First prize winners pose on stage at the 18th iCAN Innovation Contest. [Photo/Shandong University]

Shandong University excelled at the national finals of the 18th iCAN Innovation Contest which was held from Dec 7 to 8 in Zibo, Shandong Province. The university's teams bagged six first-place awards, four second-place awards, and five third-place awards at the national level.

Initiated by Peking University in 2007, the iCAN contest has cultivated a group of outstanding young innovators with great potential.

This year, 32,144 teams from 1,518 universities across China participated, with 800 teams made it to the national finals. The projects in this year's competition covered cutting-edge technologies including artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, big data, and blockchain.

Shandong University, a key organizer of the Shandong regional contest, has been focusing on cultivating innovation of students. The university established the nation's first iCAN practice center, iCAN outstanding student association, iCAN university practice center, and a smart learning development center. Through regular events such as the iCANX Innovation Master Class and Starlight Academy, the university has given its students opportunities to develop their creativity.