Shanghai international schools clinch robotics competition titles

International schools in Shanghai took home big prizes at the 2024-2025 International Schools Robotics Competition held recently at Concordia International School Shanghai.

Nearly 200 students and staff from 11 international schools in the Yangtze River Delta region gathered in Shanghai for the two-day competition.

Concordia hosted the event for the third year in a row, featuring the VEX Robotics Competition (VRC) "High Stakes" for middle and high school students and the VEX IQ Challenge (VIQC) "Rapid Relay" for elementary and middle school students.

This year's event is significant since it qualifies students for the World Robotics Competition through the Association of China and Mongolia International Schools (ACAMIS).

The competition was more than just a showcase of scientific and engineering expertise; it also fostered respect, friendship, and strategic thinking. It was a celebration of curiosity and creativity, instilling a desire to study in today's fast-paced, technologically advanced society.

"Students were encouraged to strategize, form new friendships, and form alliances – reinforcing our schools' and robotics clubs' student-focused educational philosophy emphasizing active learning, decision-making, and overcoming challenges," said Dr Yujiro Fujiwara, Concordia STEM Coordinator.

"The competition demands that students design the robots completely on their own. They must craft the code for the autonomous programming within. As coaches, we provide guidance on how the technology works, but we don't do any designing for them.

"So as a group of four or five students, they have to come together, research different ideas to creatively design their own robot, and handle troubleshooting. So it's entirely a student-led process, which really cultivates that STEM understanding and also a team dynamic," added Robert Knight, Concordia High School Science Teacher.

Shanghai American School won the championship title after a fierce two-day competition, the international division of Shanghai Soong Ching Ling School finished runner-up, and Concordia International School Shanghai received the Excellence Award.