Destinations: Harbin Institute of Technology, explore aerospace exhibits
Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT) is one of China's most prestigious engineering universities, world-famous for aerospace, mechanical engineering and cold-region technology research. This 6-day STEAM winter camp is tailored for international students with interests in aerospace, mechanical design, material science and cold-environment engineering. The program centers on campus visits at HIT, aerospace museum exploration, lectures from university researchers and hands-on group engineering challenges. Students learn how engineers design materials and equipment that can survive extreme low temperatures, study satellite and rocket technology, and explore local energy and infrastructure solutions built for long freezing winters. Beyond university research, students combine classroom knowledge with field visits: exploring ice construction engineering at Ice and Snow World, observing wildlife conservation technology at Siberian Tiger Park, and visiting local science museums. In small teams, students complete a PBL engineering challenge focused on cold-climate design. This camp helps students understand Chinese higher education, cutting-edge aerospace research and the unique engineering problems that winter climate brings to northern cities, while building collaborative problem-solving skills.
Day 1: Arrival in Harbin & STEAM Camp Opening Airport pickup and hotel check-in. Winter safety briefing and introduction to extreme cold material science. Opening ceremony introduces HIT's history, aerospace achievements and the camp's engineering design challenge. Students split into innovation teams and receive project brief.
Day 2: Harbin Institute of Technology Campus & Aerospace Museum Morning full campus tour of HIT. Walk through library, student activity centers and engineering teaching buildings. Meet local university students for cross-cultural exchange. Afternoon visit HIT Aerospace Museum. View real rocket components, satellite models and space equipment. Listen to researcher lecture about aerospace and deep cold technology, with Q&A session.
Day 3: Heilongjiang Science Museum & Cold Climate Engineering Workshop Morning explore Heilongjiang Science Museum, interactive exhibits covering mechanics, energy, space and environmental science. Afternoon STEAM workshop: learn material properties in sub-zero temperatures, insulation principles and structural design. Teams start brainstorming their cold-resistant model project.
Day 4: Siberian Tiger Park & Ice and Snow World Engineering Study Morning visit Siberian Tiger Park, study wildlife tracking cameras, environmental monitoring systems and conservation technology. Afternoon and evening visit Ice and Snow World. Students analyze ice block assembly, load bearing, lighting wiring and temporary structure safety in freezing conditions, collecting data for their engineering project.
Day 5: Project Building & Prototype Testing Full day dedicated to prototype building and cold-environment simulation testing. Mentors give technical guidance and help teams optimize their design. Students prepare presentation slides and demonstration scripts for final showcase.
Day 6: Project Showcase, Closing Ceremony & Departure STEAM project defense and team presentations. Award innovation certificates and camp completion certificates. Closing sharing with HIT student volunteers. Private airport transfer for departure.
