In the era of "AI+", university engineering education faces an imperative to keep abreast with technological advancements, fostering a seamless integration with the rapid pace of technological development. This necessitates the promotion of a smart transformation within engineering education, aimed at nurturing a cadre of socially responsible professionals equipped with both practical skills and an innovative mindset. Using civil engineering as a salient example, the perpetual emergence of novel technologies has not only rejuvenated traditional civil engineering disciplines but also underscored the need for a profound reassessment and reimagining of their integration and utilization alongside AI technology. This article undertakes a comprehensive examination of the progression and implementation of AI in civil engineering, exploring it from two pivotal perspectives: firstly, the embedment of AI within the confines of traditional civil engineering disciplines; and secondly, the interdisciplinary application of AI at the juncture of civil engineering and other fields. This dual-pronged approach not only illuminates avenues for productive cross-disciplinary collaboration between civil engineering and AI but also serves as a guidepost for the pragmatic endeavor of collaborative education and the integration of science and education within civil engineering in the contemporary era. Furthermore, this article engages in a rigorous exploration and reflective analysis of the present landscape of collaborative education and the integration of science and education within civil engineering amidst the new era. It meticulously scrutinizes existing challenges and, in response, formulates pertinent countermeasures and recommendations. These research outcomes not only furnish invaluable decision-making frameworks for policymakers, university administrators, and frontline educators in the realm of civil engineering education but also propel China"s civil engineering education towards sustained innovation, fostering the development of novel productive forces in this new epoch. Concurrently, the experiences garnered and insights offered serve as crucial benchmarks for the implementation of collaborative education and the integration of science and education in other engineering disciplines navigating the "AI+" era.