NEWS

Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University (APU) students achieved an outstanding milestone by earning the Finalist Award (3rd Place) at the inaugural PMI APAC Student Competition 2026, held in Seoul, South Korea. Representing Japan as Team KAIZEN Consulting, Ashmi Jha, Rosha Gunjeet Singh, Valenius Fabian Allen, and Vishal Adhithya Yetheendranadhan showcased how project management can be applied to solve real-world social challenges. Their faculty supervisor was Professor PHAM Tam Long.

The competition brought together top undergraduate teams from across the Asia-Pacific region to develop innovative, practical solutions addressing pressing societal issues. APU's team presented ECC 2.0, an AI-powered eldercare monitoring solution designed to improve the safety of older adults while protecting their privacy. Rather than relying solely on wearable devices or emergency buttons, ECC 2.0 uses intelligent event detection to notify caregivers when potentially dangerous situations occur.

Over several months, the team refined their concept through extensive research, prototype development, mentorship, and repeated presentation rehearsals. Even after facing unexpected technical challenges during the competition, the team successfully demonstrated resilience, adaptability, and strong project management skills under pressure.

Beyond the competition result, the experience highlighted the value of interdisciplinary collaboration, innovation, and leadership. The team combined expertise in project management, technology, finance, stakeholder engagement, and implementation planning to transform an initial idea into a comprehensive solution with real-world potential.

This achievement marks an important milestone for APU, demonstrating the university's commitment to nurturing globally minded leaders capable of creating meaningful social impact. The team hopes their success will encourage more APU students to participate in international competitions and apply their knowledge to solving complex global challenges.