The 2026 SDG Open Hack @ Tsinghua University was held from September 17 to 19 at Tsinghua Shenzhen International Graduate School (Tsinghua SIGS), bringing together 40 students from Tsinghua SIGS and The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) for a three-day innovation challenge focused on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The three-day event was co-hosted by Tsinghua SIGS and CUHK and organized by Tsinghua x-lab. Combining innovation practice with learning, the event aimed to strengthen collaboration between Shenzhen and Hong Kong and provide students with opportunities to develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges.
Group photo of the participants
The event opened on September 17 with remarks from Professor Wu Qianyuan, Associate Dean of Tsinghua SIGS, and Professor Hoi-To Wai, Assistant Dean (Student Affairs) of the Faculty of Engineering at CUHK. Zhang Xiaojun, Director of Tsinghua x-lab Shenzhen, moderated the opening session.
Wu Qianyuan, Associate Dean of Tsinghua SIGS, delivers remarks.
Hoi-To Wai, Assistant Dean (Student Affairs) of the Faculty of Engineering at CUHK delivers remarks.
The opening day also featured a talk on the latest SDG trends by Gao Xin, a youth development specialist from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). She shared insights into global sustainable development and opportunities for young people to contribute. A design thinking workshop led by Associate Professor Nie Xiaomei of Tsinghua SIGS helped students form teams and explore user needs and application scenarios.
On September 18, teams focused on developing their prototypes. Workshops on prototyping and lean entrepreneurship introduced methods for product development and business planning. With support from mentors, students worked on technology solutions, product design and market analysis, and continued to improve their prototypes.
The final day featured project presentations and a closing ceremony. The eight teams presented their projects to a panel of judges. Their projects addressed a range of issues, including elderly care, pharmaceutical delivery, sustainable AI education, biotechnology, resource recycling, heat and sun protection, and skills development and employment for people with disabilities.
The judging panel included Associate Professor Han Xili of Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Associate Professor Xie Xin of Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen, and Associate Professor Chen Bokui of Tsinghua SIGS. Projects were assessed based on their social value, innovation, feasibility and potential for practical use.
At the closing ceremony, Professor Zhu Yujie, Associate Dean of the Institute of Innovation Management at Tsinghua SIGS, recognized the students’ enthusiasm for innovation and sense of responsibility. He encouraged participants to build on the practical experience gained through the challenge, continue exploring SDG-related research, and contribute youth-driven solutions to global development challenges.
Zhu Yujie, Associate Dean of the Institute of Innovation Management at Tsinghua SIGS, delivers remarks at the closing ceremony
As a platform for youth innovation exchange between Shenzhen and Hong Kong, SDG Open Hack @ Tsinghua University provided an opportunity to explore global challenges from a youth perspective and transform innovative ideas into practical solutions through cross-regional collaboration.
Source from the Institute of Innovation Management
Edited by Chen Jundou
Reviewed by Lin Zhoulu and Nie Xiaomei
Layout by Peng Bin and Ye Yitian
