HEU traces its origins to the PLA Military Engineering Institute that was established in Harbin on September 1, 1953. In 1970 the university was renamed Harbin Shipbuilding Engineering Institute. The current name has been in use since 1994. HEU was one of the first universities authorized by the state to award master and doctoral degrees. Several Chinese universities were added in May 2020 to a U.S. government security risk list. The Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security added twenty-four “governmental and commercial organizations to the Entity List for engaging in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States,” including several Chinese universities and institutes. Harbin Engineering University was added as a sanctioned organization. HEU claims ties to nine major US colleges including U of C-Berkeley. “HEU is dedicated to maintaining an international focus, building relationships with institutions such as the University of California-Berkeley."
Campus
HEU is located in Nangang, in the heart of Harbin. The university library occupies a six-story building on the eastern side of campus. Particular strengths of library collections focus on nuclear and marine science. Wifi access at the library is charged at 0.30 RMB per hour. Faculty, students, and staff with a university ID card may register for wifi access at the second floor information desk.
Admissions
, master and doctoral students are admitted in the autumn semester. Although the majority of undergraduate courses are taught in Chinese, many postgraduate programs are offered in English. Qualifications in related programs are required for postgraduate admissions.
International Students
HEU emphasizes the development of international cooperation and academic exchange. Since 2000, HEU students have included nationals from Canada, Korea, Russia, Japan, Pakistan, Thailand, Nepal, India, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Academics
The university awards undergraduate, master, and doctoral degrees in the various branches of engineering, science, literature, management, and economics. International students seeking to improve their Chinese-language proficiency may enroll in a non-degree language course in either autumn or spring.
Research
As scholars at national key university, HEU faculty prioritize engineering in shipbuilding, information and communications, nuclear power, and hydroacoustics. The university is home to more than 40 research centers and institutes including:
Nuclear Power Safety and Simulation Introduction Base
The university has established relationships with more than 20 international universities and research institutions, coordinating visiting scholars and cooperative research development.
