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Cultivating Talents, Shaping Tech Frontiers: HNUST President YIN Shuangfeng Shares Vision for Future Students on Xinhuanet
YIN Shuangfeng, President of Hunan University of Science and Technology (HNUST) recently appeared on the 2026 Xinhuanet Gaokao (China’s National College Entrance Examination ) Admission Guide. Addressing key concerns of the Gaokao candidates and their parents, President YIN detailed the University’s academic strengths, admission policies, talent cultivation and graduate career paths.
I. Profound History and Solid Academic Foundations
Originating from the Xiangbei Construction College founded in 1949, HNUST was formally established in 2003 through the merger of Xiangtan Engineering College and Xiangtan Normal College. Today, it is co-constructed by the People’s Government of Hunan Province and multiple national ministries and is recognized under Hunan’s “Double First-Class” University Initiative.
HNUST offers 9 first-level doctoral programs, 1 professional doctoral category, and 30 first-level master's programs, with six disciplines ranking in the top 1% of the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) globally. The university boasts a faculty of 1,850 full-time teachers—over 940 of whom hold senior professional titles and 71% holding doctorates—bringing together top-tier national talents. HNUST recruits nationwide under the first-batch undergraduate admission category, hosting over 50,000 full-time campus students. Notably, top-performing undergraduates can be recommended for postgraduate admission exempt from the national entrance exam.
In research, HNUST achieved global recognition through Professor Wan Buyan’s team. Their independently developed “Hainiu” (meaning “manatee”) deep-sea drilling rig series has repeatedly broken world records for seabed drilling depth, marking a monumental contribution to China’s marine exploration.
II. Pioneering “Deep Sea, Deep Earth, Deep Space” and Cross-Disciplinary Fields
President YIN emphasized that HNUST is forging a distinctive academic ecosystem driven by the trio of “deep sea, deep earth, and deep space,” enriched by integrating teacher education with technology, and accelerated by AI. This framework highlights clear competitive edges:
Engineering Machinery: The Mechanical Design, Manufacturing, and Automation program is a national first-class and featured major backed by a doctoral program. Utilizing a national-local joint engineering laboratory, students engage directly in landmark national projects like the “Hainiu” drilling rig. Additionally, Intelligent Manufacturing Engineering stands as one of the nation’s pioneer emerging engineering majors, while Vehicle Engineering is a designated national first-class specialty.
Aerospace Information: Powered by the “HNUST-2” Satellite, the “HNUST Constellation” network, and ground-based remote sensing infrastructure, the University has created a complete innovation chain and deep-space roadmap. These high-end scientific assets and internships are fully open to undergraduates majoring in Geographic Information Science, and Remote Sensing Science and Technology.
Artificial Intelligence & Teacher Education: Leveraging its ESI top 1% disciplines in Computer Science and Technology and national-featured Control Science and Engineering, HNUST has built a robust “AI+X” interdisciplinary system. Concurrently, drawing on its deep pedagogical heritage, the university continues to cultivate premier educators for basic education.
III. Curriculum Evolution: the “Four New Disciplines” Initiative
In alignment with the Ministry of Education’s “Four New Disciplines 2.0” initiative (New Engineering, Medical, Agricultural, and Liberal Arts), HNUST prioritizes AI-driven development. The University actively merges information technology with traditional majors, breaking boundaries via cross-disciplinary and cross-institutional collaboration.
Under the guideline of “strengthening engineering, refining science, enriching liberal arts, and highlighting interdisciplinary tracks,” HNUST funds targeted projects annually. In 2025, key initiatives focused on upgrading emergency-related engineering programs and launching talent cultivation for the low-altitude economy. The University has also debuted versatile micro-majors，including Intelligent Robot Design, Intelligent Accounting, and Digital Intelligent Communication， integrating major research platforms into daily teaching to foster hands-on engineering innovation.
For traditional majors like mining, mechanics, and chemical engineering, HNUST infuses cutting-edge digital tech via three pillars: “Intelligence+”, “Green+”, and “Safety+”. Collaborating with the former State Administration of Workplace Safety, it has engineered a unique “Comprehensive Safety” discipline cluster. For strategic emerging fields, the university established the School of Frontier Interdisciplinary Studies, introducing cutting-edge majors like Marine Robotics, AI, and Remote Sensing. This is complemented by specialized tracks like the HarmonyOS Innovation Class alongside a dynamic adjustment mechanism that modifies or retires majors based on enrollment, employment rates, and faculty resources.
IV. Flexible Admissions, Campus Life, and Outstanding Career Pathways
Stable Admissions & Zero-Threshold Transfers: President YIN noted that HNUST’s 2026 annual enrollment will remain stable at over 10,000 students. Newly added quotas will target national strategic industries like Aerospace, Intelligent Manufacturing, and the Digital Industry. To lower risks for applicants, major reassignment will only occur within the specific major group a student applied to. Furthermore, HNUST implements a student-centric, “zero-threshold” major transfer policy, allowing students to apply for a change of major after their first year based on personal interests and dual-matching mechanisms.
A Vibrant Campus Environment: The campus features 24-hour open study spaces, and undergraduates are heavily encouraged to join research and competitions. HNUST students have secured over 500 national competition awards in the past three years. Accommodation is highly comfortable, featuring air-conditioned dormitories with 24-hour hot water, seamless campus transit, and diverse student canteens catering to regional tastes.
Top-Tier Employment and Further Studies: Recognized as a national model university for innovation, entrepreneurship, and employment, HNUST’s graduate employment quality consistently ranks at the top in Hunan Province. Global Fortune 500 companies and state-owned enterprises recruit heavily on campus each year. For the class of 2025, the overall postgraduate matriculation rate approached 30%, with more than half of those domestic bound admitted to China’s prestigious “Double First-Class” universities.
Concluding the interview, President YIN extended a warm invitation to future applicants: “Hunan University of Science and Technology is a premier launchpad for your dreams. Here, you can aspire to be a scientist like Wan Buyan exploring the deep sea, an engineer managing aerospace networks, a leading AI algorithm expert, or a dedicated educator shaping future generations. We look forward to welcoming all ambitious minds by the Xiangjiang River. Welcome to HNUST!”
(Translated by WAN Chuang, YU Junlin)
