009 and organized by the Chinese Mathematical Society, the competition stands as one of the largest and most influential high-level discipline competitions for undergraduates in China. The event is aimed at promoting the reform of mathematics courses in universities, improving teaching techniques and stimulating college students' interests in mathematics. The preliminary rounds of the competition start in October, with the finals held in March the following year.

The final of the 15th National Mathematics Competition for College Students will be hosted by SDU in the first half of 2024.