Teaching Reform and Practice in the Context of Chinese Urban Renewal and Rural Revitalization: A Case Study of the Environmental Design Program at Anhui University

As China’s urbanization rate continues to increase, the gap between rural areas and cities in terms of economic development and spatial environment is widening, leading to the decline of rural areas on one hand. On the other hand, the development of Chinese cities has transitioned from incremental expansion to stock optimization. Both urban and rural areas are facing challenges such as population aging, declining birth rates, and the need for development transformation. National parties and governments at all levels have put forward planning guidelines for future urban renewal and rural revitalization. In addition to the government, enterprises, and third-party organizations, universities are also becoming important social forces and participants in urban and rural development. This paper combines the application of teaching curriculum reform with student social practice in urban renewal and rural revitalization. Taking two cases carried out by the Department of Design, School of Art, Anhui University—the community garden practice in the old city of Hefei and the Maying plan in Changfeng County, under the jurisdiction of Hefei—as examples, this paper discusses, reflects on, and summarizes curriculum development, course content setting, and the teaching methods that integrate theoretical knowledge with practical application through actual design projects. It provides valuable experience, principles, ways, and methods for colleges and universities to participate in urban renewal and rural revitalization in the future.