On May 16, 2025, the launch ceremony of the Shanghai Vocational Education Month and the opening of the 11th “Starlight Program” Skills Competition for Vocational Colleges were grandly held at Shanghai Information Management School. Key attendees included Zhou Yaming, Deputy Secretary of the Shanghai Education and Health Work Committee and Director of the Shanghai Municipal Education Commission; Zhao Zhen, Deputy Director of the Municipal Education Commission; Wang Ronghua, Chairman of the Shanghai Education Development Foundation; Jiang Hong, Vice Chairman of the Foundation; and Wang Zhihua, Deputy District Mayor of Xuhui District.
At the event, vocational experience booths were set up. Our college was one of the exhibiting institutions, showcasing under the theme “Integration of Industry and Education, Empowered by Digital Intelligence: Building a New Ecosystem for High-Skilled Talent Development.” With three innovative vocational experience projects integrating AI and advanced technologies, our booth became a highlight of the event. Leaders including Zhou Yaming and Wang Ronghua visited the booth and expressed keen interest in the displays.
“This robot dog isn’t just a pet — it’s a ‘trainee’ from our AI lab. We call it Benben,” said Han Fang, Deputy Party Secretary and President of the college. “To address the industrial transformation driven by AI, we’re fully implementing the ‘AI + Education’ strategy — creating AI-oriented majors, curriculum systems, and learning environments to empower talent development with solid technology.”
Wang Ronghua and other leaders praised the college’s efforts in integrating cutting-edge technology into vocational education. They emphasized the importance of aligning vocational education with industry upgrades and advancing technological empowerment to cultivate more highly skilled talents suited to the digital era.
Tech Charm Inspires Vocational Exploration
“Teacher, can this robot dog understand what I say?” asked Chen Leqi, a curious student from Shanghai Zhongguo High School. When a student volunteer activated the voice interaction mode and the robot dog tilted its head and waved in response, the young “experience officers” burst into amazed cheers.
After operating the ground robot, student Xu Zhucheng said excitedly, “The level of tech here is beyond what I imagined. It’s so cool to actually get hands-on with the latest innovations!”
Staying True to Engineering Roots for High-Quality Development
As a vocational college with a foundation in science and technology, our institution remains committed to its mission of “tech-driven, engineering-based” education. We incorporate industry needs into curriculum design and use technological innovation to drive talent cultivation. The three projects showcased are the results of our “position-course-competition-certification” integrated education model and a vivid demonstration of how vocational education connects with Shanghai’s key industries such as the digital economy and smart equipment manufacturing.
As the Vocational Education Month progresses, our college will seize this opportunity to further leverage the power of technology, deepen the integration of industry and education, and promote the idea that “skills can change lives,” contributing fresh momentum to the high-quality development of vocational education.
Starlight Competition Experience Projects
1. Immersive VR Experience for New Energy Vehicle Assembly and Disassembly
This project features a VR software developed based on the Volkswagen ID.4 model. Using VR devices, participants can observe in detail the structure and function of core components like the electric drive, control system, and battery of new energy vehicles. The program also simulates dealership scenarios, enabling users to virtually disassemble, inspect, and repair the vehicle — offering a direct and immersive look into NEV technology.
2. Drone-Based Campus Security Inspection & Ground Robot Interaction
This project leverages advanced drone technology to enhance the efficiency and intelligence of campus security patrols. Equipped with HD cameras and infrared thermal imaging, the drones can monitor all areas of the campus, transmit real-time images, and detect anomalies with precision. Intelligent algorithms enable automatic alerts and data analysis. Participants can experience drone operation and security procedures firsthand (e.g., via indoor large-screen simulation) and interact with ground robots to explore the latest in AI development.
3. Virtual Avatar Motion Capture Interaction
This experience lets participants wear industry-leading motion and facial capture devices to control a 3D-modeled digital avatar in real time. Through this cutting-edge technology, the virtual avatar moves fluidly and interacts naturally with users. Participants can create personalized digital characters and explore how motion capture merges physical actions with digital personas.
