Alvin Bacotot (Chinese name Han Xiatian), an international student from the Philippines at East China University of Science and Technology, has achieved remarkable success in the 18th China Collegiate Computing Competition, securing both the National Third Prize and Shanghai Second Prize with his innovative educational game project.

The winning project, inspired by the popular Chinese animated film Ne Zha Ⅱ, demonstrates Alvin’s creative approach to language learning technology. “In our Chinese culture class taught by Teacher Yu Tao, I watched the movie Ne Zha Ⅱ. Later I wanted to develop something that could help international students overcome the challenges of learning Chinese characters,” Alvin explained. His solution was an interactive game that combines traditional Chinese artistic elements with modern educational technology, creating an engaging learning experience.

Throughout the competition process, Alvin received valuable guidance from faculty mentors including Associate Professor Wen Xinxiu from the School of Information Science and Engineering and Teachers Yu Tao and Shan Yan from the College of International Education. “The competition journey taught me much more than just programming,” Alvin reflected. “From initial concept development to final presentation, I gained comprehensive experience in project management, technical implementation, and teamwork under tight deadlines.”

The university community celebrates Alvin’s accomplishment as an excellent example of international students’ contributions to ECUST and China’s academic and technological innovation landscape. As he looks to the future, Alvin plans to continue developing educational technology solutions while pursuing further opportunities in game design. “This experience has solidified my passion for creating technology that bridges cultures,” he said.