The Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST; simplified Chinese: 华中科技大学; traditional Chinese: 華中科技大學; pinyin: Huázhōng Kējì Dàxué; literally: "Central China University of Science and Technology") is a public, coeducational research university located in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. As a national key university, HUST is directly affiliated to the Ministry of Education of China. HUST has been referred toas the flagship of China's higher education system after the Chinese Civil War.