On September 25, Professor Hans Westlund, the President of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI) and the Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden, along with Researcher Li Yuheng from the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, visited and exchanged ideas with teachers and students of the School of Architecture at Tianjin University.

The academic lecture was hosted by Professor Zeng Peng. During the lecture, Professor Hans Westlund presented on the topic of "Social Networks, Social Capital, and Urban and Regional Development." He introduced the definitions and types of social networks and social capital, along with their impact and roles in urban and rural development. He also discussed relevant studies on the influence of social capital on entrepreneurship in Sweden and raised the issue of spatial differentiation of social capital. Professor Westlund analyzed the differences in the impact of various types of social capital on urban and rural areas, introduced various indicators for measuring social capital, and highlighted its significant influence on innovative enterprises.

In the second part of the lecture, Researcher Li Yuheng focused on the topic of "Rural Development Trends and Research Frontiers." He examined the challenges and opportunities faced by rural development, emphasizing the changes brought by climate change in rural areas through research data and case studies. He also highlighted the significant impact of recent extreme events like floods on agriculture and livelihoods. Furthermore, Researcher Li Yuheng elaborated on the issue of rural decline resulting from rapid urbanization, emphasizing the need for sustainable development in both urban and rural areas. He proposed reshaping sustainable development models through rural resilience and multiple perspectives on revitalization mechanisms. Furthermore, he analyzed the importance of global poverty reduction and global food security, emphasizing the significance of the entire food supply chain.

This lecture was ended successfully with Professor Zeng Peng’s summary.