Exchange student, Doctor of Philosophy
Why did you choose to study at the University of South Australia (UniSA)?
“I learnt about the student exchange program between my University in China and UniSA at an event. I was amazed by the beauty of Adelaide and by the high quality English education of this prestigious university. A good friend of mine was doing her Master of Arts at UniSA and told me all the wonderful things about the University, including good support to students and a nice natural environment. So when I decided to pursue further study abroad, UniSA became one of my priorities. I confirmed my choice when I searched information about research staff and resources provided by the University. I succeeded in applying for the President’s Scholarship for international students provided by UniSA, which has waived my tuition fees and the research centre provided a living allowance for me.”
What are the benefits of UniSA and their teaching staff?
"I am impressed by the effectiveness of all the staff, they are very supportive and kind to me. Upon starting my study, I was very nervous about studying overseas mainly because of the language barrier. But when I actually started, I found UniSA has provided me with a lot of support.
I enjoy attending workshops on campus and the Library resources are really amazing at UniSA. Besides the abundant number of research databases, we have access to books and journal articles in other libraries around world. We can also suggest books for the library to purchase.
As a PhD student, I have two supervisors, some PhD students have three supervisors. The supervisors are very hardworking and supportive. Our regular meetings enable us to stay on track.
I take full advantage of high quality and high impact research and consultancy on campus. Supervisors ask thought-provoking questions about my research and this inspires me to think deeply and develop my own ability of critical thinking.
I was lucky to be able to attend a summer school in Sydney sponsored by UniSA. The course was directly related to my research and it turned out to be very helpful in shaping my research design. I am also aware that UniSA supports PhD students to give presentations in international conferences through available scholarships.
This area of study will deepen my understanding of teaching and learning English as a foreign language and facilitate my future teaching and research career."
What are your impressions of Adelaide?
"Adelaide is really a nice place to stay. I like the natural environment here. There are trees that inhabit koalas, various kinds of flowers throughout the year, creeks running through the campus and the beach is not far away. The local people here are very friendly. In Adelaide, there is also a strong Chinese community. In the city I go to Chinatown where I can buy many ingredients from China."
