The School of Materials Science and Engineering traces its origins to the nation’s earliest programs in Metallic Materials and Heat Treatment, Welding Technology, Foundry Engineering, and Metal Forming & Forging, which were established in 1952. Over more than seven decades of dedicated development, the School has steadfastly upheld the university motto of “Rigorous Standards, Meticulous Efforts”. Guided by the “Four Orientations” (toward the frontiers of science and technology, the main battlefield of the national economy, the major national needs, and the health and well-being of the people), it has strived for excellence, made outstanding contributions to the country’s scientific and technological advancement, and nurtured a large number of high-caliber innovative talents. The School has also achieved remarkable outcomes in the fields of metallic materials, inorganic non-metallic materials, composite materials, functional materials and devices, electronic packaging, intelligent forming, and advanced welding, earning an international reputation for its academic prowess.

Today, adhering to the philosophy of “Cultivating Talents with Integrity and Substance, Forging Critical Equipment with Exquisite Craftsmanship”, the School is advancing toward becoming a world-class high-level materials discipline. Choosing materials science and joining our School means embarking on a journey at a discipline that ranks among the top 0.1% globally (a “one-in-ten-thousand” discipline). Here, you will have the platform to demonstrate your confidence, pursue undertakings, start ventures, and explore the future—transcending your personal growth, scaling the heights of scientific research, leading the future of the world, and contributing to the realization of China’s dream of becoming a powerful nation in advanced materials and manufacturing.

Aspire to great aspirations, uphold great virtues, develop great capabilities, shoulder great responsibilities, and forge great achievements. All faculty and students of the School of Materials Science and Engineering sincerely invite outstanding students and young talents to join our big family. We look forward to welcoming you here.

Professor Huang Lujun
February 2025

The School of Materials Science and Engineering was established in 1952. It stands as a pivotal institution in China for cultivating advanced professionals in the fields of metallic materials and thermal processing technology. The School of Materials Science and Engineering was among the nation's first to be granted doctoral degree authorisation, establish postdoctoral research stations, and be designated as a key discipline under the national ‘Double First-Class’ initiative. In the inaugural round of the Double First-Class initiative, it was recognised for its ‘remarkable achievements’ and entered the ‘cultivating excellence disciplines’ category.

The School of Materials Science and Engineering currently has eight national-level platforms, including the State Key Laboratory of Precision Welding and Joining of Materials Structures, the State Key Laboratory of Space Environment and Material Interaction, the State Key Laboratory of Precision Hot Forming, and the National Teaching and Experimental Demonstration Centre for Materials Science and Engineering. It also houses a number of provincial and ministerial-level key laboratories, such as the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology Key Laboratory of Advanced Structural-Functional Integrated Materials and Green Manufacturing Technology. With fixed assets valued at approximately 520 million yuan, the school provides an internationally leading platform for cultivating students' innovative and practical capabilities.

The School of Materials Science and Engineering currently has 131 professors (researchers) and 73 associate professors (associate researchers). Among them, there are 4 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, 51 high-level talents of various types at the national level, and 169 doctoral supervisors. The school has established 1 National Innovative Research Group and 4 innovative teams approved by the Ministry of Education.

In the 2022 evaluation, its first-class discipline of Materials Science and Engineering ranked among the top. In 2024, the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Harbin Institute of Technology was awarded the Advanced Collective in the National Education System. Its Materials Science discipline entered the top 0.01% in the ESI international ranking, with the received research funding reaching 407 million yuan. Additionally, it recruited 10 talents at the national level and obtained support for the rolling projects of the National Distinguished Young Scholar Fund.

Four of its undergraduate programs, namely Materials Science and Engineering, Materials Forming and Control Engineering, Welding Technology and Engineering, and Materials Physics, have been included in the Double Ten-Thousand Plan for national first-class undergraduate programs and have all passed the Engineering Education Accreditation. Besides, the school offers three emerging engineering programs, including Additive Manufacturing Engineering, Electronic Packaging Technology, and Optoelectronic Information Materials and Devices.

The School of Materials Science and Engineering has continuously strengthened its talent cultivation characteristics of solid academic foundation, strong practical capabilities, rigorous academic processes, and pursuit of innovation. It took the lead in implementing the integrated undergraduate-master-doctoral training model in China, enrolling over 300 undergraduates, more than 300 master’s students, and upwards of 200 doctoral students annually.

Each year, students of the school win nearly 100 awards in various national-level scientific and technological competitions, including landmark honors such as the Grand Prize of the Challenge Cup and the Gold Medal of the Internet Plus Competition. Over 70% of undergraduate graduates pursue postgraduate studies or further their education abroad.

The School of Materials Science and Engineering has supplied a large number of outstanding talents for the development of national strategic pillars such as new-generation carrier rockets, aerospace engines, lunar exploration projects, Mars exploration projects, and aerospace vehicles, as well as key national economic sectors including aviation, high-speed rail, automobiles, artificial intelligence, and new energy. It has nurtured a multitude of innovative and top-tier talents, such as academic masters represented by 21 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering, pillars of national governance represented by 11 provincial and ministerial-level cadres, and industry elites and engineering giants represented by numerous chairpersons of listed companies and chief aerospace engineers.

The School of Materials Science and Engineering warmly welcomes college entrance examination candidates who aspire to contribute to the frontiers of global science and technology and address China’s major national strategic needs—including the development of a strong manufacturing nation, a strong space nation, a strong aviation nation, and a strong maritime nation. Prospective students may gain admission to the School through the following pathways: Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) Future Technology Class, Strong Foundation Program (Materials Science and Engineering), Engineering Experimental Class (Advanced Materials and Intelligent Forming), and Engineering Experimental Class (Weihai Campus 2+2 Top-Tier Class—Advanced Materials and Intelligent Forming). Starting from the first academic year, students are eligible to join outstanding research teams. In the second or third year, they can independently select specialized tracks based on their interests, such as Advanced Aerospace Materials and Modification, Optoelectronic Information Materials and Devices, Advanced Functional Materials and Devices, Advanced Solidification and Intelligentization, Advanced Plastic Forming and Intelligentization, Intelligent Welding and Advanced Joining, Advanced Electronic Packaging Manufacturing, and Additive Manufacturing. This track selection will determine the professional knowledge learning in the third academic year and the graduation thesis work in the fourth academic year.