1. Posthumous Recognition of Academician YANG Shi'e as "Model of the Times" by the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China
On November 13, the inaugural seminar celebrating the remarkable contributions of Academician YANG Shi'e, honored posthumously as a "Model of the Times," was held at the Qihang Theater.
On September 19, the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China officially posthumously awarded Academician YANG Shi'e the title of "Model of the Times." To support this recognition, a publicity team was formed, and the first seminar took place at Harbin Engineering University (HEU). This seminar was followed by ten additional reports in cities and affiliated colleges across the nation, reaching tens of thousands of attendees offline and nearly four million people online. XU Qin, the Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, and LIANG Huiling, the Provincial Governor, attended the seminar and praised its significance. The event received extensive media coverage, including reports on CCTV, front-page features in Guangming Daily and People’s Daily, and coverage by Xinhua News Agency, CCTV News, and various other media outlets.
2. HEU Recognized as a National Model University for Party Building and Delivered a Keynote Address at the National Conference
On December 19-20, HEU participated in the 28th National Conference on Party Building in National Universities held in Beijing. GAO Yan, Secretary of the HEU Party Committee, delivered a prominent speech as one of five universities chosen to represent the sector. HEU’s commitment to advancing education, fostering scientific and technological talent, and promoting high-quality development through robust party-building efforts was highlighted during the event.
3. Building a Distinctive Culture of the PLA Military Institute of Engineering to Inspire a New Era of Progress
On December 7, over 1,600 teachers and students from 18 colleges at HEU collaborated to create a collective artwork, depicting a snow ship. This event was part of HEU's broader efforts to draw inspiration from the spirit of the PLA Military Institute of Engineering, which serves as the cultural and motivational foundation for the university's revitalization. The PLA Military Institute of Engineering Memorial Hall has been recognized as a national second-level museum, and the PLA Military Institute of Engineering Cultural Park has seen its research and interpretive efforts expanded, further enriching the understanding of its legacy.
4. Recognition of HEU’s Engineering Talent Development and Educational Excellence
On June 25, CCTV Finance Channel reported on HEU’s innovative approach to training talent in shipbuilding, maritime energy, and power systems.
From October 8-9, HEU underwent a rigorous undergraduate teaching review by the Ministry of Education. The expert evaluation praised HEU's unique model for nurturing top-tier innovative talent, reaffirming the university's commitment to educational excellence in the new era.
5. New Doctoral Programs, Strategic Consulting Meetings, and High Praise for Engineering Talent Development
On August 25, HEU established the Strategic Advisory Committee for Ship and Ocean Engineering Development.Key disciplines, including Ship and Ocean Engineering, Nuclear Science and Technology, and Power Engineering and Thermophysics, achieved significant international recognition through multiple rounds of evaluations. This reflects HEU's growing influence and competitive edge in these fields.
HEU has also advanced its talent cultivation model by establishing the Heilongjiang Engineers Institute, launching its first Doctoral President Innovation Fund and holding the annual conference for graduate students to vigorously enhance their innovation capabilities. HEU’s innovative efforts have contributed to the creation of new doctoral programs in sociology, intelligent science, and materials/chemical engineering(including the first interdisciplinary doctoral degree). Additionally, HEU’s 8 courses, 11 textbooks, 6 supervisors, and 3 Bases were selected into the "Five 100" Plan for Engineering Master's and Doctoral Training of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. And 6 courses have been selected as excellent courses in Heilongjiang Province, and 10 engineering case projects have been selected by the Ministry of Education.
6. DP3 Power Positioning System Earns National Science and Technology Progress Award
Professor XIA Guihua’s groundbreaking work on the DP3 power positioning system was awarded the second prize of theNational Science and Technology Progress Awards.
This achievement highlights HEU’s dedication to advancing core technologies and fundamental research. HEU’s participation in major international scientific programs and its contributions to oceanic negative emissions and nonlinear sound field technology further underscore its growing scientific leadership.New breakthroughs have been made in fundamental research such as the Bubble Theory. Six innovative achievements have been published in journals affiliated with Science and Nature, and the number of Youth Fund applications has reached a record high. Five new billion-level scientific research projects have been added, with the largest single project funding reaching 550 million yuan. A large number of key technologies and equipment have achieved breakthroughs. More than 10 new technological achievements have achieved remarkable results in front-line applications. For two consecutive years, HEU has been the only local university leading the evaluation of nine national-level scientific and technological progresses.
7. Continual Growth in High-Level Talent Recruitment and Development in Key Fields
The Underwater Acoustic Communication and Positioning Technology Innovation Team has been awarded the 28th May Fourth Medal for Outstanding Youth Collective in China.
HEU's strategic focus on talent recruitment has yielded impressive results, with nearly 40% of new faculty members holding advanced overseas qualifications. The number of new national level talents increased by 74% year-on-year, and the number of young talents increased by 114% year-on-year, reaching the best level in history. A number of advanced collectives and individuals have emerged, including "National Advanced Collective in Education System", "National Excellent Teacher", "China Youth May Fourth Award Collective", "Outstanding Youth in Industry and Information Technology", and "Young Scientists of Ocean Power".
8. Outstanding Performance in National Competitions
HEU’s teams have excelled in numerous national competitions, including winning the championship and runner-up positions in the AUV track at the 3rd World University Underwater Robot Competition. HEU won one gold medal and the "Excellence Cup" in the 14th "Challenge Cup" China College Student Entrepreneurship Plan Competition, ranking first in the province; Won 5 special prizes in the "Rewarding List" special competition of the 19th "Challenge Cup" National College Students' Extracurricular Academic and Technological Works Competition; Won 1 gold award and 9 silver awards in the National Finals of the China International College Student Innovation Competition, breaking through the 10 item threshold for the first time in the finals; Received 3 awards at the 17th National College Student Innovation Conference, ranking third in the total number of awards nationwide. During the year, one student was selected as the Annual Person of the Year for College Students and HEU won 19 first prizes in the China Graduate Innovation Practice Competition, ranking among the top in the country and achieving the best historical results.
9. Global Development Strategy and Recognition of Academician Carlos Gades Suarez
HEU’s Global Development Strategy has seen significant progress, with strategic partnerships established with ITMO University in Russia and expanded international cooperation with El Salvador. Academician Carlos Gades Suarez, a visiting professor at HEU, was awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award(the 3rd time for HEU), marking a key milestone in HEU’s efforts to foster international collaboration and exchange.
10. Advancing National Research through New Key Laboratories and Collaborative Innovation
Professor LI Bing, a national Outstanding Teacher from the College of Information and Communication Engineering, combines intelligent rice making equipment to teach students.
HEU has established the first research sub-center of Hanjiang National Laboratory in Harbin, and has restructured and been approved to establish three national key laboratories. Notably, the establishment of the Controllable Nuclear Fusion Engineering Innovation Research Institute under the leadership of Academician LI Jiangang will further drive HEU’s contributions to cutting-edge research and technology.
