Hi,

Thanks for all the answers to my previous post about doing a PhD in China

One point where everyone seems to agree is the difficulty due to the language. I'm Portuguese and I know some foreign people, who speak little or no Portuguese at all, doing a PhD here. I think they don't get into much problem because of that: books and scientific publications are in English, and supervisors and colleagues speak English. Is it that different in China? I've already been to China, and in big cities you find people who speak good English. Do you mean that supervisors, because they usually are not so young they didn't study English in school and their English is often very poor? (I suppose young people doing a PhD have at least a reasonable level of English)

But the language is one of the reasons why I'd like to spend some time in China. I'm learning Chinese, 4 hours per week, I started around 8 months ago, and my level is obviously still very basic. But I think the only way I'll be able to speak Chinese one day is to live in China. The other reasons are the Chinese culture, and this growing boom that is going on now in China, which I think is something that never happened in the humankind history, and I'd like to experience it. Apart from Portugal I've already lived 1.5 years in the UK and 1 year in Switzerland, and now I think it would be very interesting to join a PhD with the experience to know a different culture. Of course what Hedy mentioned about the huge, and surely growing, CFD market in China sounds also interesting. Another reason, as pointed out by Hedy, is the possibility to eat "the perfect meal" (just joking, I like Chinese food, but that wouldn't be enough)

I have tried, without much success, to find information about CFD research groups and their work, but there isn't much information available in English in university web sites (but the same happens in Portugal, and probably in many other countries). Harry said there are research groups conducting world-leading research work He mentioned the first 20 universities, and Hedy the top 10. But here I'm a bit (perhaps a lot) lost, I don't know how to search for those groups/institutes/universities. Only Wenxuan suggested Beijing University as probably the best one to do a PhD in CFD (sounds good), thanks. Could you please indicate some recognized CFD research groups, and if you know, some details about their work and/or areas of expertise? I kind of agree with llaw ko, who said that, for a PhD, one should not depend so much on supervisor, and that a supervisor is to guide, inspire, provoke, test the candidate. But if you go from A to B, and even if there's only one road cross in between, and you don't know which way to chose, you may get to a wrong destination. But I think that, perhaps more important than the supervisor himself is the work group. I think it may be very helpful if you can discuss ideas with colleagues, hear their problems and achievements, hear suggestions from them, etc; and of course working on a friendly environment is always rewarding.

My background education is mechanical engineering, and I'd like to do something with practical orientation but where a good knowledge/understand of the theory was also important.

The only people who said were foreign doing a PhD in China were KKKhan and anon, and they didn't have good experiences. Does this happen to everyone? Isn't there a foreigner who can report a good experience? KKKhan and anon, do you think that happens in any Chinese university, or are there some where that is less likely to happen? It should be as difficult for for an European to do a PhD in China, as for a Chinese to do a PhD in Europe or America, right? I'm sorry for such a long post (wow, I just previewed the message, and I think I'm gonna get the prize for the longest post of ever), but I really need some orientation on this.

Thanks very very much for your help,

Rui

How about multiphase flow, or the like? if it is ok, I would like to recommend you several guys. They have done recognized work (you can confirm this from their publications later).

>Harry said there are research groups conducting world-leading >research work He mentioned the first 20 universities, and >Hedy the top 10. But here I'm a bit (perhaps a lot) lost, I >don't know how to search for those >groups/institutes/universities. Only Wenxuan suggested >Beijing University as probably the best one to do a PhD in >CFD (sounds good), thanks.

I mean resources are no problem for top 20 universities and there are some research groups conducting world-leading reasearch work. These are two different points (any queries, please check my previous post)

The following universities are possibly potential to your target

tsinghua university

Beijing university

university of science and technology of China

the Hongkong polytechnic university

Zhe Jiang university

Xi'an Jiaotong university

Beihang university

Also some institues,

Institue of process engineering

These information is provided absolutely based on my own flavor, even say personal bias.

If some guy is studying in an excellent CFD reasearch in China as a PhD student, please feel free to introduce your group here.

Cheers,

Harry

beijing university of aeronautics and astronautics

Doing a PhD in China is good if you want to obtain a PhD quickly as it is in England. Still, the best place for getting a PhD is in the US. It takes longer but it's worth it. I have some friends that went to China to pursue their PhD, and they told me it was very quick and didn't need to take any comprehensive exam. Also, majority of the universities have professors from other countries that speak english. So, language should not be a problem. Also, the women there are so nice and pretty. The people are also very nice and friendly, but just be careful sometimes they are tricky.

How about NUS or NTU in Singapore? They have astonishing reputation for CFD and education. You could have a feel of what chinese culture, people, food and women are all about there as well... minus a few aspects and challenges from the original mainland's. And yes, you should win a prize for the length AND coherent posting.

Hi,

Thanks for all your sugestions.

Harry, yes, multiphase flow would be ok. I think I'd like to work on something related to free-surface / slush / exterior flows. Don't know if this is what you had on mind.

CFD_Guru, so do you think that doing a PhD in China is similar to doing it in England? And what was your friends' overall opinion about doing the PhD in China?

kay oh, what do you mean by "...minus a few aspects and challenges from the original mainland's"?

Rui

Sorry, I am not sure what is happending in China about your subject of interest.

Hi Rui! What was meant by that is in Singapore the Chinese cultures have been diluted/enhanced/improved/reduced/assimilated with the rest of the world since Singapore is a small country and it is a Metropolitan although predominantly Chinese. More assimilated than Hong Kong. So some aspects in the Chinese cultures in China will not be found in Singapore. The Chinese daily language also is a "knock down" versions of the more original practice in China. (Analogous to the more practical 2-equation instead of the 7-equation or LES). And they tend to speak more English than Chinese. Some have said that women in China are much prettier and stronger physically ... (and I tend to agree with a long pause in my line of thoughts now). Back to you, as far as education and CFD are concerned, NUS and NTU are at the top of the list. It depends on the level of depths or priority which you want to explore the Chinese cultures and CFD at one go. You just might end up stuck in your lab for days straight without blending with any soul (let alone culture) if you really pursue PhD in CFD though. Good luck dude!

If you have project in hand and you need only peacful environoment then China is ok, you can find related litrature too.. no problem But if you are a freshman and and need basic knowledge of ur research field. also you wants to learn and share some new ideas with the group memebers as well as ur advisor, it will be really very difficult with out learning chinese language. personally with me, I attend our group metting, my advisor spk with me n english and after that chinese languages started and I just looking their faces and finally the beocme boring.

Hi

Following link is Aerospace Engineering Division academic staff link at NTU, Singapore. You may also explore other division like Engineering Mechanics division.

http://www.ntu.edu.sg/mae/admin/divi.../AcadStaff.asp

regards Richard