APRU SDG4GC 2025 Award Program at Chulalongkorn University

The APRU SDG for Global Citizenship (APRU SDG4GC) is a three-month hybrid program that fosters global citizenship among students from 64 universities across 18 economies in the Pacific Rim. The program focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), encouraging students to explore global challenges and propose social innovation solutions through collaborative and interdisciplinary approaches.

Now in its third year, the 2025 edition of APRU SDG4GC was conducted under the theme Diversity and Inclusivity—Actions for Sustainability. The program engaged 78 students from 19 universities, with onsite activities held in Thailand and Malaysia. Running from June 2 to August 29, 2025, the program culminated in the Social Innovation for Impact and Sustainability Pitching Competition.

During the pitching competition, Team CareVend emerged as the first-prize winner. The team comprised Ms. Ananya Varshney (Nanyang Technological University), Mr. Han Xiao (The Chinese University of Hong Kong), Mr. Kanchanabhadra Sai-Sook (Chulalongkorn University), Mr. Liu Quangao (University of Chinese Academy of Sciences), Mr. Thayananth Kumaresan (Universiti Malaya), and Ms. Zhi Ying Tan (National University of Singapore).

CareVend is a social innovation project that transforms plastic waste into access to essential sanitary products through vending machines that accept plastic as currency. By combining waste reduction with menstrual equity, the project offers a circular solution that addresses both environmental sustainability and period poverty.

Award Program for APRU SDG4GC 2025 Pitching Competition Winning Team

An award program for the winning team was held from February 23–28, 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, coinciding with the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD 2026). APFSD is an annual intergovernmental forum supporting regional follow-up and review of progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs.

On February 24, 2026—the opening day of APFSD 2026—the forum was held at the UN ESCAP Hall, bringing together leaders and representatives from across the Asia-Pacific region to reaffirm commitments toward transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated actions for sustainable development. The CareVend team, together with their lead mentor, Dr. Jaime Jacqueline Jayapalan of Universiti Malaya, had the privilege of attending this by-invitation-only event.

In the afternoon, the team visited Chulalongkorn University for a campus tour, exploring its museums and key landmarks. The day concluded with a welcome dinner hosted by the Office of International Affairs and Global Network, Chulalongkorn University for the CareVend team.

Grand Palace Tour and Asian Youth Dialogue

The following day began with a visit to the Grand Palace, one of Thailand’s most iconic landmarks and a historic symbol of the Thai monarchy, renowned for its traditional Thai architecture.

The visit offered the team a deeper sense of Bangkok’s cultural and historical context, which shaped their engagement with the program.

“Experiencing Bangkok firsthand truly reshaped the way I viewed the program and its activities. I deeply admired how Bangkok upholds its culture and traditions as a priority while still embracing modern development. The wonderful architecture and the rich historical heritage amazed me. Being physically present allowed me to better appreciate how the program was designed to connect us with the local context rather than delivering activities in isolation. It made me realize that every activity was thoughtfully curated to reflect the city’s identity, values, and way of life.” shared Thayananth Kumaresan.

In the afternoon, the team participated in the Asia-Pacific Youth Dialogue, co-organized by Tsinghua University, Chulalongkorn University, and the Asian Universities Alliance Secretariat. The dialogue provided a platform for young leaders to share ideas, exchange experiences, and strengthen cross-border collaboration in advancing the SDGs across the Asia-Pacific region.

“Speaking at the Asian Youth Dialogue was a big honor and I am so grateful for the opportunity! It felt great and empowering to share some of my thoughts and insights about AI governance with young adults, students, and entrepreneurs from across Asia. I felt like I was part of a bigger cause and a global movement, taking small steps to create a bigger impact!”, shared Ananya Varshney.

APFSD 2026 Side Events

The CareVend team also attended two APFSD 2026 side events. The first, Innovating Sustainability: Universities and Frontier Technologies for the SDGs, highlighted how universities are leveraging frontier technologies to support sustainable development and emphasized the role of higher education institutions in driving innovation and regional collaboration.

The second side event, Empowering Youth and Gender-Inclusive Leadership in Clean Energy and Climate Innovations for a Resilient Asia-Pacific, showcased inclusive approaches to clean energy and climate action through cross-sector collaboration, emphasizing the importance of youth participation and gender-inclusive leadership in building regional resilience.

Reflecting on the collaborative nature of the program, Kanchanabhadra Sai-Sook shared, “Nowadays, global issues require a mosaic of perspectives and working with peers from diverse academic and cultural backgrounds has taught me that these tough problems cannot be solved by a single viewpoint. By combining different ways of thinking, we have turned our differences into a source of creativity and found better ways to solve problems together through an interdisciplinary rather than a siloed approach.”

From Plastic Waste to Circular Solutions in South-East Asia

One of the main highlights of the award program was the team’s participation in the side event From Plastic Waste to Circular Solutions in South-East Asia, held on February 27, 2026, at Meeting Room H, United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok. The event was organized by Chulalongkorn University in collaboration with UN ESCAP, UNEP-COBSEA, and UN-Habitat. The event examined inclusive, circular economy approaches to plastic waste management in the Asia-Pacific region, highlighting the role of social innovation, community-based solutions, and data-driven tools in shaping effective policies and partnerships.

The opening remarks were jointly delivered by Prof. Dr. Pramoch Rangsunvigit of Chulalongkorn University and Mr. Mahesh Pradhan of UNEP-COBSEA. A key highlight of the session was CareVend’s presentation of their social innovation project.

“It was a valuable experience as we managed to interact with industry stakeholders who have expertise in how to implement ideas. During the panel discussion, we were challenged to think critically about our idea and the potential problems in its implementation. Additionally, other successful projects presented by the speakers showed us how an implementation plan should be carried out. My key takeaway is that there are many considerations when converting an idea into reality, and more effort needs to be put into this aspect to better address sustainability and SDG goals”, shared Zhi Ying Tan.

Looking Back: Learning Beyond the Program

As the award program ended, the experience left a lasting impression on the team.

“Looking back, the most unforgettable part wasn’t just the grand venues, but the inspiring dialogues with my peers and reuniting with my team. From presenting our CareVend case study to our casual chats at Chulalongkorn University and wandering the streets of Bangkok, every moment felt like a brainstorm. It’s rare to find a program that balances high-level diplomacy with such genuine student connection so perfectly”, shared Liu Quangao, reflecting on his overall experience throughout the program.

From a mentor’s perspective, Dr. Jaime Jayapalan highlighted the students’ growth and confidence during the program.

“What stood out to me most was the confidence with which the students articulated their ideas and tailored their message to a diverse, international audience. They were no longer simply presenting a project. Instead, they were contributing to meaningful conversations on sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. Although the presentation format did not include a question-and-answer segment due to time constraints, the experience itself clearly demonstrated the transformative impact of experiential and exposure-based learning through the APRU SDG4GC program. As a mentor, it was deeply rewarding to witness their journey come full circle, seeing innovation, mentorship, and global engagement converge, and knowing that their voices were presented on a platform where they genuinely mattered.”

The award program not only marked the culmination of the CareVend team’s journey in the APRU SDG4GC but also reinforced the power of experiential learning in shaping confident, globally engaged young leaders.