On November 29, the final of the Blue Dream International Youth Innovation Contest was held at Ocean University of China (OUC). The contest was jointly hosted by the Chinese Society of Biotechnology (CSBT) and OUC, co-organized by Haide College and the Marine Biotechnology Professional Committee of CSBT.
Professor Wang Xuepeng, Vice President of OUC, reviewed the university’s century-long history and noted that OUC has remained committed to its aim of imparting expert knowledge and cultivating talented professionals to meet the needs of the country. He also introduced the university’s structured efforts in innovation and entrepreneurship education, expressing the hope that the contest would provide students with a platform for cross-cultural innovation practice and contribute to China’s efforts in becoming a leading country in education and science and technology with maritime strengths.
Professor Qian Wei, Director of the Institute of Microbiology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, pointed out that innovation is a primary impetus driving development. The institute has maintained long-standing cooperation with OUC in areas such as AI-aided drug design and marine microbial resource development. He encouraged young participants to combine academic exploration with national needs and strengthen their innovative capabilities through the contest.
Professor Zhang Hongxiang, Secretary-General of CSBT, spoke highly of OUC’s achievements in cultivating innovative talent in marine-related fields. He said that CSBT would take the contest as an opportunity to bring together resources from multiple partners, develop a case repository for marine bioengineering, expand its network of international contests, and further promote technology transfer and talent development.
Launched in June 2025, the contest attracted 42 teams from universities in China and abroad, with participating projects covering cutting-edge areas such as bioengineering, artificial intelligence, food science, and medicine and health. Many entries incorporated AI and machine learning, demonstrating interdisciplinary innovative potential and practical application value.
