Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities Alliance

Logo GISU

 

In December 2018, the Guangzhou International Sister Cities University Alliance (GISU) was created.

 

GISU competition 2023

The University of Padua is one of the founding member universities of the alliance, which is committed to establishing a multilateral exchange mechanism to promote friendly exchanges between scholars from sister-cities. The alliance aims to strengthen the ties and exchanges between Guangzhou’s international sister cities and their local universities, and provide a platform for member universities to share international academic resources, encourage education and scientific and technological cooperation, enhance the vitality of urban development, and promote urban development.

Supported by the People's Government of the Guangzhou Municipality, GISU’s mission is to attract and leverage the academic resources of its members in close collaboration for the sustainable development of our cities. Strategic goals of each city's economic and social development should be considered with the basic idea of promoting sustainable urban development through scientific and technological innovation.

The Inauguration ceremony was held at the Guangzhou Baiyun International Conference Center, P.R. China, with all the representatives of the member universities present. The Alliance of Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities (GISU) currently includes 20 members and affiliate members representing 5 continents, 17 countries, 19 sister and friendly cities, a combined population of almost 38 million, over half a million students and 47,000 faculty and staff. Supported by the People's Government of the Guangzhou Municipality, GISU’s mission is to attract and leverage the academic resources of its members in close collaboration for the sustainable development of our cities.

Strategic goals of each city's economic and social development should be considered with the basic idea of promoting sustainable urban development through scientific and technological innovation.

Current GISU member universities are:

GISU member universities

  • Belarusian State University of Physical Culture
  • Charles Darwin University
  • Durban University of Technology 
  • Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
  • Guangzhou Medical University
  • Guangzhou University
  • Incheon National University
  • Linköpings Universitet
  • Middle East Technical University
  • National Technical University of Ukraine (“Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”)
  • Polytechnic University of Valencia
  • Stellenbosch University
  • Tampere University
  • University of Coimbra
  • Université of Economics Ho Chi Minh City
  • University of Padova
  • University of Quebec at Montreal
  • University of the West of England
  • University of Zaragoza
  • Western Sydney University

2023 Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition

The fourth Urban Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition sponsored by the Alliance of Guangzhou International Sister-City Universities and hosted by the University of Padua will be held from March to November 2023.

The competition is promoted by members of the GISU alliance with the support of the People's Government of the Guangzhou Municipality.

The theme of the competition is Promoting Sustainable Urban Development with Scientific and Technological Innovation, focusing on Science Entrepreneurship. Based upon this theme, various types of innovation and entrepreneurship-related projects are welcome. Strategic goals of each city's economic and social development should be considered with the basic idea of promoting sustainable urban development through scientific and technological innovation.

Competition Finalists will be judged by the following criteria but not limited to:

  • Innovation
  • Team
  • Commerciality
  • Social Benefits
  • Communication

Eligible participants are full-time students over 18 years old or graduates within 5 years of graduation (graduates after 2018) from GISU member universities. Each team must have at least two participating members and must be actual members of the project. The principal applicant will be considered as the team leader.

Based on different projects and categories, competition groups include:

  • CONCEPT TEAMS: Members of the team have not funded a company, but have a business idea or project.
  • START-UP TEAMS: Members have launched a start-up company. The company must not have been established before 2021. The equity of the legal representative of the participating enterprise shall not be less than 10% and the total equity of the participating members shall not be less than 1/3. The corporate legal representative shall not be allowed to make changes after the announcement of the contest.

The teams are invited to illustrate how the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals can benefit from their projects with a specific focus on innovation, multidisciplinary and impactful concepts to include entrepreneurship and innovation.

Project Submission Requirements

  • Project demonstration video
  • Project presentation powerpoint
  • Business plan
  • Brief summary of the project (about 300 words the team approves to be used as advertisement material on the university website)

Please nominate the file as follows:

TEAMNAME_PROJECT_VIDEO,
TEAMNAME_PROJECT_PPT,
TEAMNAME_BUSINESS_PLAN,
TEAMNAME_PROJECT_SUMMARY.

All the above documents must be sent to Gisu.competition@unipd.it by 16 June 2023.

Stages of competition:
1. IN-SCHOOL PRELIMINARY COMPETITION. Names of TEAMS need to be communicated by 16 June 2023.
2. ONLINE SEMI-FINAL COMPETITION held 10 July 2023
3. FINAL COMPETITION, held virtually and in presence (Padova, Italy), 9-10 November 2023, date to be confirmed.