From December 5 to 7, the 2nd National Finals of Cultural China Innovation Transformation and Development Competition for Graduate Students was successfully held at Tianjin Normal University (TNU). The award ceremony was attended and addressed by several distinguished guests: Yang Wei, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of the Chinese Society of Academic Degrees and Graduate Education (CSADGE); Wu Huaichun, deputy director-general of the Department of Degree Management and Graduate Education under the Ministry of Education; Jing Hongyang, executive deputy secretary of the Tianjin Municipal Education Working Committee and director of the Tianjin Municipal Education Commission; Ma Bo, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Tianjin Municipal Committee; Qu Kai, secretary of the CPC TNU Committee; and Gong Jinlong, deputy secretary of the CPC TNU Committee and president of TNU. Also in attendance were Zhong Yinghua, vice-director of the Science, Technology and Education Committee of the CPPCC Tianjin Municipal Committee and dean of the International Chinese Education Development Research Institute; Zhao Yu, deputy secretary-general of the CSADGE; Li Xiangyang, deputy secretary of the CPC Shandong University Committee; and Dong Hongxia, deputy secretary of the CPC TNU Committee.

As the first professional competition within the China graduate student innovation and practice series targeting disciplines such as literature, history, philosophy, and arts, this edition was guided by the Department of Degree Management and Graduate Education of the Ministry of Education. It was jointly organized by the Chinese Society of Academic Degrees and Graduate Education and the Youth Science and Technology Center of the China Association for Science and Technology, with TNU serving as the host institution.

The competition attracted enthusiastic participation from 5,398 teams, comprising 13,459 graduate students, across 443 universities nationwide. Through preliminary selections, 283 teams with 876 contestants from 96 universities stood out and gathered in Tianjin for two days of intense competition and in-depth cultural exchange. Ultimately, 95 first prizes and 188 second prizes were awarded.

This year marked the inaugural inclusion of an international student category. Six teams from universities including Beijing Foreign Studies University, East China Normal University, and TNU advanced to the finals. These teams independently completed their competition projects, which covered areas such as intangible cultural heritage revitalization, digital humanities, and cultural and creative design, demonstrating innovative thinking and practical abilities within a cross-cultural context. The "Canal Cultural Heritage Digital Exploration" international youth team from TNU secured first place in the international student category.

The Cultural China Innovation Transformation and Development Competition has established itself as a platform for cultivating cultural innovation talents and integrating university educational practices with local cultural resources. TNU meticulously organized a series of cultural practice activities for participants, including campus cultural base experiences, dance performances, folk art appreciation, intangible cultural heritage marketplaces, and city study tours. TNU opened 16 cultural venues, and invited inheritors of intangible cultural heritage for on-site interactions. These efforts created an immersive cultural experience space for the attending faculty and students, fully showcasing the profound heritage and contemporary vitality of Tianjin's culture.

By He Jierui