On December 20th , 2021, the National Network Originality Competition (NOC) for Primary and Secondary Schools, organized by CAAI and the Urban-Rural Integrated Development Research Center, held a strategic cooperation signing ceremony with Tencent. The two parties will work hand in hand to jointly promote the development of artificial intelligence education for teenagers.

Researcher Liu Chenglin, vice chairman of the CAAI, the organizer of the NOC competition, deputy director of the Institute of Automation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Xie Huaping, director of the Urban-Rural Integrated Development Research Center of the organizer of the NOC competition; Li Weifu, Deputy Director of the National Organizing Committee of NOC Competition, and President of China Information Technology Education Magazine; Ren Xiaoheng, Secretary-General of the National Organizing Committee of the NOC Competition and Executive Vice President of China Information Technology Education Magazine; Wang Tao, Vice President of Tencent Education; General Manager Zheng Lei, head of Tencent Interactive Entertainment User Platform Department and Tencent Minors Protection System; General Manager Ning Duo, head of Tencent Education Creative Cooperation Center and Tencent Youth Science and Technology Learning Center, attended the event. 

Liu Mingzhe, the Executive Deputy Secretary-General of the National Organizing Committee of the NOC Competition, Vice President of China Information Technology Education Magazine; Zhang Shuai, Director of Tencent Mutual Entertainment Youth Business Center; and Ling Yun, Director of Tencent Education Creative Cooperation Center, signed the contract on behalf of both parties. Director Zhu Yajuan of Tencent Education Youth Artificial Intelligence Center presided over the signing ceremony.

The National Network Originality Competition (NOC) for Primary and Secondary Schools is hosted by the Urban-Rural Integrated Development Research Center and CAAI. It is an AI popularization activity for all-round teenagers and aims to comprehensively improve students’ information literacy, innovation spirit and practical ability.

Starting from the NOC competition in the 2021-2022 academic year, Tencent will provide technical support for the competitions “Kou Ding Creative Programming” and “AI Creators” competitions. Student representatives who have performed well in the competition will have the opportunity to be invited to visit Tencent headquarters and participate in the Tencent National Youth Artificial Intelligence Dream Camp Carnival.

Director Xie Huaping pointed out in his speech that the NOC Competition is one of the national competitions for primary and secondary school students approved by the Ministry of Education. It is designed to implement the national innovation-driven development strategy and explore innovative talent training models. Welcome Tencent to join us to make this meaningful and influential event better together.

Researcher Liu Chenglin expressed congratulations on the cooperation between the two parties on behalf of CAAI, and hoped that the two sides will go hand in hand to create more opportunities for talented children to display and lead them to realize their innovative dreams in the field of artificial intelligence.

President Li Weifu said that since the establishment of the NOC competition, it has always followed the laws of education and students’ growth, and has taken it as its responsibility to cultivate the innovative spirit and practical ability of young people. It is hoped that in the future, science and technology will be used to promote the balanced development of education, provide teachers and students in underdeveloped areas with high-quality artificial intelligence education and teaching resources, and jointly inject new blood and vitality into technology and innovation.

General Manager Zheng Lei shared Tencent’s efforts in artificial intelligence education for young people. According to reports, Tencent’s youth AI education started in 2018, focusing on building an inclusive youth AI education framework in terms of learning tools, course content, and competition activities.

General Manager Ning Duo shared the team’s commitment to exploring the practical road of “Technology + Education”, helping the technology industry to reserve talents in the future. At present, Tencent has combined its scientific research and engineering practice with systematic scientific and technological talent training experience to accumulate and polish a series of high-quality products and high-quality curriculum content suitable for all kinds of innovative schools and schools in rural areas.

Director Zhang Shuai and Director Ling Yun introduced in detail Tencent’s efforts and innovations in youth artificial intelligence education in recent years.

Vice President Wang Tao expressed his expectation for the cooperation between the two parties and hoped that in the future, both parties will jointly build a smart education community with artificial intelligence and programming competitions as starting points, and establish in-depth cooperation in academic seminars, collection of course cases, media platforms, teacher training, and joint promotion of the development of rural education.

During the event, the guests visited Tencent’s Beijing headquarters and held discussions on topics such as youth artificial intelligence education and youth science and technology talent training.