Harbin Engineering University (simplified Chinese: 哈尔滨工程大学; traditional Chinese: 哈爾濱工程大學; pinyin: Hāěrbīn Gōngchéng Dàxué) was founded in 1953, in Harbin, China. It used to host the PLA Military Engineering Institute, China's foremost institute in that field. Following the deterioration of China's relations with the USSR after the Sino-Soviet border conflict, it divided into six universities for security reasons. Harbin is now the key engineering university in China, encompassing engineering science and management as well as support programs on humanities and social sciences. HEU traces its origin to the Military Engineering Academy established in Harbin on September 1, 1953. In 1970 Harbin Shipbuilding Engineering Institute (HSEI; simplified Chinese: 哈尔滨船舶工程学院; traditional Chinese: 哈爾濱船舶工程學院; pinyin: Hāěrbīn Chuánbó Gōngchéng Xuéyuàn) was formed. With approval from the State Education Commission, HSEI changed its name to Harbin Engineering University in 1994, and ocean and marine projects became its main field of research.