Nearly 200 university students from China and 24 other countries gathered in the central Chinese city of Jingmen to study real world governance cases, exploring how rural revitalization and grassroots innovations shape Chinese modernization and what lessons they might offer for communities elsewhere.
The second Governing China: University Student Governance Case Analysis Competition wrapped up on Sunday in Jingmen, Hubei Province. Themed "Discover Jingmen, Inspire the World", the four-day event focused on real governance practices within China's modernization drive, spanning eight subjects including urban and rural development, digital public governance, and ecological governance.
During the finals, participating teams delivered presentations and engaged in defense sessions, diving deep into their topics while turning local governance case studies into a cross cultural conversation.
In the international student track, the top prize went to a Sichuan University team made up of students from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and China. Their case focused on a village in Zhejiang Province, exploring how its ecological revitalization model might offer lessons for Pakistan.
Francesca Ran Rositudottir, an Icelandic student, said such exchanges are of great importance. "It is very meaningful for young people from different countries to come together and exchange ideas. I think communication is the most important thing."
Launched in November 2025, the competition drew broad participation from universities across China. A total of 80 teams from 33 universities advanced to the finals. Among the nearly 200 student representatives and observers were 38 international students from 24 countries, including Russia, Germany, Japan, South Korea and Uzbekistan.
Through lively debates and collaborative case study analysis, students from China and abroad examined how communities tackle shared challenges, from balancing economic growth with environmental protection to making digital public services accessible to remote regions.
Sherbek Mukhiddinov, an Uzbek student, reflected on what he learned.
"I discussed problems in Jingmen with locals. I discussed problems with foreigners in their countries, and I learned a lot about what I can do in my country to try to develop other regions," he said.
The event is more than a competition. It is also a platform for academic exchange, cooperation between universities and local authorities, and cross cultural dialogue.
Experts say the goal is to encourage young people to better understand China through field research, real cases and local practices, while contributing their own ideas to high quality development and the modernization of governance.
Youth case competition in Jingmen turns local practices into global dialogue
