The year 2025 marked a phase of comprehensive planning and high-level advancement in the drive to build China into a leading nation in education. It was also a year in which the faculty and students of the School of Astronautics pressed forward with determination, pledging their role as aerospace “vanguards”. Standing at the pivotal juncture between the conclusion of the 14th Five-Year Plan and the launch of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the School remained firmly committed to the fundamental fostering virtue and cultivating talent. By respecting underlying principles, upholding tradition while innovating, advancing with passion, and striving for excellence, it has written a new chapter of high-quality, inward-focused development.

I. Notable Results in Party Building and Ideological-Political Work

Solid progress was made in the study and implementation of the spirit of the Central Government’s Eight-Point Regulation. The co-building of Party branches under the “Working Hand in Hand with Aerospace Professionals” initiative was further deepened. One Party Branch Secretary Studio was selected as a provincial “Dual-Leader” Teacher Party Branch Secretary Studio; one case was recognized as a Best Practice in integrating Party building with professional work at the provincial level; and three projects were selected as Exemplary Projects of Ideological and Political Work in provincial universities. The State Key Laboratory of Special Environmental Composite Materials Technology was honored as an Outstanding Team in Teachers’ Ethics within the provincial education system, and four faculty members received provincial- or ministerial-level honors or above, including the New Era Youth Pioneer Award. A number of outstanding exemplars also emerged, including a National May Fourth Red Flag Youth League Branch, a National College Student Volunteer Lecture Team on Spiritual Values, a Gold Award at the National College Student Career Planning Competition, a Silver Award at the China Youth Volunteer Service Project Competition, a Special Prize at the Provincial Science Popularization Explanation Competition, and the Baogang Outstanding Student Award.

II. Continued Good News in First-Class Discipline Development

In the 2025 ShanghaiRanking’s Best Disciplines in China, Mechanics rose from 3rd to 2nd place, Astronautics from 4th to 3rd, Control Science and Engineering from 5th to 4th, Optical Engineering from 11th to 10th, and Integrated Circuits made a major leap from 20th to 10th place.

III. Comprehensive Acceleration of Education and Teaching Reform

The School successfully passed the undergraduate education and teaching audit and evaluation, fully demonstrating the effectiveness of its new model for cultivating aerospace talent. It received one Special Prize, three First Prizes, and one Second Prize for provincial teaching achievement awards. A total of nine key and twenty-one general provincial teaching reform projects were approved, along with one project under the Ministry of Education’s “Integration of Science and Education with University-Industry Collaboration” program. One Ministry of Education ideological and political demonstration course for aerospace majors was approved; ten textbooks were included in the provincial 14th Five-Year Plan for textbooks; and four textbooks in emerging fields were published. Six doctoral dissertations received awards for excellence from their disciplinary societies, with two additional nominations, and three doctoral student projects were approved under the National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Members of the Audit and Evaluation Panel Visit the School of Astronautics

IV. Major Breakthroughs in the Cultivation of Top-Tier Talent

Students achieved a historic breakthrough at the National College Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, winning five Gold Awards and two Silver Awards. At the “Challenge Cup,” the School secured the National Special Prize in the main track—the University’s first such honor in 12 years—along with the championship in the “Unveiling and Leading” track and the “AI+” Challenge Star Award, one of only eight nationwide, thereby achieving a “grand slam” across all three tracks. Over the year, students won a total of 171 national-level and 112 provincial- or ministerial-level awards in science and innovation competitions. The School’s practice-oriented approach to talent cultivation was awarded the First Prize for Outstanding Achievements in the Reform of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Education in Chinese Universities.

V. Continued Improvement in Student Recruitment and Employment Quality

The quality of undergraduate student intake in Beijing and Shaanxi Province continued to improve, and achieved full coverage of top-tier student sources among recommended master’s candidates. Doctoral enrollment increased by 26.17% year on year, with the combined proportion of enrolled students of integrated master–doctoral and direct doctoral programs reaching 51.08%, and the share of high-quality students in the general admission track standing at 90.55%. For the Class of 2025, the undergraduate further study rate reached 82.11% and the employment rate climbed to 99.56%, both setting new historical highs for the School. Employment in the aerospace and national defense sectors has ranked first university-wide for six consecutive years.

