[3] HEU traces its origins to the PLA Military Engineering Institute established in Harbin on September 1, 1953, with technical support from the Soviet Union after the Korean War.Faculty, students, and staff with a university ID card may register for wifi access at the second-floor information desk.[citation needed] The university awards undergraduate, master, and doctoral degrees in the various branches of engineering, science, literature, management, and economics.International students seeking to improve their Chinese-language proficiency may enroll in a non-degree language course in either autumn or spring.As scholars at national key university, HEU faculty prioritize engineering in shipbuilding, information and communications, nuclear power, and hydroacoustics.