Students bring practical innovation to global stage

As delegates headed toward the convention hall of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Bangkok, many suddenly paused at the entrance.

Instead of going straight to their seats, they gathered around an unexpected attraction — an intelligent robot. Some reached out to shake its hand, others exchanged hugs with it, while a few lifted their phones to take selfies.

Watching strangers laugh together and share this moment of curiosity, I felt the nearly four months of preparation had been worthwhile. In that small scene, the message we hoped to convey through the entire event came to life: innovation begins with interaction.

I was part of the team from Tsinghua University that organized an exhibition and a side event at the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, held in Bangkok from Feb 24 to 27. Tsinghua was the only higher education institution granted exhibition rights at the forum — a distinction that quickly turned excitement into pressure.

Our task was clear but challenging: how could we design an exhibition that reflected the mission of universities while demonstrating the role of youth and researchers in advancing sustainable development across the region?

To answer that question, we showcased nearly 30 innovations from Tsinghua and other members of the Asian Universities Alliance that had already moved beyond the laboratory and into real-world applications. Rather than presenting technology as abstract concepts, we wanted visitors to see how innovation can address practical challenges.

One exhibit I found particularly meaningful was a smart boxing vest. The system, once used to train an Olympic champion, now integrates sensors and real-time analysis so that even children in remote mountainous areas can access professional-level training. Watching visitors try on the vest, I was reminded how technology can expand access to education and opportunity.

The robot, however, quickly became the most popular exhibit. When ESCAP Deputy Executive Secretary for Partnerships and Coordination Shombi Sharp arrived, he spent nearly half an hour interacting with it — shaking hands, bumping fists, picking it up, and posing for photos.

Moments like this showed that engagement and curiosity naturally draw people together — a principle that shaped the conversations that followed. At a side event we organized, scholars from seven Asian universities, alongside representatives from enterprises and international organizations, discussed knowledge co-production and innovation in sustainable development.

While celebrating technological progress, participants also stressed the need to ensure that innovation remains inclusive. "A more fundamental question is how we can lower the cost and power consumption of AI so that people everywhere can access and use it," said Professor Wang Yu from Tsinghua University.

Professor Maria from Nazarbayev University further highlighted the importance of preserving human dignity. "In the era of AI, leaving no one behind means designing for those for whom the system works the least," she said.

Scholars also emphasized that meaningful innovation rarely happens in isolation. As Michael Williamson from ESCAP's Energy Division noted, breakthroughs often occur when different bodies of knowledge come together. "Integration, not invention, may be the biggest challenge ahead," he said.

This idea of integration was also echoed in an Asian Youth Dialogue session titled "Sustainable Asia-Pacific Future: Empowering Youth for Innovation and Resilience", which we co-organized with Chulalongkorn University and other members of the Asian Universities Alliance.

"AI is like a giant beast that consumes all knowledge," one Tsinghua student said. "If we want to stay in control, we need to bring our knowledge together — technology, humanities, and social sciences. Only then can we ensure AI is used for good."

For me, these conversations revealed the deeper value of the forum: when people from different cultures, disciplines, and generations come together, interaction leads to integration, integration fosters innovation, and innovation ultimately supports sustainable development. And sometimes, it's as simple as watching strangers laugh and pose with a robot — small moments of curiosity and connection that spark progress.

Written by Chen Zekai, 27, a doctoral student majoring in public policy and management at Tsinghua University.