The final of the iCAN Innovation Contest 2021 was held in Shandong University from Dec 11 to 12, with nearly 200,000 people taking part both online and offline.

SDU gave its best performance in years, with one team ranking among the "top 5 China teams", which will compete in the international final competition next year, and other teams awarded four national first, three national second, and six national third-place prizes, respectively.

Since its launch in SDU on May 29, this year's iCAN contest attracted 643 universities with 4,443 projects across the country. SDU dispatched 34 teams to attend this year's competition, including undergraduate and graduate students from over 20 schools.

SDU has established the first iCAN university practice base and smart learning development center in China. A university-level education platform for innovation and entrepreneurship is on the way and an iCAN student club has been established.

In addition, SDU has organized the largest iCAN provincial division in China in many years.

Since the first one initiated by Peking University in 2007, the contest has been held every year, aiming to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship, boost high-end scientific and technological industrial development, and showcase cutting-edge sci-tech innovation and achievements at Chinese universities.

Attendees pose for a group photo at the 2021 iCAN Innovation Contest held in SDU. [Photo/sdu.edu.cn]