Recently, the 5th Conference on China Urban Development and Planning Education was successfully held at Sun Yat-sen University. Co-organized by the School of Geography and Planning at Sun Yat-sen University and the Centre for Urban Studies and Urban Planning at the University of Hong Kong, the conference focused on key issues of urban development, planning, and education in the new era. Ma Tingting, a young faculty member from our university’s urban and rural Planning major, was invited to participate as an emerging voice in the field. She delivered a featured presentation on teaching reform and innovative practices.

At the sub-forum titled “Planning New Technologies, AI, and Urban Planning Education”, Ma presented a talk entitled “Teaching Practices in Urban and Rural Planning under New Data Environments”. Drawing on ongoing technological transformations in the planning industry and evolving talent demands, she offered an in-depth analysis of the opportunities and challenges brought by new data and technologies to urban and rural planning education. In her presentation, she shared concrete examples of integrating new technologies such as big data and AI into the teaching process, and proposed a series of reforms—including strengthening the integration of theory and practice, optimizing curriculum design, and innovating teaching methodologies. Her report was well-researched, insightful, and highly aligned with current trends in urban planning education, earning strong recognition and praise from attending experts.

Looking ahead, our university will continue to encourage young faculty members to embrace innovation and engage actively in academic exchange, further enhancing both teaching quality and research capabilities. The university remains committed to cultivating high-quality professionals for the urban and rural planning sector and contributing educational expertise to support high-quality urban development in the new era.