The University boasts one nationally-recognized key discipline (under construction), one nationally-recognized key lab base co-founded by Shandong Province and the Ministry of Education, one state-local joint engineering center and 61 ministerial/provincial key disciplines, labs, and engineering centers, including one key laboratory and one engineering research center invested in by the Ministry of Education. In addition Qingdao City has designated three key disciplines, four key laboratories, two engineering labs and three engineering/technology research centers. One business center authorized by the National Manufacturing Informationization Training Center is also affiliated with the university, as well as one foreign language training center under the State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs, the Shandong-Russia Center of Sci-Tech Cooperation, and Qingdao Manufacturing Informationization Personnel Cultivation Base. The Russian Academy of Natural Sciences has also set up a China Science Center at SDUST, the only one in China.

     Over 40,000 full-time students are currently enrolled at SDUST, including more than 5,900 masters and doctoral candidates. Among a faculty of over 2,900, 268 are professors, including three academics from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, one academic from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, one candidate for the “State 2008 Outstanding Scientists Recruiting Project”, two  professors from the Taishan Scholar Program, and six overseas professors from the Taishan Scholar Program. Eighteen professors are entitled to special state subsidies; five professors are honored with the titles of National Young- / Middle-aged Expert with Outstanding Contributions and 17 with provincial honorary titles. There are 153 doctoral tutors, 4 teachers with the title of national model/excellent teacher, 4 with provincial excellent teacher and 8 with provincial eminent teacher. There are two Education Ministry innovation teams and 2 Shandong Province innovation teams.

     There are seven nationally-featured programs, one state-level comprehensive reform experimental program, one state-level talent cultivation innovation experimental zone, three state-level quality open courses, four state-level quality courses, one state-level bilingual-instruction demonstration course, one state-level teaching team, two state-level experimental teaching centers, and one state-level engineering practical teaching center. In recent years, the University has won four awards for National Teaching Achievements and 70 awards for Provincial Teaching Achievements. The University has cultivated over 270,000 graduates so far and the employment rate of its graduates has remained at a high level. Moreover, in the National Undergraduate Programs Teaching Evaluation conducted in 2007 by the State Education Ministry, SDUST was placed in Category A.

     SDUST is noted for its strengths in both basic and applied research and scientific development, thanks to its multidisciplinary features. It provides a solid academic foundation and has particular strengths in Mining Engineering, Surveying and Mapping Science and Technology, Geological Resources and Engineering, Control Theory and Control Engineering, Computer Software and Theory, Geotechnical Engineering, Mechatronic Engineering, and Mechanical Design and Theory. The University now houses over 90 research institutes in such domains as engineering, technology, humanities and the social sciences. During the 11th Five-Year-Plan（2006-2010）period, the University undertook 4,026 research projects with its fund totaling 0.95 billion RMB. 816 projects were given awards, including four state awards and 274 provincial ones. Since 2011，it has undertaken 3088 sci-tech projects with a total contract fund of 0.75 billion RMB, and has won four state awards and 49 provincial/ministerial awards.

     SDUST’s sci-tech park has been designated by the State Ministry of Science and Technology and the State Education Ministry as ‘National University Tech Park’, ‘State-level Sci-Tech Enterprise Incubator’, ‘College Student Technological Innovation Practice Base’, ‘National Technology Transfer Demonstration Institution’, etc, attracting 120 research entities and businesses engaged in development of new material technology, optical, mechanical and electronic integration, electronic information, software engineering, instruments, automation, etc.

     The University actively participates in international exchange and cooperation, with a view to internationalize its education. It has established cooperative relationship with 112 higher learning institutions and research institutes in 23 countries and regions including the US, Japan, Germany, Russia, France, Australia, etc. Six Sino-foreign joint laboratories have been set up, and over 50 cooperative projects initiated. Joint-education and student exchange programs are underway with countries such as the US, France, Germany, Australia, and others. International students from more than 40 countries come to SDUST for a degree or short term study. More than 20 faculty members play leading roles in various international academic institutions.