Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) has won the Excellence Cup at the 15th Challenge Cup China College Students' Entrepreneurship Competition. The national final ran from 30 October to 2 November 2026 at Dalian University of Technology. NUAA has now received the award at seven consecutive editions since the award was introduced in 2014.
Why it matters
The Challenge Cup is one of China's largest student innovation and entrepreneurship competitions. This year more than 3 million students from over 2,700 universities and colleges took part, moving through campus, provincial and national rounds. Dalian University of Technology took the top Challenge Cup, and 71 universities, including NUAA, received the Excellence Cup. Winning it at every edition since 2014 shows that NUAA's student teams have performed well over a long period, not in a single year.
Key facts
Competition: the 15th Challenge Cup China College Students' Entrepreneurship Competition.
National final: 30 October to 2 November 2026, at Dalian University of Technology in Liaoning province.
Scale: more than 3 million students from over 2,700 universities and colleges.
NUAA result: Excellence Cup, for the seventh consecutive edition since the award began in 2014.
Overall: Dalian University of Technology won the Challenge Cup; 71 universities received the Excellence Cup.
Main-track prizes: 106 special prizes, 216 first prizes, 429 second prizes and 1,046 third prizes.
Co-organisers included the Ministry of Education, the China Association for Science and Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
How NUAA's teams prepared
According to NUAA, the result came from long preparation by its student teams. On campus, students worked on technology development, experimental testing and product refinement. Off campus, they carried out market research and worked with businesses to explore partnerships and ways to put their ideas into practice.
The university says the award reflects its continued effort to help students turn ideas into practical solutions and to gain experience where technology, entrepreneurship and the market meet.
What this means for international students
Students at NUAA can join project teams that take an idea from the lab to a business plan, often with engineering at the core. If you want an engineering or management degree with hands-on innovation work, start with our programmes page and look at funding options on the scholarships page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Challenge Cup entrepreneurship competition?
The Challenge Cup China College Students' Entrepreneurship Competition is a national contest in which student teams develop business plans for new products and technologies. The 15th edition drew more than 3 million students from over 2,700 universities and colleges, with campus, provincial and national rounds ending in a final in Dalian.
What did NUAA win at the 2026 Challenge Cup?
NUAA received the Excellence Cup at the 15th Challenge Cup China College Students' Entrepreneurship Competition, held from 30 October to 2 November 2026. It is the seventh consecutive edition at which NUAA has received this award since it was introduced in 2014. In 2026, 71 universities received the Excellence Cup.
Can international students join innovation and entrepreneurship projects at NUAA?
NUAA encourages students to develop technology, test prototypes and work with businesses through competitions like the Challenge Cup. International students interested in this kind of work should choose a programme in a related field and ask their college about student project teams after arrival. Applications for the March 2027 intake are open.
Sources: NUAA English News · Science and Technology Daily
