Yanshan University, referred to as "Yanda", is located in Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province. It is a national key university jointly established by the People's Government of Hebei Province, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the State Bureau of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defense. It is a member of Beijing Hi-Tech University Alliance and a "double-class" construction university in Hebei Province. He was selected into the national high-level university construction graduate program, the national key discipline program with national characteristics, the national innovation experiment program for college students, the national demonstration university for deepening innovation and entrepreneurship education reform, the scholarship receiving institution of China government for international students in China, and the education and training program for outstanding engineers.

The school originated from Harbin Institute of Technology and was founded in 1920. From 65438 to 0958, the heavy machinery and related majors of Harbin Institute of Technology moved to Fulaerji District, Qiqihar City, an important industrial town, and established the Institute of Heavy Machinery of Harbin Institute of Technology. 1960 Independent School, named Northeast Heavy Machinery Institute, became a university directly under the former Ministry of Machinery Industry.

1978 was identified as a national key institution of higher learning. From 1985 to 1997, the whole school moved to Qinhuangdao. 1997 was renamed Yanshan university with the approval of the former state education commission. 1998 was transferred to Hebei Province by the former Ministry of Machinery Industry, which was jointly built by the central and local governments and mainly managed by Hebei Province. In 2000, Hebei Light Industry Management School was merged into Yanshan University.