Wu Hongbo, president of the China International Public Relations Association, reiterated during his keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the competition on July 15 that now is the time for young people to think about sustainable development models for rural areas that can be reproduced around the world.

"Of the nearly 800 million people worldwide who suffer from extreme poverty, most live in rural areas in underdeveloped countries," said Wu, who is also a former under-secretary-general of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. "Villages are among the most underdeveloped areas and the people living there are those that urgently need help from the international community."

Of the various proposals and projects prepared by the students, connectivity was a common focus.

One group of students proposed the development of an app to help rural residents share and find information regarding tools and education opportunities.

Another group that included Andreea-Cristina Gusta and Anastasiia Barabash from the University of Hamburg proposed a similar approach, suggesting that the authorities in rural areas can take reference from smart cities to develop an app that strengthens communication about the needs and problems of residents, in turn allowing the government to respond quickly. They added that the app can also be used as a platform for people to share their agricultural experiences.

"After analyzing the problems that exist in rural areas, we have found that there is a need for greater collaboration between the local government and the people to improve the quality of rural life," said Gusta.

"If the cost of connectivity is high, the village leader can be the one who is responsible for using the app and sharing information. Not everyone needs to have internet access," Barabash added.