The professional teaching of civil engineering not only provides students with the foundation of engineering major, but also cultivates students" ability to solve practical engineering problems. This study systematically makes the comparison and analysis of the teaching modes between Tongji University and Politecnico di Milano, covering three aspects: "school scale and teaching concept", "curriculum setting and education reform", and "international teaching cooperation and exchange". It is found that both universities have a complete engineering teaching system and are committed to improving the comprehensive quality of students through innovative teaching methods, but each has its own priorities. The curriculum of Tongji University focuses on the systematization and comprehensiveness of theoretical knowledge, encourages interdisciplinary learning and cultivates broad talents, while Politecnico di Milano puts more emphasis on the combination of theory and practice to provide diversified directions and train engineers to meet the needs of enterprises. Both universities have made remarkable achievements in their internationalization. Combined with the different curriculum systems and teaching methods of the two schools, this study puts forward suggestions on the reform of engineering education, which provides reference for cultivating compound civil engineers with international vision, innovation ability and practical skills.