9th Global Competition on Design for Futures: Higher education ministry salutes team Cameroon’s performance.

It marked the end of a 10-month long competition that was originally launched in January this year. It opened the doors for students to develop and present AI-assisted design solutions to real-world challenges. 

The final assembled some 100 students from 20 countries. They were selected through regional championships organized in Africa, Central and Eastern Europe, Eastern Europe and Eastern Asia and Southeast Asia.

Cameroon bagged two medals in the competition through its students-led Team Medical Evaluation and Robotic Assistance, MERA, and Team ECOPRINTLAB.

The all-female contingent of Team MERA from the National Advanced School of Engineering is of the University of Douala. It claimed gold medal for its work on intelligent robotics applied to healthcare.

The project provides innovative solution aimed at improving access to basic healthcare in areas with low medical coverage.

The team explained that it runs an intelligent robot for medical evaluation and assistance, notably leveraging robotics and digital technologies for healthcare.

Team ECOPRINTLAB earned a silver medal in the competition.  This was thanks to its project which focuses on transforming plastic waste into functional solutions for health, education and infrastructure using advanced and sustainable technologies.

The project was led by students of the National Advanced School of Engineering of the University of Douala and the University of Dschang. 

Ministry hails exploits

The Ministry of Higher Education said the project demonstrated the mastery, creativity, and multidisciplinary expertise of Cameroonian students and youth in cutting-edge scientific fields.

In a statement on behalf of the Minister of State and Minister of Higher Education, Prof Jacques Fame Ndongo, the Head of the Information Systems Division at the ministry, Prof Atsa Etoundi Roger described the achievement as a historic moment for Cameroon and entire African continent. 

He said the achievements illustrate Cameroon’s potential as a hub of excellence in technology-related fields. Prof Atsa added that it also shows the success Sino-Cameroon relations through the Beijing Normal University.

The ministry reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting innovation, research and the digital transformation of higher education. 

The Global Competition on Design for Futures is jointly organized by the Beijing Normal University and the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies and Education.

The final of the 2026 competition featured 23 teams selected through the regional championships. 

Eighteen teams qualified for the final presentations. This was after refining their initial proposals through mentor guidance and project reviews, according to Chinese English language newspaper, China Daily.

Before qualifying for the global finals, the two Cameroonian teams had dominated the African regional series in May.

Team MERA won a gold medal in the continental championship where 16 teams presented projects proposing innovative technology-backed solutions to challenges related to education, science and society.

The closing ceremony of the global final in Beijing was chaired by the Deputy Director at the Smart Learning Institute at the Beijing Normal University, Chen Guangju.

Chen commended the participating students for their strides in combining design thinking with AI to explore innovative approaches in science, education and society.

He also expressed hope for deeper international cooperation and broader participation by young innovators. Chen was particular about their interest in developing solutions for a more inclusive and sustainable future as the competition prepares for its 10th edition which is scheduled for 2027.

This article was first published in The Guardian Post Edition No:3955 of Friday October 30, 2026