On March 4, 2025, UNESCO and the World Federation of Engineering Organizations (WFEO) jointly organized the 6th World Engineering Day (WED) event at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. With the theme “Shaping a Sustainable Future Through Engineering，” the event, titled “Unleashing the Power of Engineers to Advance SDGs，” brought together global leaders, including government officials, scientists, industry representatives, and engineering organizations. 

As a UNESCO Category II center and a key partner, the International Centre for Engineering Education (ICEE) actively participates in a series of events. Through academic research, talent cultivation, and innovative initiatives, ICEE continues to drive progress in global engineering education and sustainable development.

ICEE remains committed to advancing global sustainable development through engineering education. During the celebrations for World Engineering Day 2025, ICEE participated in a series of events through online attendance, thematic studies, and case discussions. 

Prof. GONG Ke, a member of the Advisory Board of ICEE, former President of WFEO, was invited to join the special forum of “Empowering Africa—Digital Transformation and Capacity Building.” The forum focused on exploring the development of digital technologies in Africa and their impact on sustainable development.

As a key part of the World Engineering Day celebrations, the World Engineering Day Hackathon (WED Hackathon) focused this year on UN Sustainable Development Goal 1 (SDG 1): No Poverty, challenging participating teams to develop innovative solutions for poverty alleviation. More than 3,000 participants from over 90 countries took part in the competition, presenting solutions ranging from climate-smart innovations to digital empowerment.

Dr. Xu Lihui, Assistant to Secretary-General of ICEE, was invited to serve as a judge for the competition, joining engineers and students from around the world in exploring technology-driven pathways for poverty reduction. Dr. Xu emphasized that engineering education must cultivate interdisciplinary talents with both social insight and technical expertise, and the hackathon serves as an ideal platform to test this approach.

XU Lihui was invited to serve as a judge for WED Hackathon 2025

Looking ahead, ICEE will continue to strengthen its collaboration with UNESCO, WFEO, and other global engineering organizations, supporting capacity building for engineers in developing countries, with a particular focus on advancing the careers of women engineers. Through these efforts, ICEE aims to make a meaningful contribution to global sustainable development.