Recently, Sun Ziqiao, a student majoring in Supply Chain Management (International Logistics and Supply Chain Management concentration) from the Logistics School of Beijing Wuzi University, was invited to attend the award ceremony of the 2023 Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition held at the International Conference Centre Geneva (CICG), Switzerland. Together with Li Xinran and students from the University of Rhode Island, Sun Ziqiao formed the team "Woody," which won both the Gold Medal in the Cross-National Team Category and a Global Bronze Medal—marking the first time that students from our university have received awards in a global international competition and setting a new milestone! The achievement is especially meaningful as 2024 marks the 30th anniversary of logistics education at our university.
Turgut Erkeskin, President of the International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations (FIATA), and Stephane Graber, FIATA Director General, attended the ceremony and presented the award to Sun Ziqiao. Representing the winning team, Sun delivered a speech sharing their competition experience and project outcomes, receiving enthusiastic applause from the audience.
The Global Sustainability Supply Chain Student Competition is co-hosted by FIATA, the Group of Friends of Sustainable Transport (GFST), and the Global Supply Chain Classroom (GSCC). The competition aims to propose innovative solutions to pressing sustainability challenges faced by global supply chains. The inaugural event attracted participation from 71 teams representing 31 universities across four continents—Asia, the Americas, Europe, and Africa—including Tsinghua University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Tongji University, Southeast University, University of International Business and Economics, Southwest Jiaotong University, Nanjing University of Finance and Economics, Beijing Wuzi University (China), University of Maryland, University of Wisconsin, University of Pittsburgh, University of Texas at Dallas, University of Rhode Island, Iowa State University (USA), Cranfield University (UK), Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (Germany), Toronto Metropolitan University (Canada), KEDGE Business School (France), Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia), and the Higher School of Commerce of Algiers (Algeria).After rigorous evaluations by over ten international experts from institutions such as the World Bank (WB), FIATA, the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), the International Center for Transport Diplomacy (ICTD), and Maersk, six winning teams were selected (1 Gold, 2 Silver, and 3 Bronze). These teams were invited to participate in the 2024 FIATA HQ Meeting and engage in academic exchanges with officials from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) Technology and Logistics Branch in Geneva.Four students from the Supply Chain Management program (International Logistics and Supply Chain Management concentration) of the Logistics School—Sun Ziqiao, Li Xinran, Qi Hang, and Jin Mingde—formed two teams with students from the University of Rhode Island. After several rounds of intense competition, both teams advanced to the global finals and achieved outstanding results. The "Woody" team, consisting of Sun Ziqiao and Li Xinran, won the Gold Medal for Cross-National Teams and a Global Bronze Medal, while the "Finest & Brightest" team, consisting of Qi Hang and Jin Mingde, won the Cross-National Team Bronze Medal.
The competition was launched in September 2023 and lasted for three months, comprising three rounds. The first round (October 22, 2023) was a regional preliminary requiring the submission of an English proposal; the second round (November 11–19) involved regional semi-final presentations in English; and the third round (December 4–8) featured the global finals with English presentations. Participants were tasked with simulating real-world business operations and developing innovative sustainable supply chain solutions.
Through this competition, the four students from the Logistics School demonstrated their ability to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, showcased their innovative thinking and professional competence, and made valuable contributions to the global discourse on sustainable supply chain development. Their outstanding performance reflects the program's strength in cultivating globally minded, practice-oriented talent. It also enhanced the students’ global perspectives and practical skills, laying a solid foundation for the future development of professionals in sustainable development.Looking ahead, Beijing Wuzi University will continue to strengthen international cooperation, offer students more high-level platforms for global exchange and practical experience, promote the integration of theory and practice in the field of supply chain management, and contribute to the sustainable development of global supply chains.