As a national key university under the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) aimed at cutting-edge science and technology research and sci-tech based management and humanity studies, USTC was founded in September 1958 in Beijing and chaired by CAS president Guo Moruo. In 1970, it moved to Hefei, Anhui province. As the only university attached to the CAS, USTC fully mobilized its departments to strengthen their ties with CAS research institutes and equipped the devoted hard-working students with a profound theoretical foundation as well as practical techniques. In 1959, the university was included on the list of the 16 national key universities and became the youngest key university in China.  

Founded in 1952, Northeast Forestry University (NEFU) was formed by the combination of both Zhejiang University and Northeast Agricultural College's forestry departments. It is currently one of the Ministry of Education of People's Republic of China's key universities and is also one of the universities in the “211 Project”.

Northeast Forestry University is located in the city of Harbin , the center of the region with China's 1argest state-owned forests. Its campus covers more than 136 hectares with teaching buildings, scientific research laboratories and practice sites. In addition, there are still several practice centers which include the Maoershan Experimental Forestry Center (Maoershan National Forest Park) and the LiangShui Experimental Forestry Center (LiangShui State-level Natural Reserve) etc. Therefore，the university has a total area of 33,000 hectares.