HUST persistts having its scientific research oriented to the principal battlefield-economic development. At the same time,great attention is given to strengthening researchs in basic theories. It complets about 200 research projects annualy. During this decade, the university undertook over 1,400 projects including these suppoted by the National Foundation of natrural Science,the "863" projects, key science and technologicalprojects assigned by the ministries and commissionsconcerned. Over 700 projects have won Science and Technological Fruit Prize at the national,provincial and ministerial level. Over 15,000 papers have been published in important learned periodical distributed at home and abroad, of which 1,032 papers were published in China in 1993,ranking the first in the whole country.A comprehensive superiority has already been formed in the theory and technology of laser, NC, molds machine-building, optimization design and CAD, information storage, patten recognition,communication, bioengineering, and coal combusion. The university occupies an important position in China in each of these areasa.

As HUST has a complete set of disciplines, its scientific reseach is characterized by forming key task teams to bring such a superiority into fullplay.In the early 1970s, after choosing the frontier discipline laser technology as the key project, the university organized more than 50 faculty members of 9 programs to work in coordination. In a matter of 20-odd years, over 100 achievements in laser technology have been made.In 1986, a key laboratory was set up with goverment funding. In1994, an Engineering Research Center for Laser Processing was built again with govement investment.

At present,the university has a national engineering reseach center, 3 key national laboratories and 2 key specialized laboratories.