On April 26, the 4th Tsinghua Craftsman Competition Award Ceremony, supported by the alumni fund of Tsinghua University’s Class of 1986 (1991 graduates), took place at the Lee Shau Kee Science and Technology Building. The event was attended by representatives of participating teachers and students from inside and outside the university, alumni delegates from the Class of 1986, and corporate partners.
Hu Chuxiong, deputy director of Tsinghua University’s Academic Affairs Office, chief coordinator of Tsinghua’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education, and deputy secretary-general of the China University Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education Alliance, presented awards to the winning projects.
Remarks by Zhang Qi (left) and Wang Jianmei
In his address, Yang Jianxin, director of the Fundamental Industry Training Center, emphasized that the Tsinghua Craftsman Competition serves as a key platform to promote the “Tsinghua Craftsman Spirit” and nurture innovative talents, embodying the essence and value of craftsmanship. He encouraged students to continue inheriting and carrying forward this spirit in their future studies and lives, courageously embrace their era’s mission, and demonstrate the vitality of Tsinghua students. Li Shuangshou, director of the Center’s Teaching Committee, shared the competition’s origin and founding purpose in his speech. He stressed that the competition adheres to upholding traditions while pursuing innovation in the new era: “upholding traditions” means preserving the craftsman spirit, while “pursuing innovation” involves promoting maker culture–empowering students to turn their ideas into reality and grasp the true meaning of craftsmanship through solving complex engineering problems.
Remarks by Yang Jianxin (left) and Li Shuangshou
Zhang Qi, director of the Center’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Teaching Department, reviewed the development of the Tsinghua Craftsman Competition. She provided a detailed update on the arrangements, outstanding team achievements, and project incubation of the first three editions, as well as the progress of the 4th competition. In her closing remarks, Wang Jianmei, deputy director of the Center, stated that the Fundamental Industry Training Center will continue to uphold, inherit, and promote the “Tsinghua Craftsman Spirit,” sustaining its efforts to cultivate high-level innovative talents at Tsinghua University.
Highlights of selected projects
During the ceremony, representatives of winning teams from three tracks–Exploratory Innovation, Integrated Innovation, and External Invitational Competition–showcased their projects through presentations.
Roundtable discussion session
In the roundtable discussion, representatives from the Class of 1986 encouraged students to embrace three key transitions: from knowledge to competence, from campus to society, and from ability to value. They urged students to cherish their campus experiences, think critically, work pragmatically, and uphold Tsinghua’s motto “Actions Speak Louder Than Words” while enhancing their communication and expression skills.
Representatives from the Class of 1986 presented awards to winners of the Exploratory Innovation Track, corporate partners honored recipients of the Integrated Innovation Track, and Hu Chuxiong recognized winners of the External Invitational Competition.
Achievements exhibition of the 4th Tsinghua Craftsman Competition
A new Hetian (Xinjiang) sub-competition was added to the Integrated Innovation Track’s University-Local Collaboration Section this year. Centered on the theme “Shuimu Tsinghua · Polishing Jade in the Kunlun Mountains,” the event integrated Tsinghua’s research strengths with Hetian’s regional characteristics. It promoted technological innovation and achievement transformation in fields such as smart cities, ecological restoration, digital intelligent energy, medical-engineering interdisciplinary research, low-altitude economy, and digital culture, tourism, and commerce. The initiative aims to build a high-level university-regional cooperation platform, provide practical opportunities for nurturing young talents with craftsmanship in the new era, and inject strong momentum into Hetian’s high-quality economic and social development.
Sponsored by collective donations from Tsinghua’s Class of 1986 (1991 graduates), the Tsinghua Craftsman Competition has been held annually since 2021 and has grown into a university–wide science and innovation highlight. The competition includes on-campus events and external invitational races, with three tracks–Craftsmanship Inheritance, Exploratory Innovation, and Integrated Innovation. Aligned with national development priorities and industry frontiers, it encourages technological innovation and contributes to social well-being. Through engineering practice and innovation teaching, intense competitions, talent training and selection, as well as a variety of salons, workshops, and training camps, the competition provides students with a comprehensive platform for growth. Additionally, it has been incorporated into Tsinghua’s labor education system, becoming a key component in fostering students’ work ethic and practical abilities.
