Science competition displays skills of Chinese youth at Shanghai University

The national finals of Global Natural History Day 2025, a natural science competition for youth, concluded on Tuesday at Shanghai University, showcasing young talents in natural sciences from across China.

The five-day event, jointly organized by the Natural History Museum of China, Behring Global Educational Foundation, and Shanghai University, brought together 640 teams from 17 regions across China. Participants competed in five categories: exhibitions, performances, science demonstrations, nature-themed artwork, and storytelling.

Teams displayed their scientific aptitude through methodical approaches, observational skills, and presentations, reflecting Chinese youth's growing engagement with critical scientific issues.

"Global Natural History Day has consistently maintained its original mission as a nonprofit science popularization event for global youth, continuously injecting youthful energy into the inheritance of natural sciences," Duan Yong, deputy Party secretary of Shanghai University, said in his address.

He also emphasized the university's commitment to fostering scientific innovation and supporting youth exploration in the sciences.

Wang Shiwen, deputy Party secretary of the Natural History Museum of China, emphasized the event's role in developing scientific perspectives among young people. "Beyond the excellent results achieved, participants learned to observe the world through a scientific lens and developed valuable teamwork skills," Wang noted.

A highlight of the event was the directors' forum on museum resource integration and cultural shaping, where museum directors and experts discussed strategies to transcend physical space limitations, bridge cultural gaps, and maximize the social impact of museum collections.

Looking ahead, Shanghai University announced plans to collaborate with the Chinese Association of Natural Science Museums, focusing on academic research and standard-setting through strategic planning and resource integration to advance innovation in the museum field.

At the closing ceremony, Stephen Philip Beinke, president of the Behring Global Educational Foundation, praised the participants' performances over the event. He announced that next year would mark the 15th anniversary of Global Natural History Day, promising a more impressive competition platform for young scientific talents.