The Global Competition on Design for Futures (GCD4F), initiated by Beijing Normal University (BNU) in 2018 and co-organized with UNESCO IITE, is an annual flagship event of the World Digital Education Alliance. Formerly focused on education, this year’s competition expands its scope to harness the power of design and artificial intelligence (AI) in accelerating progress across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Under the framework of the UN International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024-2033), GCD4F 2026 calls on university students worldwide to become architects of change. The competition invites interdisciplinary teams of 3-5 members to develop innovative, human-centred solutions within three core themes: AI for Science, AI for Education, and AI for Society.
Guided by principles of diversity, regional representation, and responsible AI involvement, participants will engage in a three-phase journey from January to October 2026. Submissions will be evaluated by an international jury on criteria including problem awareness, innovation spirit, technology for good, application prospect, presentation and expression.
Finalists will gain international recognition, with opportunities for publication by Springer, mentorship, and inclusion in the UNESCO IITE E-Library.
There are no participation fees.
How to Participate:
University students are invited to register, form teams, and submit their initial proposals by 30 April 2026. For detailed guidelines and timelines, please visit the official competition website http://gcd4fe.bnu.edu.cn/en
For any further inquiries, please contact d4fe@bnu.edu.cn