From Ideas to Impact: Year 1 EAP Student Projects for a More Sustainable XJTLU

Hosted by the English Language Centre (ELC) at the XJTLU Global Cultures and Languages Hub (GCLH), the Year 1 EAP Project Proposal Poster Competition 2026 concluded on Monday 1st June with a poster symposium and awards ceremony in the Foundation Building.

This year’s competition invited Year 1 EAP students to respond to a shared challenge: how the University could strengthen environmental sustainability on campus. Students were tasked to identify a sustainable issue and propose practical and feasible solutions.

Following the success of the 2025 competition, this year’s event again highlighted the creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills of EAP students. Over 50 project submissions were received, covering a wide range of sustainability issues, including energy saving, smart recycling, waste reduction, biodiversity protection, sustainable gardens, rainwater harvesting, and second-hand resource circulation.

After the first round of judging, the final 20 shortlisted teams were invited to present their work at the symposium. Students showcased their posters to their peers, GCLH staff, and the judging panel, who assessed the projects based on impact, innovation, originality, and feasibility.

The awards ceremony was hosted by Helen Beech, GCLH Director; Qiwei Zhang, ELC Head; Paula Gibson, ELC Deputy Head and competition organiser; together with other judges and lecturers. The remaining judges were; Aaron McCully (EAP039 lecturer),  Jie Zhang (EAP041 Module Leader) and Jiashi Wang (EAP047 Module Leader).

The competition provided students with an opportunity to apply academic research, teamwork, visual communication, and presentation skills to a real-world sustainability problem.

It also created a platform for students to share practical ideas that could contribute to a greener and more sustainable campus community.

Congratulations to all participating teams, award winners, lecturers, judges, and organisers for making the 2026 Year 1 EAP Project Proposal Poster Competition a meaningful and inspiring event.