Shuang Tian

Shuang Tian gained access to international research opportunities with his postgraduate degree at Monash.

Name: Shuang Tian

Country: China

Course studied: Master of Telecommunication Engineering (by Research)

Year commenced: 2006

Why study in Melbourne?

I heard a lot about Melbourne, that it's a famous city with low living costs. Victoria is also known for the quality of education, so it was an easy choice.

Why study at Monash University?

I did my research online and Monash came up frequently in my searches. I consulted my agent Victor Huong from OzStudyNet, who also suggested Monash. Not only that, I received a scholarship from the University's Faculty of Engineering. Monash's Master of Telecommunication Engineering qualification is highly-recognised back in China .

What do you enjoy most about Melbourne?

The low cost of living and walking around the city doing shopping.

What do you enjoy most about studying at Monash?

The opportunities it has presented. Through the support and sponsorship of Monash and the Australian Research Council Communications Research Network (ACoRN) I attended a conference and got to meet Telecommunications Engineering experts.

My research was in new communication networks for the next generation (also known as 4G), focusing on technology such as television, mobile phones, and computers. I submitted my paper and was awarded the opportunity to attend a conference in Vienna, Austria in September 2006.

After the conference, I visited Edinburgh University in the UK to collaborate with Professor Stephen McLaughlin on a project for six weeks as a visiting postgraduate.

What issues did you encounter when you first came here?

Studying research is hard. You don't have classes and this can be isolating as a lot of the study is done independently or with my supervisor. My study can be stressful. I was very happy with my supervisor, who helped me through my academic problems.

What advice do you have for future students?

Get active and involved. Go out and meet people. Join the clubs, your local church, the Monash Research Graduate Centre or play sport. Monash offers a wide range of support services which are available to international students. It's important to get involved in the Monash community.