NEFU is a multidisciplinary university, containing the disciplines of Agriculture, Science, Engineering, Economy, Management, Liberal arts and Law. Forestry is the most privileged discipline, while Forestry Engineering is the most distinct discipline. With scientific development concepts at the lead, NEFU adheres to the people-oriented concept, building a platform for integrating preeminent disciplines, and making a solid foundation to become a world-class research university.

During the “Twelfth Five-Year-Plan” period, NEFU has had a steady growth in both the number of scientific research projects and contract funds compared with the “Eleventh Five-Year-Plan” period, specifically in the achievements of national scientific research projects. NEFU has successively won projects supported by National 863 Plan Projects and National Science-technology Support Plan Projects, which fills the previous gap of lacking national major scientific projects. Compared with the “Eleventh Five-year Plan” period, the number of NSFC projects and corresponding contract funds significantly increased, and has become the most stable growth point of all research funding. During the “Twelfth Five-Year-Plan” period, NEFU has had a total of 996 vertical academic research projects and 954 lateral academic research projects approved.

In the past five years, NEFU has won 413 awards at all levels for science and technological achievements. These awards include 4 national awards, 84 provincial and ministerial awards as well as 339 other awards. NEFU has had 13,146 papers published, among which 2,161 are included in SCI, 2,923 in EI, and 811 in ISTP. At the same time, 1,077 patents have been granted which include 319 invention patents and 588 utility model patents.

In order to enhance our capacity of community service, on the basis of scientific research administration, the scientific research department further reinforces internal management as well as provides effective popularization and transformation of scientific and technological achievements. It edits mature and industrialized scientific and technological achievements into booklets, while at the same time introducing various achievements and many related activities. On the one hand, the scientific research department widely publicizes current excellent scientific and technological achievements and improves the transformation and industrialization of the achievements. On the other hand, NEFU has gained more popularity and made more high-tech enterprises better know this university, which lays the foundation for further cooperation and technological development.

NEFU co-founded, with the Chinese Academy of Forestry, the State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding (NEFU) based on the Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding of the Ministry of Education, which is the very first and until now the only national key laboratory. Moreover, a State-local Joint Engineering Laboratory for Eco-utilization of Biological Resources was also founded during the “Twelfth Five-Year-Plan” period. Forest Ecosystem Monitoring and Research Stations of Mohe, Heilongjiang and Wetland Ecosystem Monitoring and Research Stations of Sanjiang, Heilongjiang have officially become two components of the ecosystem research network of the state forestry administration. In addition, three new research centers have been built as well. They are “State Forestry Administration Engineering Research Center of Pinus koraiensis”, “State Forestry Administration Engineering Research Center of Oil Peony” and “National Feline Animals Research Center”. The first provincial-level university-enterprise R&D center is newly built-“Heilongjiang Province Auto Parts Engineering Technology Research and Development Center”. Until now, NEFU owns 93 key laboratories and research institutions of all levels. A sci-tech innovation systemic platform has been built, characterized by a multilevel and multidisciplinary structure. It is led by state key laboratories, state-local joint engineering laboratories and national field observational stations, supported by key laboratory of the Ministry of education, featuring other provincial and ministerial research platforms and supplemented by university research institutions.

The innovation teams “Forestry Carbon Sink Theory and Breeding Techniques” and “Remediation Technology of Reserve Saline and Alkaline Farmland and Foundation of Molecular Breeding” which are especially cultivated by NEFU have both won support and funds from PCSIRT.

The Scientific research management system and scientific research achievement management system are built so as to ensure better efficiency and active scientific research. From then on, all scientific research related affairs such as scientific research office, scientific research team, scientific research projects, scientific research funding, scientific research achievements, intellectual property, award-winning achievements, academic activity and research awards were integrated into those two systems. Information management is basically realized by this means when it comes to projects and achievements during the “Twelfth Five-Year-Plan” period.

In order to meet the targets of “country needs, world-class standards, advanced system, outstanding achievements”, and orientated by the national and regional demands, the 2011 project office built the 2011 synergy innovation center, promoted system reform, gathered outstanding staff and resources, innovated the pattern of the talent training, deepened international cooperation, optimized innovation environment and improved the creation ability of the trinity of “talent, discipline and research”. Now, the 2011 synergy innovation center has already become significant worldwide in academic fields, the research and development base of industry technology and the main place of regional innovation, development and cultural heritage. NEFU is leading to establish “Under-forest Economy Collaborative Innovation Center”, working together with organizations related to under-forest economy “politics, production, learn, research, utility” and completing the economic restructure of northeast key state-owned forest region and the great-leap-forward development of eco-civilization construction. The “Under-forest Economy Collaborative Innovation Center” is identified as a provincial economy collaborative innovation center of Heilongjiang province.

NEFU has an A-level journal “Journal of Northeast Forestry University” and “Journal of Forestry Research” (English Version) which is included in SCIE.