Basking in the warm winter sun, SUIS Shangyin Pujiang Campus was filled with a vibrant atmosphere blending technology and humanity. On January 9th, 2026, the “2026 Xiehe Cup AI Talent Challenge” solemnly kicked off at this venue. Co-hosted by Xiehe Education Center and Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, and co-organized by the School Management Department of Xiehe Education Center and SUIS Shangyin Pujiang Campus, this event marked the grand finale of Xiehe Educational Focus Year of “AI + Education” and gathered the wisdom and creativity of over a hundred teachers and students from 11 SUIS campuses, presenting a spectacular sci-tech feast.
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Gather Wisdom, Embrace the AI Appointment
With the theme “The Future Is Now: Exploring the Boundless Possibilities of AI”, the challenge featured four core segments: the AI Theme Song Composition Competition, the Teachers’ Group Teaching/Research AI Agent Exhibition, the High School Group AI-Enabled Community Action Plan Presentation, and the Junior High School Group “Low-Altitude Exploration” Drone Competition. More than 70 teachers and students from 11 Xiehe campuses stood out through selection and advanced to the final exhibition stage.
Distinguished Guests, Gather for a Grand Event
At the opening ceremony in the afternoon, the fifth-floor concert hall was packed to capacity, with nearly 200 guests gathering to witness the launch of this AI creativity feast. The ceremony was hosted by Jenny Chen, Deputy Director of the School Management Department of Xiehe Education Center. Mr. Hu Wei, Counselor of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and Executive Deputy Director of China Vocational Education Association; Mr. Tao Xingwei, Secretary of the CPC Xinzhuang Town Committee; Mr. Zeng Qingbiao, Deputy Secretary of the General Party Branch of Minhang District Institute of Education; Ms. Yu Mei, Director of the Social Affairs Office of Pujiang Town; Ms. Liu Yanjing, Secretary of the Party Branch of Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute; and Professor Huang Dan, Chief Education Expert. Leaders from Xiehe Education, including Ms. Wang Liqiang, Secretary of the CPC United Party Branch of Xiehe Education; Ms. Zhao Xia, Vice Chairperson; Ms. Maxine Lu, General Principal; Ms. Jennier Jin, Acting Vice Chairperson; and Mr. Li Guoxing, Director of the Education Digital Transformation Group, as well as nearly 200 people including school-level cadres, teacher representatives and parent representatives from various campuses of Xiehe participated in the event throughout the whole process.
Ms. Liu Yanjing, Secretary of the Party Branch of Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, delivered the opening speech first. She fully affirmed the significance of the event and expressed great confidence in the future cooperation with Xiehe. Subsequently, Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute held the licensing ceremony for the first batch of “Primary and Secondary School Artificial Intelligence Education Innovation Center Base Schools”. Six SUIS campuses—Hongqiao, Shangyin, Wanyuan, Wuxi, Qingpu, and Peiming—received the licenses, marking a more pragmatic and in-depth new stage in the cooperation between the two parties.
At the opening ceremony, Ms. Maxine Lu, General Principal of Xiehe Education, reviewed the exploration journey of 2025, the inaugural year of Xiehe’s “AI + Education” Focus, which placed importance on “seeding and integration”. Every step, from top-level planning and platform construction to teaching integration and research empowerment, was steadily advanced. At this special moment, Principal Lu invited all leaders and guests to take the stage to press the launch button, jointly witnessing the official announcement of Xiehe’s new Educational Focus for 2026. She further clarified that as a year of “growth and reshaping”, 2026 will see Xiehe Education take artificial intelligence as the “new cornerstone” for deepening educational reform, continuously exploring new paradigms of AI-enabled education in curriculum development, classroom teaching, educational evaluation, and teacher development.
Finally, Mr. Hu Wei, Counselor of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and Executive Deputy Director of China Vocational Education Association, delivered a concluding speech. He envisaged that with government support and cooperation with Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, the level of exploration and practice of “AI + Education” among teachers and students of all Xiehe campuses will achieve a systematic leap forward.
AI Composition, Notes Dancing into the Future
The AI Theme Song Composition Competition called for original musical works from students of Shangyin Campus, the host school. Participants were required to use the unified “Xingzhe AI Music Platform” to complete core creations such as composition and arrangement, producing 3-5 minute complete songs around the themes of Xiehe’s growth, AI technological innovation, and competitive spirit.
