Once shared a name, the three schools celebrated their 70th anniversary together

In September 2023, National University of Defense Technology in Changsha, Hunan, Harbin Engineering University in Harbin, Heilongjiang, and Nanjing University of Science and Technology in Nanjing, Jiangsu jointly celebrated their 70th anniversary.

Looking back 70 years ago, these three universities once shared a common name - the Military Engineering Institute of the People's Liberation Army of China, also known as Harbin Military Industry.

On the same day, Harbin Engineering University also held its 70th anniversary innovation and development conference.

70 years ago, the victory in the Korean War also exposed China's shortcomings in technology, equipment, military talent, and other aspects. In order to accelerate the implementation of national defense modernization, the central government has decided to establish the highest military academy in New China in Harbin, with the Second Senior Infantry School of the People's Liberation Army, the Military Science Research Office of the East China Military Region Command, and some cadres of the Third Corps of the Volunteer Army as the organizational foundation.

On September 1, 1953, the establishment and first opening ceremony of Harbin Military Engineering College were grandly held. Zhang Zongxun, a representative of the Central Military Commission, Vice Minister of National Defense of the People's Republic of China, and Deputy Chief of General Staff of the People's Liberation Army, read out the "Instructions" issued by Chairman Mao Zedong to the college and presented the college with a flag. Dean and Political Commissar Chen Gong solemnly announced, "The Military Engineering College of the People's Liberation Army of China, the first military engineering college in Chinese history, has been officially established."

At the beginning of the establishment of Harbin Military Industry, five engineering departments were established according to their respective branches: Air Force, Artillery, Navy, Armored Corps, and Engineering Corps, each with an independent teaching building. From September 1, 1953 to June 1, 1966, Harbin Military Industry recruited a total of 13 sessions and 18233 students, launching many major scientific and technological achievements of advanced levels both domestically and internationally. Multiple scientific and technological achievements filled the gap in China's national defense technology.

With the needs of the national conditions, Harbin Military Industry has undergone large-scale adjustments, and the newly established departments have become the foundation for the establishment of multiple national defense military academies in China. Among them, they include the current National University of Defense Technology, Harbin Engineering University, and Nanjing University of Science and Technology.

In 1966, Harbin Military Industry withdrew from the military and changed its name to Harbin Engineering College, under the leadership of the National Defense Science and Technology Commission. In 1970, the National Defense Science and Technology Commission sent a research team to Harbin Institute of Engineering to oversee the "separation" and "internal relocation" work:

The main body of the college, including the Academic Affairs Department, the Political Department, the Academic Affairs Department, the Basic Course Department, the College Office, the Department of Electronic Engineering, the Department of Missile Engineering, the Department of Electronic Computer Science, the Department of Foreign Students, the Comprehensive Experimental Factory, and the Department of Mechanics at Harbin Institute of Technology, will be relocated to Changsha under the leadership of the State Council's Seventh Machinery Department;

The Department of Aviation Engineering relocated to Xi'an and merged into Northwest Polytechnical University, under the leadership of the Third Ministry of the State Council;

The Department of Atomic Engineering merged with the cutting-edge majors and majors serving Harbin Institute of Technology, and relocated to Chongqing, Sichuan Province to form Chongqing University of Technology, which is under the leadership of the Second Ministry of Machinery of the State Council;

The Department of Ship Engineering was originally scheduled to select locations in Wuhan and Nanjing, but later stayed in Harbin and renamed as Harbin Institute of Ship Engineering, under the leadership of the Sixth Machinery Department of the State Council;

The Aerodynamic Wind Tunnel Laboratory will stay in Harbin and be renamed as the Wind Tunnel Research Institute, under the leadership of the Third Ministry of the State Council.

The main body of Harbin Institute of Engineering, which was relocated to Changsha, was renamed Changsha Institute of Technology. In 1978, it was rebuilt as the National University of Defense Science and Technology of the People's Liberation Army of China. In 1999, Changsha Artillery Academy, Changsha Engineering Corps Academy, and Changsha Political College were merged into the National University of Defense Science and Technology. In 2017, the Central Military Commission made a decision to rebuild the National University of Defense Science and Technology, the School of International Relations, the School of Defense Information, Xi'an Communication University, the School of Electronic Engineering, and the School of Meteorology and Oceanography at the University of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China. The 63rd Research Institute of the Equipment Development Department of the Military Commission was also included, and the National University of Defense Science and Technology was placed under the organizational leadership of the Military Commission.

The Harbin Institute of Shipbuilding Engineering, established at the former site of Harbin Military Industry with the Navy Engineering Department as the main body, was renamed Harbin Engineering University in 1994. The school has successively been under the jurisdiction of the Sixth Ministry of Machinery of the State Council, China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, and the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, and is now under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. In 2007, it became a university jointly built by the National Defense Science and Technology Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Heilongjiang Provincial Government, and the Navy. In 2019, it became a university jointly built by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Heilongjiang Provincial Government, and the Harbin Municipal Government.

Nanjing University of Technology, which also celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, originated from the Artillery Engineering Department at the beginning of the establishment of Harbin Military Industry.

At the end of 1959, Harbin Military Industry carried out separate construction in accordance with the policy of "concentrated at the forefront and conventional dispersion", and established independent academies for artillery, armored forces, engineering forces, and other departments. In 1960, under the instructions of the General Staff Department and the General Political Department of the Military Commission, the PLA Artillery Engineering College was officially established based on the Harbin Military Artillery Engineering Department and the Wuchang Advanced Ordnance Technology School. It was later relocated to Nanjing in 1962. In 1966, the PLA Artillery Engineering College withdrew from the military sequence and was renamed as East China Engineering College. After experiencing development stages such as East China University of Technology, the school was renamed Nanjing University of Technology in 1993 and is now under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.

It is worth mentioning that Nanjing University of Technology has designated its anniversary as September 20th.