The 2025 World Digital Education Conference took place in Wuhan from May 14 to 16, advocating for education development and transformation in the age of intelligence. Tongji University showcased a distinctive Future Classroom on urban renewal, with faculty and students from the College of Architecture and Urban Planning playing key roles in its design, resource integration, and material creation.

Set in 2035, the Future Classroom focuses on zero-carbon renewal of Yangpu Riverside's industrial heritage, adopting a project-based approach to tackle urban renewal challenges and blend smart education with practice. Professor Zhang Ming, the landscape architecture chief for the Yangpu Riverside's southern section, lent his design concepts and materials, with his Green Hill project serving as a teaching model. This highlighted Tongji's smart education innovations and urban sustainability commitment.

The classroom transcends traditional boundaries, integrating enterprise mentors, online participants, AI assistants, and offline sessions. Enterprise mentors use real issues to guide students, while faculty act as learning architects. Students collaborate across disciplines and borders, becoming knowledge creators and innovators. The AI agent GeeKey enhances abilities and thinking, dynamically profiling students' knowledge, skills, and literacy for better teaching evaluation.

During the demo, Associate Professor Chai Hua (Architecture) guided students. Ma Qicheng, an Urban and Rural Planning undergraduate, and global peers presented impressively. GeeKey revolutionized learning and classroom organization. Group A used AI for knowledge organization on industrial renovation, emphasizing space and community revitalization. Group B explored green concepts through AI questioning, proposing conservation and efficiency in energy design. In collaborative sessions, faculty highlighted engineering challenges, students proposed creative fixes, and AI aided real-time analysis, showcasing an innovative learning model.

Tongji students excel in applying multidisciplinary knowledge to real problems. The college integrated resources for technical materials, with Vice Dean Zhang Peng and Professor Yu Xingze providing guidance for a high-quality course.