A team of Rwandan students from Rwanda Polytechnic (RP) Musanze college and Chinese students from Jinhua University of Vocational Technology decently secured a gold medal at the 2024 World Skills Competition (International Group) that was held in China.

Competing against over 300 teams from vocational colleges worldwide, the team’s innovative project, ‘Smarter Cooking, Better Living, Smart Kitchenware Enters the African Market’ concept stood out in the final round, showcasing the possibilities of tech-enabled kitchen solutions tailored for the African market.

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The gold-winning team was composed of four students: Yan Meng from China, and Alphonsine Uwamahoro, Ange Natacha Umwali, and Elie Ngabonziza from Rwanda.

The comprehensive evaluation considered five aspects: skill level, professional ethics, application value, teamwork, and innovation.

Another Rwandan Chinese team, also representing the partnership between the two institutions, won a bronze medal for their project, ‘Electromagnetic Valve Intelligent Packaging Digital Solution.’

This team included Hong Encheng from China, Israel Tuyihimbaze and Philimine Mbonimana from Rwanda.

Throughout the competition, both teams integrated resources and collaborated closely with their instructors to address challenges, such as equipment modifications and tight timelines, by studying the competition’s requirements and refining their projects.

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The efforts that led to the medals emphasise the strength of cross-cultural collaboration and technical expertise, the universities said.

RP-Musanze College has a cooperative relationship with Jinhua University of Vocational Technology, through the joint ‘Future Africa Program’, which facilitated the international students’ participation in this competition.

This year, for the first time, the World Skills Competition introduced an ‘International Group,’ drawing 1,279 contestants from 73 countries across Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Africa, and Oceania. 413 teams competed in 36 events.

Students were assessed based on their project tasks, which required them to divide duties according to specific job roles, explain the skill operations, and record videos of the process.