Global student teams gather for robotics

In a bustling arena at East China Normal University, the whir of motors and cheers from competitors and spectators filled the air during the 2026 FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Shanghai Regional, held from March 13 to 15. Nearly 1,000 young innovators representing 50 teams from around the world gathered to showcase their engineering prowess.

This year's challenge, themed "Rebuilt", encourages participants to explore history through an engineering lens. Teams compete in qualifying rounds before advancing to elimination matches, with the top performers earning a spot at the global finals in Houston, United States, this April.

During each match, alliances must complete a series of tasks within limited time, such as scoring fuel, crossing obstacles, and climbing towers. Each match begins with a 20-second autonomous period, during which robots operate on their own, followed by 2 minutes and 20 seconds of driver-controlled gameplay.

"That's a very real-world engineering and machine learning application that students are being exposed to," said Collin Fultz, senior director for FRC."The annual game changes ensure that each group of students experiences a fresh challenge in strategy development, robot design, building, and programming. They can't simply reuse last year's design."

Fultz also highlighted the global scale of the competition. "What makes this unique is that teams all over the world are playing the exact same game," he said. "This weekend alone, there are more than 30 events taking place across six different countries."

The competition is also expanding rapidly in China. Chen Bangchao, business director of the FRC China committee, noted that the number of Chinese teams participating has increased by 20 percent compared with last year.

"We believe this is more than just a robotics competition," Chen said. "It's also a platform for addressing important social issues, encouraging students to care about society and develop solutions to real-world problems.""I find robotics fascinating — how a collection of parts can be transformed through manufacturing into something that moves," said Wang Po-hao, a competitor from Our Lady of Providence High School in Taiwan. "I love turning my ideas into engineering drawings and then into actual products."

Wang was primarily responsible for engineering on his team. "We started with engineering drawings and used wooden boards to test early prototypes," he explained. "After confirming that the design was feasible, we upgraded the components and continued making adjustments and improvements."

Through the process, Wang gained meaningful insights into design. "I've learned that effective design must not only achieve its intended purpose, but also consider reliability, stability, component integration, and efficiency," he said. "I may choose this field for my future studies or career, and I believe the knowledge I've gained here will be extremely valuable."

Lu Yixuan, captain of the Violet Z 6940 team from the Minhang Zizhu Branch of the No 2 High School affiliated with ECNU, shared a similar perspective, highlighting the strong sense of ownership students feel toward their work. Her team secured an alliance victory as the first runner-up at last year's FRC event and later advanced to the world championship in Houston.

"Every match affects me emotionally because our robot is entirely designed and built by students — from the initial blueprints and 3D modeling to custom assembly," Lu said proudly. "Working on the robot has given me a deep sense of belonging and pride in what we've accomplished. Once I truly understood this field, I fell in love with robotics."

Engineering for good

Beyond the competition, many teams also use the platform to promote social advocacy.

Man Ching-tin, a member of the Royal Turtles from Diocesan Boys' School in Hong Kong, shared how his team has brought STEM education to more than 300 underprivileged children across 15 institutions.

They have also integrated elements of FRC into their school curriculum, reaching and influencing over 2,000 individuals.

"We traveled to Thailand to provide educational opportunities for children in impoverished areas, hoping to change lives through technology," he said. "We've also partnered with science museums to offer courses that teach basic scientific knowledge to children, including those with autism."

His teammate, Xu Yin-tat, emphasized the importance of regional collaboration. "We hope to establish a broader FRC community with other schools," he said. "We've hosted a team from Shenzhen at our school and have begun seeking partnerships with teams from Beijing and Shanghai."

Song Jinyang, coach of Violet Z 6940 team, has witnessed remarkable transformations in her students. "Many students join without a strong foundation in robotics. Through the process, you see them start from scratch and gradually develop a profound interest in innovation," she said.

"They become deeply invested in their assigned tasks and conduct in-depth independent research. One student even mastered 3D printing to a level that surpassed many adults," Song noted.

She added that these hands-on experiences often shape students' future career paths, with many alumni going on to study engineering and later returning as mentors.

Hosting the event for the second consecutive year, Shi Hongliang, principal of the Minhang Zizhu Branch of the No 2 High School affiliated with ECNU, said the goal is to provide a world-class platform for young people.

"Our aim is to give more students from Shanghai and across China the opportunity to participate in high-level robotics competitions locally," he said. "The growing number of domestic participants, together with teams from around the world, not only raises the level of competition but also helps the international community better understand China and recognize the achievements of Chinese youth in robotics education."

Wang Hao, deputy director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Education, emphasized the strategic importance of youth innovation."Young people represent the future of scientific innovation. As Shanghai accelerates its development into a global technology hub, strengthening science education for young people is central to that vision," he said.

"True education enables young people to sharpen their skills by solving real-world problems, learning inclusivity through teamwork, and maintaining passion when facing the unknown," said Ma Yugang, president of ECNU. "Competitions like FRC serve as vital bridges that connect classrooms with society and link theory with practice."