In 2015, the newly built undergraduate colleges have accounted for half of the ordinary undergraduate colleges. Through the investigation, it is concluded that the newly built undergraduate colleges in Sichuan have the following commonalities in the transformation: the school positioning of "application-oriented"; The embodiment of the new university spirit of "serving local construction"; The talent training goal of "innovative and composite applied talents"; Flexible personnel training curriculum system.

Since entering the new era, in the face of the changing international situation, China is faced with both development opportunities and challenges. How to cultivate English talents to meet the needs of national development and national rejuvenation in the new era has become an urgent problem to be solved in English education in China. The application of applied linguistics to English teaching in colleges and universities plays a positive role in promoting the innovation of English teaching concept and teaching mode in colleges and universities and the improvement of teaching efficiency and quality. This requires college English teachers to master the relevant concepts and connotations of applied linguistics, and clarify the content scope of applied linguistics and the value of practical application. This paper will focus on the analysis of the current situation of English teaching in colleges and universities, and on the basis of the concept and scope of applied linguistics, put forward some practical application strategies, hoping to provide a reference for the innovation of teaching mode and teaching methods of English curriculum in colleges and universities.