After professional evaluation and public voting, works by three students stood out and won the top three prizes: Luke Zhang from Class 3F, Nimo Zhao Class 4G, and Sunny Sun from Class 4J. Among them, Luke Zhang won the “Outstanding Award” for his exceptional creation. When the award-winning works were played at the opening ceremony, the entire venue seemed to be transported into a sound world woven by algorithms and emotions.
Teaching/Planning AI Agents, Reshaping Teaching Paradigms
“Teachers are those who impart knowledge, teach skills, and resolve doubts.” In the AI era, the role of teachers is undergoing profound reshaping. With the theme “AI Empowers Teaching”, the Teachers’ Group competition invited teachers from all SUIS campuses to independently design and construct teaching or research AI agents based on the “Tiangong Kaiwu JIMO AI Agent Base Platform”. A total of 47 Chinese and foreign teachers participated in the preliminary training, 22 submitted proposals, and 12 advanced to the final presentation.
During the on-site presentation, teachers focused on real teaching scenarios and demonstrated the application value of AI agents in improving teaching efficiency, optimizing teaching quality, and innovating evaluation methods. In the end, Wang Jichao and Song Jinxiao from Shangyin Campus won the “Outstanding Award”, while the other 11 teachers received the “Exploration Award”. The winning teachers will be granted a one-year right to use the JIMO AI Agent Base and an opportunity to visit the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute. Their AI agents will also be permanently stationed on the platform and promoted for use across the entire Xiehe system and other schools, exerting a greater influence.
High School Programs, AI Empowering Communities
“Young people are full of vigor and ready to strive for their dreams.” With the direction of “Unlocking a Sustainable Future with AI”, the High School Group set up two tracks: “Campus Microenvironment Intelligence” and “Sustainable Living Laboratory”. Twenty-one senior high school students from 6 SUIS schools formed 7 teams, designing and presenting AI-enabled solutions or product prototypes targeting real community or campus issues. Their programs not only featured technological innovation but also reflected profound insights into social issues and a strong sense of humanistic care.
The team from Qingpu Campus, consisting of Jerry Zhang, Eric Chen, and Yuchen Wang, delivered an outstanding performance and won the “Outstanding Award”. Teams from SUIS Jiaoke, Pudong and Gubei campuses received the “Sustainable Development Award”, while the “Best Creativity Award” went to two teams from SUIS Wanyuan and Wuxi campuses. The senior high school students of Xiehe are using AI technology to interpret the social responsibility and innovative spirit of young people in the new era. Winning teams will receive support from the “Seed Incubation” program, including professional evaluation reports. Products with commercial potential will also be eligible for further incubation and implementation support, helping students enhance their profiles and deepen their innovative practices.
Drone Competition, Youth Chasing Dreams in the Sky
In the gymnasium in the afternoon, the Middle School Group “Low-Altitude Exploration” Drone Competition was in full swing. Forty Middle school students from 11 SUIS campuses formed teams of two, maneuvering special multi-rotor drones for the competition to complete material transportation and route flight in an obstacle-filled venue. The competition consisted of a points qualification round and a quarterfinal knockout round, with comprehensive evaluation based on multiple dimensions such as the completion of flight movements, scores from transportation tasks, and flight time.
All teams from various campuses delivered excellent performances, with many winning the “Exploration Award”. The competition for the top three prizes was particularly fierce. In the end, Team Pudong 9, Team Wuxi 4, and Team Hongqiao 16 stood out with their stable performance and precise control, claiming the first, second, and third places respectively. They were awarded DJI drone series products as prizes, and their dreams of soaring in the sky became a reality at this moment.
Sci-Tech Experience, AI Education in Practice
On the day of the event, an AI experience zone was set up at the Science and Technology Innovation Center on the 3rd floor of SUIS Shangyin Pujiang Campus, attracting many teachers, students, and parents to stop and interact, personally experiencing the unique charm of technology. This AI feast integrating competition, exhibition, and experience served as a vivid practical lesson in AI education.
The Future Is Here, Xiehe Embarks on a New Journey
With the successful conclusion of the award ceremony, the 2026 Xiehe Cup AI Talent Challenge officially came to an end. The future is here, and we look forward to all Xiehe teachers and students continuing to inspire wisdom and creativity, actively innovate, boldly explore, and courageously create under the guidance of this year’s Educational Focus, unlocking the boundless possibilities of AI!
