Launched on March 6, 2026, the Global Competition on Design for Futures (GCD4F) mobilizes students from around the world around innovative projects using artificial intelligence to respond to contemporary challenges.
The Global Competition on Design for Futures (GCD4F) 2026 opens its doors to Cameroonian students. This international academic competition, initiated by Beijing Normal University in collaboration with the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE) and the World Digital Education Alliance, aims to encourage the design of innovative solutions to meet major global challenges through design, artificial intelligence, and technological innovation.
Officially launched on March 6, 2026, the initiative offers an international platform for students to develop projects contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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In Cameroon, the participation of universities is supported by the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, who encourages institutions to mobilize their students.
The competition is open to all students, regardless of academic level, whether they are in bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, or engineering training. To participate, candidates must form teams of three to five members. Teams can be composed of students from different universities or disciplines, with interdisciplinary approaches being strongly encouraged. However, an important condition is required: at least one member of the team must be able to communicate in English, the official language of the competition.
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Submitted projects must fall within one of the three selected thematic axes: “AI for Science,” dedicated to applications of artificial intelligence in scientific research, health, or climate; “AI for Education,” which explores the use of AI to improve learning methods; and “AI for Society,” dedicated to technological solutions responding to societal challenges such as digital inclusion, governance, or sustainable cities.
Teams must submit a file including a project report detailing the problem studied and the proposed solution, as well as a presentation video of approximately five minutes. The first phase of online submission takes place from March 9 to April 19, 2026.
Preselected teams will then participate in the African regional finals scheduled at the National Advanced School of Engineering of the University of Yaoundé I, before a world final scheduled for October 2026, possibly in Beijing or Paris.
Free of charge, the competition offers participants international academic visibility, certificates, opportunities for publication and collaboration, as well as the possibility to represent their university and their country on the global innovation stage.
