FAU: Top university for doctoral candidates from China
Award from Chinese government for four young researchers
The Chinese government has awarded four young researchers who are currently working towards their doctoral degrees at FAU, Germany, the Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad. The award is endowed with 6,000 dollars and recognizes outstanding doctoral candidates who have financed their studies abroad without a scholarship from the Chinese government. The selection criteria for this award include the quality of candidates’ research publications and a recommendation from their supervisor. With four award winners in the 2013 call, FAU is the leading university in Germany.
‘I deeply love the study environment in Erlangen; the freedom, peacefulness and friendliness. It’s a really nice place for research and study,’ says award winner Jin Luo. The 29-year-old doctoral candidate completed his Master’s degree at the China University of Geosciences in Wuhan and went on to do his doctorate at Geozentrum Nordbayern. The help which he received from his supervisor and colleagues was beneficial to his research. He was also pleased with the diversity at FAU: ‘I would like to say, the very impressive thing is that you will meet researchers from different cultures and this will be very helpful to your work.’
27-year-old Ning Li is currently working towards his doctoral degree at the Institute of Materials for Electronics and Energy Technology, which is also part of the University’s Cluster of Excellence ‘Engineering of Advanced Materials’ (EAM). ‘It’s my great pleasure that I had the chance to finish my Master’s and PhD at such a wonderful university. I greatly appreciate the friendship of my colleagues and the professional supervision of lecturers and professors of FAU,’ explains the young Chinese researcher. ‘Erlangen was my first choice of destination when I decided to continue my Master’s studies in Germany and I’d like to stay longer if I have the chance. I love the city and I deeply appreciate the help and kindness of people I have met through all these years.’
The young researcher, who obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Tongji University in China before coming to Germany, recommends young Master’s graduates continue with a doctoral degree: ‘I personally encourage people who have finished their Master’s studies to continue doing research as doctoral students. Doing a PhD doesn’t mean that you will or have to dedicate your whole life to academia, but this stage will definitely be a beautiful part of your life.’
Huixin Bao, doctoral candidate at the Institute of Particle Technology, was also impressed by FAU: ‘At FAU, I have the chance to interact with collaboration partners within the University but also with external companies.’ She advises international applicants to prepare themselves for working and living in a foreign country by acquiring some basic knowledge about the country, from the language to the customs and traditions. However, she received plenty of support from the University in a range of situations, such as writing job applications. 30-year-old Huixin Bao completed her Master’s degree in Bioinorganic Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Science in Changchun and then studied the Elite Master’s degree programme in Advanced Materials and Processes (MAP) at FAU before beginning work on her doctoral degree at the Cluster of Excellence EAM.
Yang Xu is also one of the award winners. He works at Intel Mobile Communications, a subsidiary of the computer chip giant Intel, which develops semiconductors and solutions for mobile communication. He is completing his doctoral degree as an external candidate at the Chair of Hardware/Software Co-Design at FAU. ‘What I appreciate most with regard to the doctoral program of FAU is the freedom I have to choose the research area where I have the highest motivation and passion’, says Yang Yu.
‘We would like to congratulate our doctoral candidates. This award is a fantastic personal achievement and the result of many years of demanding and challenging research. During this time, they not only had to get to grips with a new research environment but also with being in a foreign country far away from their families,’ says Prof. Dr. Christoph Korbmacher, Vice President for International Affairs at FAU. ‘However, this success also demonstrates how Germany, and FAU in particular, has become an excellent location for doctoral candidates from abroad.’ Germany in general is an attractive country for excellent young researchers from China: of the 518 award winners worldwide, 38 of them are completing their doctoral degrees in Germany. The winners received their awards on 24 May 2014 at the Chinese embassy in Berlin.
Further Information:
Blandina Mangelkramer
Phone: +49 9131 85-70210
presse@fau.de