To help international postgraduates clarify the entry path of scientific research and consolidate their academic foundation, the School of International Education (SIE) of Dalian University of Technology successfully held the first "Duxue" Academic Navigation Forum on the afternoon of October 28, 2025. Focusing on the writing of thesis proposals and the development of academic abilities for international postgraduates, the event specially invited Professor Zhang Wei from the School of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering as the keynote speaker. Prof. Zhang brought an academic lecture with both theoretical height and practical guiding significance to international postgraduates from different majors, helping them smoothly embark on the road of scientific research. The event was hosted by Du Xueling from the Teaching and Academic Affairs Office of SIE, with the participation of Guo Hanning, Assistant Dean of SIE, and nearly 70 international postgraduates.
At the beginning of the event, Guo Hanning first elaborated on the core positioning of the "Duxue" Academic Navigation Forum. She pointed out that the word "Duxue" originates from ancient Chinese academic thought. "Du" means wholehearted and undivided attention, while "Xue" represents the pursuit of truth and in-depth study of knowledge. The combination of the two not only reflects a rigorous academic attitude but also contains the spiritual quality of pursuing academic excellence throughout life. This forum aims to build a platform for international postgraduates to communicate with the academic frontier, inviting on-campus scholars with rich scientific research experience and outstanding academic achievements to point out the direction of scientific research and remove academic obstacles for international postgraduates. In the future, SIE will continue to integrate resources to provide solid support for the academic growth of international students.
With the theme of "Transfer Report & Viva—The Start of Your Research Journey", Professor Zhang Wei gave a systematic explanation around seven key dimensions. He emphasized that curiosity is the core driving force for scientific research breakthroughs, encouraging international students to meet research challenges with a mindset of exploring the unknown. Subsequently, he deeply explained the significance of the thesis proposal, and combined with cases such as Einstein's theory of relativity and Newton's classical mechanics, illustrated the fundamental logic that theoretical research should ultimately serve social development.
To help international students master the method of writing thesis proposals, Professor Zhang Wei systematically analyzed the structure of the proposal, provided a clear and practical operation guide, and specially reminded of common pitfalls. In terms of PPT production and defense preparation, he gave specific suggestions, and reminded students to be honest and pragmatic when facing questions during the defense, not to avoid unknown problems, and to communicate in-depth with review experts with a humble attitude.
The interactive session at the end of the lecture was warmly received. International postgraduates actively raised questions such as "How to accurately identify research gaps" and "Coping strategies when experimental data is not ideal". Professor Zhang Wei gave detailed answers one by one based on his own scientific research experience.
This event was widely praised by international postgraduates. Students feedback that "the content of the lecture is structured and informative; the explanation is simple and easy to understand, which greatly enhances the understanding of relevant knowledge"; "the part focusing on practical application is extremely valuable. The discussion on thesis proposals and thesis writing helps them jump out of the theoretical level and form a clear and feasible idea for subsequent research and thesis writing".
This "Duxue" Academic Navigation Forum is an important measure for SIE to improve the academic support system for international students. In the future, SIE will continue to rely on the "Duxue" brand, combined with the needs of students in different academic stages and majors, to carry out diversified activities such as scientific research method training and thesis writing guidance. It will help international postgraduates achieve the synchronous improvement of academic ability and comprehensive quality at Dalian University of Technology, and continuously inject motivation into the cultivation of high-level international talents who "understand China, befriend China and possess international competitiveness".
