Breadcrumb Home / University NewsCenter / First-year student wins national grand prize in English contest First-year student wins national grand prize in English contest 14 May 2025 The National English Competition for College Students (NECCS) was concluded on 11 May 2025 with Wang Yaxuan, a first-year undergraduate from City University of Hong Kong (Dongguan) (CityUHK (DG)) winning a National Grand Prize in Category C. NECCS is one of China’s largest and most prestigious English proficiency contests, aligning closely with national reforms in university English education to assess students’ foundational knowledge, practical skills and comprehensive application abilities. This year, the Grand Prize in Category C (for non-English major undergraduates) was awarded to just 0.1% of participants. As CityUHK (DG)’s sole representative, Wang excelled through rigorous competition rounds, demonstrating exceptional linguistic competence, critical thinking, and composure under pressure. Reflecting on her preparation, Wang emphasised daily practice and incremental progress, acknowledging the unwavering support and mentorship from her university instructors. Related News CityUHK (DG) Open Day draws large crowds CityUHK ranked No. 1 in Hong Kong in Nature Index’s “2025 Research Leaders: Leading Institutions”; Two subjects ranked in the global top 50 and first in Hong Kong CityUHK climbs to 54th globally and 3rd locally in Best Global Universities Rankings, with ten academic disciplines ranked 1st in Hong Kong CPPCC Dongguan members trained at CityUHK (DG) Hackathon captures industry attention