Iuni Trist is in the latter stages of her PhD in medicinal chemistry at Cardiff University. Iuni’s route to a PhD began in Italy and her reflections may help those reading this who may be considering coming to the UK to undertake their research. Iuni Trist, PhD Candidate in Medicinal Chemistry What was your educational…>
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A Beginners Guide to Key Terms in Chinese Higher Education
211 Programme The 211 programme confers “National Key University” status on its member universities and colleges. The top 6% of China’s universities are included in the programme (the name of which refers to the top 100 universities in the 21st century). The 211 members together receive 70% of total science research funding awarded in China…>
Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?
There are few interview questions that strike fear into the heart of an interviewee as much as the dreaded “why did you leave your last job”? Whether you were fired because of incompetence or had a boss that made Cruella de Vil look like a sweetheart, the only job that matters now is putting your…>
A Guide to Research Grants in China
According to the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China, by 2013 the total research funding in China had snowballed into 179 billion dollars. The government will continue to sink more money for scientific research in 2014. Though it is not publicly stated, the country tends to put…>
PhD Limbo – Caught Between Two Worlds
PhD limbo occurs because students are turned away from graduate schemes for being too experienced, yet aren’t experienced enough for industry.
Academic Work In The Netherlands: What You Need To Know
The Netherlands can be a fantastic place for academics to work: salaries are relatively good, holidays generous, and there is a rigorous research culture, especially in science and technology. What do you need to know to take advantage of these opportunities? The structure of Dutch higher education. There are three different types of further and…>
9 Tips For Engaging Students In China.
1) Be nurturing and encouraging. Chinese students tend to be very reserved, but they respond well to positive reinforcement and become more proactive once they feel they are in a safe environment where they won’t be judged or criticized. Chinese students often perceive the simple act of asking a question or making a comment as…>
Lecturer Of Italian Language At Peking University
Giulia Falato is a Chinese language teacher and PhD student at the University of Rome “La Sapienza”. She first visited China in 2004 as an exchange student in Shanghai where foreign students were uncommon and scholarships even rarer. Her past experience includes, but is not limited to: a three-month internship in Guangzhou and participation in…>
How To Write PhD Proposals
Most lecturers see dozens of PhD proposals annually. Some are obvious winners, some are promising but need additional work before approval, and some are rejected out of hand. What can you do to make yours rise to the top?
Chinese Government Initiatives for Recruiting Academic Staff and Developing the HE System
In the last two decades the Chinese government has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at building world class universities. These include the 211 project and the 985 project which were targeted at developing the research capacity of the Chinese higher education system. In addition, the government introduced the Changjiang Scholar and 1000 talents programmes…>