In 1995, three higher institutes, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Electrical Engineering and Harbin Higher Industrial Vocational College, combined into the present Harbin University of Science and Technology (HUST). Founded in the 1950s, the three all once belonged to the former Ministry of Machinery. In 1998, HUST was transferred to the administration of Heilongjiang Province. In 2008, HUST became one of the 10 key universities of the province. After 60 years of development, this university has become a teaching-research university with distinctive styles and comprehensive strengths, focusing on specialties of engineering and a combination of engineering and science, with coordinated development of the following disciplines: economics, management, philosophy, literature, laws and education. In 2003, HUST was awarded by the Ministry of Education as an excellent university in undergraduate teaching evaluation. In 2011, it received the title of role model of graduates’ employment by the Ministry of Education and in 2015 it became a university jointly constructed by the province and the State Administration of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence (SASTIND).