On the afternoon of December 17, 2024, in Conference Room A28 of MBA Education Center, Business School held an exciting and fulfilling sharing session on study abroad and academic experience. The sharing session invited three excellent PhD students from our school to share and exchange in-depth information with the new PhD students in the audience on how to successfully apply for study abroad grants, experience of study abroad life, and experience of dissertation writing and publication.
Group photo of participants
At the outset of the sharing session, Jiang Fubin, a doctoral student from the class of 2020, shared her experience of applying for the national-sponsored joint training doctoral program. She elaborated on key questions such as "Should I go?", "Where to go?", "When to go?", and "How to go?", providing an in-depth analysis of the benefits and costs of studying abroad. Jiang Fubin mentioned that studying abroad not only expands one's social network and broadens horizons but may also yield unexpected rewards. However, it also comes with challenges such as time and financial costs, as well as communication barriers. When selecting a school and mentor, she advised reaching out widely and choosing carefully, taking into account factors such as school rankings, the mentor's expertise, and research directions. She also emphasized the importance of paying attention to application timelines, visas, language proficiency scores, and other considerations, reminding new students to plan their time wisely to avoid unexpected circumstances affecting the application process.
Sharing by Jiang Fubin, PhD student, Class of 2020
Following that, Wang Shiyun, a doctoral student from the class of 2021, shared her insights on the preparation of materials and experiences for the national-sponsored study abroad program. She provided a detailed introduction to the relevant information on the China Scholarship Council website, including selection guidelines, timelines, and the number of planned candidates. She also walked through the application process step by step, covering specific operations such as registration, filling in application information, and uploading supplementary materials. She particularly emphasized the language proficiency requirements and the key points of writing a research plan, offering clear guidance for students interested in applying for the national-sponsored program.
Wang Shiyun, PhD student, Class of 2021, shares
Next, Lan Minghui, a doctoral student from the class of 2022, shared her personal experiences, discussing the setbacks one might encounter during the application process and sharing her experiences in writing and publishing papers. She pointed out that the research cycle is long and fraught with difficulties and challenges, such as selecting a topic, data processing, writing, and publishing papers, all of which require significant effort. In her view, mentors act as lighthouses and propellers, guiding students, providing resources, and offering encouragement. She also shared her writing experiences, including reading top-tier journal articles, asking detailed research questions, attending lectures, and pondering research problems.
Shared by Lan Minghui, PhD student, Class of 2022
Finally, during the interactive Q&A session, the 2024 doctoral freshmen actively asked questions and sought advice from their seniors on specific issues related to the study abroad application. The sharing guests patiently answered the questions, creating a lively atmosphere at the scene.
Interactive session
This sharing session provided the Business School’s doctoral freshmen with a valuable opportunity for exchange and learning. It not only deepened their understanding of the study abroad application and paper writing but also inspired their enthusiasm for actively engaging in scientific research and pursuing excellence.
