Overview of Graduate Education at the School of Materials Science and Engineering, Harbin Institute of Technology

The School of Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) upholds a distinguished tradition of Building a Solid Foundation, Forging Critical Materials and Capabilities. Aligned with national strategies for a manufacturing and aerospace powerhouse, the School has established a high-level graduate education system driven by major national needs and interdisciplinary integration, dedicated to cultivating top-notch innovative talents and future leaders in the field of materials.

The School provides systematic and profound disciplinary support for graduate education through its five secondary disciplines: Materials Physics and Chemistry, Materials Science, Materials Processing Engineering, Science and Technology of Materials and Devices in Space Environment Effects, and Photonics and Information Science and Engineering.

Distinctive Research Directions and Research-Oriented Education

Graduate training is deeply integrated into the core disciplinary framework of the School. Leveraging national-level platforms such as the National Key Laboratory of Precision Welding and Joining of Material Structures, students are guided to grow and excel by undertaking significant scientific research tasks:

Focusing on Characteristic and Advantaged Directions: In areas like high-performance metal and ceramic matrix composites, and intelligent thermal processing technology and equipment, graduate students hone their skills through participation in major national projects. Their dissertation topics directly support national key engineering projects, embodying the principle of cultivating talent through tackling critical challenges.

Developing Frontier Interdisciplinary Directions: In emerging fields such as advanced materials and manufacturing for integrated circuits, photoelectric and thermoelectric conversion and storage materials, and materials and device reinforcement under extreme environments, students are provided with innovative platforms that promote interdisciplinary integration and foster exploration at the frontiers of knowledge and original innovation.

Innovative Outcomes and Educational Effectiveness

The School's graduate education has achieved remarkable results, establishing itself as a vital training base for high-level talents in China's materials sector. Since 2020, doctoral students, as primary contributors, have published over 3,000 SCI-indexed papers and been granted more than 1,200 invention patents. Numerous research achievements have received awards, including the National Technology Invention Second Prize and provincial/ministerial-level first prizes. These outcomes have been successfully applied in key national strategic and industrial domains such as lunar exploration, aerospace engines, new energy, and artificial intelligence.

Distinguished Alumni and Societal Contribution

Graduates from the School are renowned for their solid theoretical foundation, strong engineering capabilities, and high comprehensive quality. Among full-time doctoral graduates in the past five years, 42% have embarked on careers in the aerospace and defense sectors, while over 40% are employed by Fortune Global 500 companies. The School has produced a large number of academic masters, engineering giants, and industry elites, including 21 Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering academicians, numerous chief designers of aerospace programs, and presidents of listed companies, providing solid talent support for national development and industrial progress.

November 11, 2025