The finals of the 7th National University Student AI+ Innovation Practice Competition in Municipal Environment concluded on September 20th and 21st in Sanya, Hainan. Co-organized by Harbin Institute of Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai Chengtou Wastewater Treatment Co., Ltd., Sanya Development Holding Co., Ltd., and Beijing Enterprises Water Group Limited, the competition attracted 671 teams from 179 universities across China, making it the largest edition to date. Under the theme "Intelligent Convergence for Future Cities: AI Empowers Green Innovation in Municipal Environment," the competition aimed to integrate innovation education throughout the talent cultivation process, promote interdisciplinary collaboration, nurture versatile talents in the municipal and environmental sectors, and inject new momentum into the development of new quality productive forces.

International student MOHAMMED ABIOLA AKANBI from our institute won the first prize with the team project "Hybrid Waste-to-Resource Model for Organic Waste on Tourist Islands." Another international student, DIAWARA BERNARD LASSIMO, secured the second prize with the team project "Machine Learning-Aided Research on the Mechanism and Prediction Model of Microbial-Induced Heavy Metal Solidification in Wastewater."

The international teams fully integrated advanced technological concepts from their respective countries and diverse perspectives on urban environmental management, demonstrating exceptional innovation capabilities and unique insights in leveraging artificial intelligence for sustainable urban development. These awards not only recognize the innovative strength of the international student teams but also highlight the broad application prospects of AI technology in the refined management of municipal environments and the construction of smart cities.