Invites you to join

2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge Program

Discover poverty around you

Explore poverty alleviation solutions together

Outstanding teams will have the opportunity totravel to Brazil/Chile for cross-cultural mutual learning

Global challenges, respond together

About the Poverty Alleviation Challenge Program

Poverty alleviation is a common challenge for developing countries and a shared challenge for the whole world. In 2024, the Tsinghua University Latin America Center, Research Center for China-Latin America Management Studies of Tsinghua School of Economics and Management (SEM), and Center for Global Competence Development at Tsinghua University, in collaboration with Latin American university partners, launched and carried out the "China-Latin America Youth Responding to Global Challenges — 2024 Poverty Alleviation Challenge Program" in China, Brazil, and Chile, sparking a wave of university-led poverty alleviation dialogues between China and Latin America. In November of the same year, during Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to Brazil to attend the G20 Summit, Tsinghua University and the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro signed a cooperation agreement for this project. The agreement was included in the list of visit outcomes, becoming a landmark project for win-win development between China and Latin America. On this basis, the "2025 Poverty Alleviation Challenge Program," jointly hosted by Tsinghua University and Latin American partner institutions, attracted over 310 teachers and students from 27 universities and enterprises across four countries in China and Latin America, with 12 teams advancing to the cross-national finals held in Chile and Brazil.

The "2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge Program" will build upon the 2025 edition with greater innovation, injecting new momentum into the global poverty alleviation cause. Through cross-national teaming, competitions, and field research, it will gather the strength of Chinese and Latin American youth to jointly explore poverty alleviation solutions. Winning teams will also have the opportunity to travel to Latin America for study and exchange. If you are eager to inject new momentum into global poverty alleviation, now is the best time to set off.

Introduction

The Tsinghua University Rural Revitalization Center has been deeply engaged in rural China for nearly a decade, witnessing the transformation of many villages from decline to revitalization. We believe that the integration of spatial renewal, technology integration, and business model innovation can activate endogenous rural vitality in a cost-effective and replicable manner.

Against this backdrop, we have put forward the official project theme "Rural Vitality Renewal" for the 2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge. We hope that Chinese and Latin American youth will jointly explore new pathways for rural poverty alleviation with creativity and action.

Project Introduction

Project Title

Rural Vitality Renewal – Technology-Enabled Rural Stock Assets and Business Model Innovation Program

Project Background

Many underdeveloped rural areas face two major challenges:

l Idle public spaces (old auditoriums, abandoned public facilities, traditional residences) are poorly maintained and underutilized.

l Scattered cultural and natural resources lack effective platforms for activation and utilization.The “Rural Vitality Renewal” program encourages student teams to design comprehensive, sustainable solutions to revitalize local economies by focusing on rural stock spaces and idle assets, with technology empowerment and business model innovation as core drivers.

Focus Areas (Choose One or More)

l Spatial Renewal: Use innovative green building materials to conduct low-cost, low-intervention renovation and functional transformation of idle buildings into multi-purpose public spaces such as rural bookstores, agricultural product exhibition halls, and intangible cultural heritage workshops.

l Technology Integration: Introduce compact ecological treatment facilities, AI education terminals, and intelligent guidance systems to improve operational efficiency and user experience.

l Model Innovation: Develop renovated spaces into self-sustaining rural operation units, offering study tours, rural experience activities, cultural and creative markets, and other diversified businesses.

Tsinghua University Rural Revitalization Center: A Youth Force and Rural Construction Platform Walking Through the Countryside

Founded in 2017, the Tsinghua University Rural Revitalization Center responds to the national call for rural revitalization and carries forward Tsinghua’s tradition of serving the nation and society. As the first model of its kind among Chinese universities, it has built a nationwide network dedicated to the long-term implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, supporting rural development in industry, talent, culture, living environment, and community governance.

It serves as a “mobile ideological and political classroom in the countryside” and an “incubator for rural innovation and entrepreneurship”. Here, young students apply professional expertise to solve real social problems, promoting the activation of idle rural assets, industrial upgrading, and cultural revival.

To date, the Center has organized more than 1,060 teams involving over 17,500 teachers and students from more than 200 universities, contributing a total of 210,800 volunteer service days and benefiting more than 1.1 million villagers. It has conducted research in over 1,400 villages, completed more than 10 million words of research reports, renovated 46,000 square meters of idle buildings, and attracted over 700 million yuan in construction investment. The program has appointed 256 “Honorary Villagers,” trained more than 8,000 volunteer leaders, and provided training for over 30,000 rural cadres and villagers.

Its work has been widely reported by authoritative media including People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, and CCTV News Network, and featured twice on CCTV’s May Fourth Youth Gala. Global outlets such as CGTN and China Daily have shared China’s rural revitalization stories with the world.

Tsinghua “Rural Innovation +” Triple-Creation Talent Program

Launched in 2021, the Tsinghua “Rural Innovation +” (Xiangchuang+) program cultivates innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial talents focused on rural development. Through mentorship, training, practical support, funding, and government collaboration, the program deepens students’ understanding of grassroots rural China and strengthens their ability to address rural challenges.

We incubate next-generation startups in technological and business model innovation, including new materials, environmental protection, and cultural industries, driving industrial transformation in agriculture and business. We provide full scholarships for aspiring rural-focused entrepreneurs to participate in the “Rural Innovation +” program.

Project Mentor

Zhang Hong, Associate Professor, School of Architecture, Tsinghua University; Director, Tsinghua Rural Construction Institute; Leader, Tsinghua University Rural Revitalization Center

He specializes in sustainable architectural design, building informatization and industrialization, and renovation of existing buildings. He promotes rural sustainable development through architectural spatial design, oversees the national rural revitalization office network, and connects academic resources with rural development needs with extensive experience in university-local collaboration, project implementation, and industrial empowerment.

Exclusive Benefits for Participants

1. “Rural Innovation +” Special Certificate

2. Project Implementation Support

Outstanding proposals can be piloted at physical center of the Tsinghua University Rural Revitalization Center, with access to entrepreneurship coaching and resource matching through the “Rural Innovation +” program.

3. “Rural Innovation +” Special Overseas Visit Quota

Teams applying through the Rural Revitalization Center will enjoy special support: if not selected by the camp organizer but meeting Tsinghua’s training standards, 1–2 high-performing teams (1–2 students per team) with projects aligned with rural revitalization paradigms will be sponsored to participate in study and exchange programs in Brazil and Chile in summer 2026. Funding is provided by the program in accordance with Tsinghua’s overseas dispatch regulations (participants cover a small portion of costs as required).

4. Platform Promotion and Exposure

Excellent teams and projects will be featured across all official channels of the Tsinghua University Rural Revitalization Center.

Youth dedicated to rural areas, innovation revitalizes the countryside!

Whether you are from China, Brazil, Chile, or Peru, and whether you study architecture, computer science, economics, environmental science, or sociology, if you are passionate about poverty alleviation and inspired by rural development, “Rural Vitality Renewal” is your starting point.

Join the 2026 Poverty Alleviation Challenge

work with the Tsinghua University Rural Revitalization Center

activate spaces with design

empower villages with technology

enable poverty alleviation through business models

and turn Chinese wisdom into shared solutions for the world!