From August 27 to 30, the finals of the 2025 World Vocational College Skills Competition in the “Forestry Track” took place in the Gansu Division. A total of 340 contestants from 75 vocational colleges nationwide competed fiercely over four days, producing 9 gold medals, 13 silver medals, and 22 bronze medals. Our School of Construction Engineering team won the gold medal with their project “Smart Ecology, Co-creation and Sharing: Community Garden Micro-Renewal” and ranked among the top two in the gold medal review, advancing to the ranking contest.

The award-winning team consisted of four 2023 Landscape Architecture students—Zhang Zhanning, Chen Lu, Li Zhuhui, and Huang Lipeng—under the guidance of teachers Liu Xuejun and Xu Dexiu. Their project centered on modular and prefabricated design, IoT technology, and plant-smart interaction, creating a micro-garden renewal plan that integrates scientific, ecological, and community participation dimensions. The project addressed “real-world problems commissioned by enterprises”, focusing on the renovation of old residential communities and enhancement of green spaces. It emphasized the smart ecology concept and a co-creation mechanism, showcasing innovation across the full process from design to construction.

The World Vocational College Skills Competition, the largest and highest-level international event in vocational education, includes forestry tracks covering plant production, landscaping, garden construction and floral design, pest prevention and quarantine, forestry informatics, and ecotourism services. Competing against 85 strong teams from across the country, the School of Construction Engineering team remained calm and consistent. With solid professional skills, outstanding on-site execution, and clear project presentations, they earned high praise from the judges.

The project team focused on creating sustainable landscape spaces, integrating traditional Chinese mortise-and-tenon techniques with modern digital technologies. Their “community garden micro-renewal” was positioned as an effective approach to urban organic renewal and resident participation in ecological development. The project reflects our university’s in-depth exploration and achievements in industry-education integration and social service, showcasing our excellence in landscape design and ecological construction.

(Peng Jingen, School of Construction Engineering)