The discipline of Marine Science at Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) originates from the establishment of the Department of Marine Resources and Environmental Engineering at the Weihai campus in 2000. Building on that, the School of Marine Science and Technology was formed in 2004. Subsequently, in 2010, HIT obtained the authority to confer master’s degrees in Marine Science as a first-level discipline, with student enrollment commencing the following year. In 2013, Marine Chemistry was designated as a key discipline in Shandong Province. The discipline first entered the Ministry of Education’s national evaluation in 2016, receiving a C grade (ranking 12th ). In 2020, Marine Science was recognized as a Shandong Provincial Advantageous and Characteristic Discipline, and in 2021, HIT was approved to offer doctoral degrees in Marine Science as a first-level discipline. In 2023, it was approved as a Shandong Provincial Basic Science Research Center. Through the development of the doctoral program, the discipline of Marine Science at HIT aims to leverage its strengths in engineering and technology to understand the nature, properties, and changing patterns of the ocean. On this basis, the discipline focuses on developing and researching efficient methods for marine resource development, marine energy utilization, and marine environment and ecology, thereby providing robust theoretical support and technical expertise for China’s maritime development strategy and the advancement of a strong maritime nation.
