On April 26, the Zhengzhou Station of the 2nd Education Digital Man Competition—sponsored by the China Association for Educational Technology (CAET), organized by the Henan Education Informatization Association (HENA), and co-sponsored by Sias University—was successfully hosted at Sias. The opening and closing ceremonies were attended by distinguished guests, including Liu Yongqian, Executive Deputy Director of Academic Committee of the China Association for Educational Technology, Yang Xueyong, Second-Grade Inspector of Education Department of Henan Province, Director of Science & Technology Division of Education Department of Henan Province, Peng Yaning, Fourth-Grade Researcher of Science, Technology and Informatization Division of Education Department of Henan Province, Guo Xiaofeng, Director of Science, Technology and Informatization Division of Education Department of Henan Province, Shi Xiaochun, Kong Fanshi, and Li Xia, Vice Presidents and Secretary General of Henan Provincial Association for Educational Informatization, Dr. Shawn Chen, Founder and Chairman of Sias University, and Prof. Lucy Lu, Provost and Vice President of Sias University. Under the theme “Human-Machine Harmony: Symbiotic Optimization of Digital Intelligence Education Ecosystems,” this year’s event united 33 competitors from Henan, Jiangsu, Inner Mongolia, and Hubei to engage in a showcase of AI-driven innovation across seven interconnected domains: intelligent learning, teaching, evaluation, management, research, service, and education digital human innovation. Competitors demonstrated groundbreaking applications of artificial intelligence to redefine pedagogy, assessment, institutional governance, and human-machine collaboration in education, underscoring the transformative potential of AI in shaping future-ready learning environments.
At the opening ceremony, leaders in education and technology articulated a forward-looking vision for AI’s role in shaping the future of learning, emphasizing innovation, strategic alignment, and inclusive growth. Liu Yongqian, Executive Deputy Director of Academic Committee of the China Association for Educational Technology, underscored the transformative journey of education digital persons. Once experimental concepts, these AI-driven tools have evolved into scalable solutions bridging artificial intelligence and pedagogy. Framing them as teacher-enhanced intelligent platforms, he advocated for their role in revolutionizing classroom dynamics through adaptive technologies—driving sustainable digital transformation across education systems. Yang Xueyong, Second-Grade Inspector of Education Department of Henan Province, Director of Science & Technology Division of Education Department of Henan Province, emphasized the need to anchor progress in China’s national education digitization strategy. He called for the development of a Smart Education Fusion Ecosystem—a framework guided by principles of integrated planning, innovation-driven synergy, and holistic service. This ecosystem aims to harmonize technological advancement with pedagogical evolution while addressing regional and institutional priorities. Kong Fanshi, Vice President of the Henan Provincial Association for Educational Informatization, urged the sector to prioritize equity and quality in digital human innovation. He proposed a human-centric intelligent education architecture that empowers educators and learners through personalized, inclusive AI tools—creating equitable access to cutting-edge resources while elevating educational outcomes. Prof. Lucy Lu, Provost and Vice President of Sias University, showcased Sias’s pioneering work with a Digital Teacher + Real Teacher + Large Model hybrid pedagogy. She illustrated how education digital persons enhance interactive learning, real-time feedback, and collaborative knowledge creation. Deep AI-higher education integration, she stressed, is not merely aspirational but essential for cultivating future-ready talent in an era defined by digital fluency.
This year’s competition implemented a lottery-based system to fairly determine participation order. Contestants showcased digital humans’ effectiveness across six educational scenarios—learning support, teaching enhancement, administrative management, student services, research innovation, and evaluation optimization—through live functional demonstrations and interactive exercises. The event drew hundreds of faculty and students as observers, with expert judges evaluating performances based on seven quantitative criteria, including technical sophistication, pedagogical impact, and scalability. After rigorous assessment, four first prizes, seven second prizes, and eleven third prizes were awarded. Dr. Shawn Chen, Founder and Chairman of Sias University, Shi Xiaochun, Vice President of Henan Provincial Association for Educational Informatization, and Peng Yaning, Fourth-Grade Researcher of Science, Technology and Informatization Division of Education Department of Henan Province, presented certificates to the award-winning representatives respectively.
After the award presentation, Zhao Xiaoyan, Associate Professor of Henan Normal University, and Li Jian, Vice President of Hubei University of Education, shared their experiences on the construction and application of digital man in their schools, providing examples of digital man education digital application.
At the closing ceremony, Shi Xiaochun, Vice president of Henan Provincial Association for Educational Informatization, emphasized that the evolution of education digital humans transcends technical innovation—it represents a fundamental restructuring of educational ecosystems. Leveraging lifelike digital humans with "visual, expressive, and interactive capabilities," the competition showcased a practical path toward building an efficient, human-centered, and inclusive intelligent education ecosystem. Key outcomes included streamlined teaching management, elevated service quality, and strengthened foundations for equitable education access, demonstrating AI’s potential to harmonize technology with pedagogical and societal needs.
Dr. Shawn Chen, Founder and Chairman of Sias University, highlighted Sias’s deep integration of AI into teaching reforms and assessment systems, urging faculty and students to engage actively in AI competitions and academic activities to enhance skills and broaden perspectives. He expressed optimism for sustained progress in education and gratitude toward participants advancing AI-driven pedagogical innovation.
The competition featured two thematic sharing sessions on educational digital humans. Huo Xiaowei, Director of Sias Future Education Technology Center, delivered a keynote on "AI Application Exploration," systematically analyzing digital human application cases in teaching and related scenarios. Li Zhengdong, Director of Alibaba Dingding Education (North Region), presented "Alibaba AI Evolution and Dingding’s AI Open Practice," sharing insights into digital human technology development and platform ecosystem construction. Both sessions offered technical guidance and actionable references for advancing education’s digital transformation.
Participants, teachers and students expressed that the event not only deepened the knowledge of the potential of the application of education digital person, but also stimulated the endogenous power of AI to empower education innovation.
In this competition, the five entries selected by Sias performed brilliantly, winning one first prize, two second prizes and two third prizes, fully demonstrating the effectiveness of Sias's nurturing in the field of artificial intelligence education.
It is reported that the Grand Final and Award Ceremony of the 2nd Educational Digital Human Competition will be held from May 15 to 17 in Wuhan.
Liu Yongqian, Executive Deputy Director of Academic Committee of the China Association for Educational Technology, delivered a speech.
Yang Xueyong, Second-Grade Inspector of Education Department of Henan Province, Director of Science & Technology Division of Education Department of Henan Province, delivered a speech.
Kong Fanshi, Vice President of Henan Provincial Association for Educational Informatization, delivered a speech.
Prof. Lucy Lu, Provost and Vice President of Sias University, delivered a speech.
The 2nd Educational Digital Human Competition
Awarding Ceremony
Zhao Xiaoyan, Associate Professor of Henan Normal University, shared her experiences on the construction and application of digital man.
Li Jian, Vice President of Hubei University of Education, shared his experiences on the construction and application of digital man.
Shi Xiaochun, Vice president of Henan Provincial Association for Educational Informatization, delivered a speech at the closing ceremony.
Dr. Shawn Chen, Founder and Chairman of Sias University, delivered the closing speech.
Group Photo
