Hunan University of Science & Technology (HNUST), which evolves from Northern Hunan Construction College founded in 1949, is a distinctive research university that has been accredited by the Ministry of Education.

The picturesque campus covers an area of 3,107 mu (207.2 hectares) with floor space amounting to 974,300 m². Boasting a library collection of 4,948,200 items, 2,354,400 of which are books, HNUST also hosts these establishments to guarantee quality education: 8 key social science research bases under provincial administration including Strategic Sunrise Industry Research Center, 14 national/provincial key laboratories/engineering technology centers among which are the Laboratory of Geographic Spatial Information Technology, Machinery & device Maintenance Center and Coalmine Safety Technology Center, 3 demonstrations bases of university-corporation partnership for integrated learning and research; 79 teaching laboratories/centers, among which one is a state-level demonstration center for laboratory teaching, 5 are demonstration centers at provincial level, 13 fundamental laboratories and 11 advanced ones are supported by state funds, and so are 15 practice centers for students’ innovative research; 5 province-level demonstration centers for practical teaching, 1 off-campus practice base sponsored by “Excellency Project” of the Ministry of Education, 2 province-level demonstration bases of university-enterprise cooperation in talent training, 1 university students’ innovation training center, and 156 contracted practice bases, among which 18 are recognized as Distinguished Base for Teaching Practice in Hunan Province. 

As a complex of 19 schools, a college for adult education and an independent college, HNUST offers 88 undergraduate programs in eleven genres of disciplines – philosophy, economics, law, education, history, science, engineering, agriculture, management, literature and arts – 188 graduate programs, and 24 doctoral programs. These programs are made available by a teaching faculty of 1,586 out of over 2,300 employees, 259 of whom are full professors and 563 are doctorate holders. Among the outstanding faculty members are 9 national candidates for The New Century Talents Project and National Distinguished Teacher, 32recipients of special government allowances of the State Council, 6 candidates for New Century Talent Supporting Project of Education Ministry of China, and 46 candidates of The New Century Talents Project of Hunan Province.  

As of now, HNUST enjoys a nationwide enrollment of over 35,000 full-time students, along with a burgeoning community of international students. Habitually participating in a variety of extracurricular activities, some of these students distinguish themselves in winning the German Red Dot Design Award, “Challenge Cup” and a constellation of contests. Over the past six decades, the university hasproduced approximately 200,000 qualified graduates, most of whom are warmly welcomed and many highly acclaimed by their employers. The university takes pride in being one of the leading universities in Hunan, ranking high in terms of students’ employment rate and that of enrollment for graduate programs.

HNUST believes in a vibrant academic life. Endorsing and rewarding this faith is an accumulating list of research projects funded by, among others, China’s 863 Program, 973 Program, National Programs for Science and Technology, Preliminary Research for National Defense, National Natural Science Foundation, National Social Science Foundation. Among the over 200 award-winning projects, 3 win second-prize for China’s National Science and Technology Progress Award, 4 win China’s Outstanding Achievement Award (Humanities and Social Sciences). In addition, the university has reaped over 410 national patents and software copyrights, promoted 70 new technologies, and published over 262 academic monographs/textbooks. HNUST is home to four academic journals: Journal of Hunan University of Science and Technology (Natural Science Edition), Journal of Hunan University of Science and Technology (Social Sciences Edition), the latter of which is listed in the widely-acclaimed Chinese Social Sciences Citation, Index (CSSCI) but also runs an award-winning column for studies of Mao Zedong, Mineral Engineering Research and Theory and Practice of Contemporary Education. 

To further enhance such academic vigor with a global vision, HNUST has willingly opened her door to the world. Up till now, the university has cooperated with over 40 universities in the United States and Britain, as well as over 10 universities in Taiwan. Not only have teachers been sponsored by British or American universities for research or short-term training, but students have also been sent to study in overseas universities on exchange programs, or to teach Chinese in Thailand and the United States and other countries.

Nurtured by the unique aheritage of Hunanese culture, guided still by the university motto, “Earnest Innovation for Ambitious Devotion” (Realism, Innovation, Honesty and Ambition), HNUST continues to be committed to further development of long-standing academic distinctiveness in mining industry and normal education, and further advancement of reform policies, so as to make new contributions to China’s social and economic developments.