This academic degree program in Urban and Rural Planning focuses on the innovative development of small towns within urban agglomerations, with a particular focus on new-type small towns in the Yangtze River Delta urban cluster.

Research Direction: Innovative Development of Urban Agglomerations and Small Towns. This program emphasizes interdisciplinary approaches and methodological innovation, applying the integration of economics, urban studies, sociology, and other fields to explore the innovative development of small towns. By examining the evolutionary patterns of urban agglomerations, it particularly investigates development trends in the Yangtze River Delta region and the innovative growth of small towns within this context. A strong emphasis is placed on the societal applicability of research outcomes, providing practical services for spatial planning, industrial planning, social governance, and innovative development in small towns across the Yangtze River Delta urban cluster.