The “Aerospace Journey” Practice Group Visits Key Aerospace and National Defense Institutions During the Summer

VI. A Growing Cluster of Outstanding Talent

Chair Professor Huang Jie was elected a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Three new national-level high-caliber talents and eleven national-level high-potential young talents were added, and three individuals were selected for the “Future Talents Program.” The Composite Materials and Structures Research Team was honored as a “Most Beautiful Scientific and Technological Researchers” team in the aerospace field. The Control Theory and Spacecraft Design Research Team received the 2024 Science and Technology Achievement Award from the Chinese Association of Automation, and Professor Xiong Jian won the 19th Fok Ying Tung Young Scientist Award for Higher Education Institutions.

Chair Professor Huang Jie Elected as a Foreign Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

Composite Materials and Structures Research Team Honored as a “Most Beautiful Scientific and Technological Researchers” team in the Aerospace Field

VII. Further Advances in Basic Research

The Implementation Plan for the School of Astronautics’ Program to Strengthen and Elevate Basic Research was formulated and released, further unleashing the innovative vitality of talent. The project “Advanced Control Theory and Applications in Instrumentation and Equipment” was approved as an Innovative Research Group Project by the National Natural Science Foundation of China. Academicians Du Shanyi, Han Jiecai, and Leng Jinsong were elected as the inaugural Fellows of the Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics. Academician Duan Guangren was elected a Fellow of the International Federation of Automatic Control. Professor Gao Huijun was elected Vice Chair of the 12th Chinese Association of Automation and received its Special Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress. Professor Ma Yufei was elected a Fellow of the Optical Society of America. Sixteen scholars were named Elsevier’s 2024 China Highly Cited Researchers, and ninety-six scholars were listed among the world’s top 2% scientists.

Three Faculty Members Elected as Inaugural Fellows of the Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics

Sixteen Scholars Named Elsevier’s 2024 China Highly Cited Researchers

Ninety-Six Scholars Listed Among the World’s Top 2% Scientists

VIII. A Series of Successes in Major Research Missions

The Shijian-26 satellite was successfully launched, and intelligent aerospace robots provided support for the space station program. Four research outcomes contributed to the Tianwen-2 exploration mission. Over the year, more than 160 national-level key and major projects were organized, reviewed, and approved. Two new joint laboratories and twelve major collaborative projects were established, and eight provincial, ministerial, or industry-level science and technology awards were received.

Successful Launch of the Shijian-26 Satellite

IX. Accelerated Impact of Research Commercialization

Leveraging the Commercial Aerospace Industry Technology Innovation Alliance, the School provided in-depth support for the rapid development of Heilongjiang’s aerospace industry. It took the lead in hosting the “2025 Forum on Technological Innovation and Development of the Commercial Aerospace Industry” and organized the 3rd Jiamusi Satellite Industry Development Conference. The School also spearheaded the establishment of the Intelligent Materials Industry Technology Innovation Alliance. The annual value of patent commercialization contracts reached RMB 42.4 million, and the School won one Gold Award and one Best Recommendation Award at the 25th China Patent Awards.

Lead Organizer of the 2025 Forum on Technological Innovation and Development of the Commercial Aerospace Industry

X. New Horizons in International Exchange and Cooperation

The School’s English website was developed as part of the School’s endeavor in internationalization at an advanced level. Five Shenzhou Young Scholars and twenty-one international faculty members were recruited. The School took the lead in organizing the China Final of the 3rd World University CubeSat Challenge. A total of forty-seven national-level foreign expert projects were approved. Thirty-six faculty members served as heads of international academic organizations or alliances, and 114 person-times were recorded for service on editorial boards of international journals. Two new international English-language journals were launched. Advances in Astronautics, the English edition of the Journal of Astronautics, was recognized as a high-start new journal under the Excellence Action Plan for Chinese Science and Technology Journals. Eight individuals received international Fellow or Academician titles. Academician Leng Jinsong was awarded the ICCES Eric Reissner Medal, and Professor Gao Huijun received the Andrew P. Sage Best Paper Award.

Official English Website of the School of Astronautics

Advances in Astronautics Recognized as a High-Start New Journal Under the Excellence Action Plan for Chinese Science and Technology Journals

Looking ahead to 2026, guided by the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message, we will continue to deepen our understanding of the laws governing higher education, stay focused on the goal of “accelerating our advance toward the forefront of world-class universities,” strengthen consensus among our “vanguards,” pool their collective strength, and make new contributions as aerospace vanguards. Toward the stars and the vast sea, we will never cease our pursuit; on the aerospace journey, we will move forward together.

一审-宋子畅

二审-陈东萍 

三审-智喜洋