The future is here, and education leads the way. The United Nations put forward the Sustainable Development Goals in 2015. As highlighted at the 2022 United Nations Transforming Education Summit, the global educational system is facing critical challenges that necessitate urgent educational reforms. Since 2018, Beijing Normal University, along with international organizations, universities, and renowned science and technology enterprises, has been hosting the annual Global Competition on Design for Future Education (GCD4FE). The competition aims to demonstrate how intelligent technology can meet the diversity needs of all learners while reflecting the various possibilities that technology brings to rural areas and disadvantaged groups. The competition has become one of the annual events of the World Digital Education Alliance.

The 8th GCD4FE officially opens for registration on March 1st, 2025. The event is divided into two main categories: the main activity and monthly collection activities. The main activity features four tracks, focusing on six key themes. the monthly collection activities include Call for Posters and Call for Videos. No matter your country of origin, whether you are a university student, vocational college student, K-12 teacher, or related professional, this is the stage to showcase your talents!

【Organizers】

Beijing Normal University（BNU）

UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE)

【Competition Activity】

【Main Activity】

01 Track Overview

Higher Education Track: March-July, for undergraduate and graduate students of various majors in colleges and universities around the world, participating as a team of 3-5 people. The track emphasizes interdisciplinary cooperation and encourages the exploration of future-oriented educational problem solving.

K12 Track: March-August, for primary and secondary school teachers, kindergarten teachers, and those engaged in K12 education worldwide, participating individually or in a team (≤5 members). The track encourages the sharing of excellent teaching cases and emphasizes the application of new technologies, methods and concepts to improve the quality of education and teaching.

Enterprise Track: March-August, for employees in the education, technology, design and other related departments in enterprises, participating individually or in a team (≤5 members). The track focuses on the innovative design of education products and their application cases, aiming to facilitate the digital transformation of education.

Vocational Education Track: September-December, for students enrolled in various majors in higher vocational institutions, participating as a team of 3-5 people. The track emphasizes the demonstration of hands-on ability and professional skills. By integrating their major studies, participants are encouraged to propose innovative educational solutions and tool optimizations. This initiative aims to cultivate exceptional craftsmanship and shape the great national craftsmen of the new era.

02 Competition Themes

AI and Education: How can AI tools based on their features of generating texts, videos, programming codes, 3D printings, create infinite possibilities in improving the efficiency, effectiveness and equity, and make education more intelligent and more effective?

Metaverse and Education: How can an immersive online space construct educational scenarios in metaverse courses, learning space design, new educational games, cultural heritage and protection, metaverse conferences, metaverse with digital twins and metaverse educational spaces supporting various subjects, etc.?

Rural Education: What design can help solve the needs of rural areas, such as teacher shortages, students' motivation improving, learning environmental design, cultivation of technical talents, interdisciplinary inquiry activities and experimental teaching innovations based on local rural resources, innovative design of teaching tools, equipment, and instruments using digital technology, etc.?

Inclusive Education: How can an educational model help provide appropriate and high-quality education to promote educational equality? Consider people with physical disabilities and health impairments, the elderly, girls and women, students with learning difficulties, those affected by war conflicts or crises, migrants or displaced persons due to climate change, etc.

Educational Neuroscience: How to integrate neuroscience, psychology, and education to design scientific and effective educational solutions based on evidence, including policy design, curriculum design, instructional design, evaluation design, educational culture and space design, teaching aids and toys design, artificial intelligence and meta-universe design, and so on, in order to improve the quality of education and teaching.

AI+Engineering: How can AI, with its capabilities in optimization, simulation, and intelligent systems, transform engineering by addressing real-world challenges, improving design processes, and promoting sustainability (e.g., in sectors such as transportation and mobility)? How can AI be integrated throughout every phase, from initial design and manufacturing to operations and maintenance, ensuring more effective engineering solutions?

03 Competition Arrangements

1) First Round

Online Registration and Work Submission: March 1st-May 31st, 2025

（Notes: Deadline of Registration for Higher Education Track is April 30th）

Work Review and Results Announcement: June, 2025

2) Finals

Pre-Finals: June - July, 2025

Global Finals: July - August, 2025

Notes: The competition of vocational education track will begin in September. The time schedules for each track may vary slightly, please visit the official website for specific details.

04 Submissions

Higher Education Track and Vocational Education Track: 1) Project PPT; 2) Project Design Report; 3) Poster; 4) Video

K12 Teacher Track and Enterprise Track: 1) Case-study Collection File; 2) Supplementary Materials

【Monthly Collection Activities】

01 Arrangement

March 1st-December 31st, 2025（Open for submissions all year round, with monthly awards）

02 Participants

Teachers, students (including but not limited to the students in universities, colleges, and vocational institutions), and others involved in education. Participants are welcome to register either individually or as a group (No more than 5 persons).

03 Theme

Call for Posters: With the theme of “My Vision for the Futures of Education”, participants are invited to illustrate the future educational landscape through posters, including but not limited to, educational scenarios, learning methods, learning resources, future learners, etc.

Call for Videos: With the theme of “Shorts on Contextual Teaching and Learning”. Participants are invited to create short videos that address key educational challenges. The video content should focus on designing interdisciplinary teaching scenarios for diverse groups in order to guide students toward active thinking within these interdisciplinary educational contexts.

【Benefits】

01 Winners will have the opportunity to receive bonus. Works that advance to the pre-finals and global finals will receive a certificate issued jointly by the organizers.

02 Winning works may be included in the Competition Case Collection and the UNESCO IITE's E-Library, along with receiving a certificate of inclusion from the UNESCO IITE. Additionally, some outstanding works will be selected for inclusion in an English-language case collection published by the internationally renowned publisher Springer.

03 Winners will have the opportunity to be invited to attend conferences hosted by BNU, such as the Global Smart Education Conference, etc. and participate in related activities organized by the World Digital Education Alliance.

04 Participants may apply for other projects or awards based on their entries and receive expert recommendation letters and internship opportunities at well-known companies. Furthermore, entries have the potential to be developed into achievements, such as intellectual property rights, patents, papers, etc.

05 This event does not charge any fees, and participants can attend the series of competition activities organized by the Organizing Committee for free.

【Registration】

【Official website】

http://gcd4fe.bnu.edu.cn/