China 2ndEdition

The China-Netherlands Water Challenge 2011 was successfully concluded during a Grand Final in Shanghai on the 31st of May - just ahead of the Aquatech China exhibition.

The event was attended by senior faculty and students from Chinese universities, leading Dutch water technology companies, including Evides, Norit, DHV, BersonUV and Philips, the Embassy of the Netherlands in Beijing, International Water Association, Aquatech, BenCham and the South-Holland Hebei Co-Development Program.

Honorary guests and key-note speakers were Professor Liu Xianhua, Dean of the Department of Environmental Sciences, Tianjin University and Mr. Qian Jingfeng, Vice-Director of Student Affairs and Director of the University Career Centre, Shanghai Jiao Tong University.

Following a tough competition that started back in February, four students emerged as the top finalists having beaten more than eighty peers from across China. They are: Meng Xianglin (Zhejiang University), Li Jingwen (HIT), Zhao Qian (HIT) and Miao Nan (Tianjin University).

China Final 03

During the Grand Final, each of the finalists got the opportunity to present and argue his/her proposal in front of the expert jury, consisting of Markus Flick (Evides Industriewater), Barry de Haan (Norit), Brian Lue (DHV) and Albert de Haas (Netherlands Embassy).

 Ultimately, Ms. Zhao from Harbin Institute of Technology was selected as the overall winner. The jury concluded that "she managed to eloquently and elegantly present an integral solution to the treatment of complex waste waters from the Coal to Chemical industry in China. The concept is innovative, presents a challenging source of further research and has great potential in achieving Zero Liquid Discharge for landlocked chemical operations".

China Final 01

Ms. Zhao was awarded with an internship and a study-trip to the Netherlands. The award was presented by Mr. Albert de Haas, Transport and Water Attaché of the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Beijing.

China Final 02

 

“When asked if I’d like to develop my idea - of course I said “YES!”. I’d never been to Europe, or worked with smartphone applications, or worked with a Dutch company – I was terrified! Fortunately, everyone was very welcoming. I was amazed at the effort they put into making me feel welcome”
Kevin Loh, Winner Australia 2011
Kevin Loh, Winner Australia 2011
“It was a great experience for us, as Indonesia's young generation, to contribute our ideas for the development of Jakarta Bay. We learn a lot from the Dutch companies and how they think about solutions, which is much more than only engineering. It brought us to a better understanding about Indonesia, our beloved country.”
Aldea Permatasari Firdhaus, Amalia Handini Astari, Mochammad Imron & Aulia Fatwa Farizqa, Winners Indonesia 2014
Aldea Permatasari Firdhaus, Amalia Handini Astari, Mochammad Imron & Aulia Fatwa Farizqa, Winners Indonesia 2014
“The Holland Water Challenge brought me confidence and belief that an innovative idea is more important than gold. When preparing for the final, I spent days and nights to scheme a novel living-style with less carbon and safe water. So Many Thanks to my Dutch Friends, and Wish Our Friendship Forever!”
Li Xiang, Winner China 2010
Li Xiang, Winner China 2010
“An idea is like a projectile. Without a suitable catapult, it is just any ordinary stone incapable of making serious impact. In my case, the Singapore-Netherlands Water Challenge was the perfect platform to launch my idea.”
Victor Sim, Winner Singapore 2012
Victor Sim, Winner Singapore 2012
"We're looking forward to making the most of the opportunity to take our idea to the next level and implement what we believe will be a valuable tool for the water industry and emergency services, both in Australia and internationally. Thanks to Holland Water Challenge for organising and supporting the program!"
Dan Peade & Paul Munro, Winners Australia 2013
Dan Peade & Paul Munro, Winners Australia 2013
"The Singapore-Netherlands Water Challenge really helped us use our knowledge to make a little difference on the issues of water reclamation. The award ceremony was great. The trip to Singapore was also very vauable. We would like to let other students know such a good competition!"
Leng Ling, Fan Jingyu, Wu Junhao & Lu Ka Kit, Winners Singapore 2013
Leng Ling, Fan Jingyu, Wu Junhao & Lu Ka Kit, Winners Singapore 2013
"The Australia-Netherlands Water Challenge offers a great opportunity for young people to make an impact in the area of climate change and disaster resilience. We are thankful to have had this wonderful experience."
Tracey Lloyd & Tom Perfrement, Winners Australia 2015
Tracey Lloyd & Tom Perfrement, Winners Australia 2015
"We love every second of the program and always remember the time being with the program as one of the greatest memories through student life. I hope to see you again with another challenges and programs. We have the youth and capabilities and what we need is a chance to prove it."
Pann Ei Ei Phyoe, Winning Team Myanmar 2016
Pann Ei Ei Phyoe, Winning Team Myanmar 2016