The Double Degree Program

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Student Voice 2

Double Degree Program (DDP) Student Report

DDP Participant: Mr. C. L.
Major at Niigata University: Electrical and Information Engineering
Area of Specialization at Niigata University: Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Dispatching Institution: Chulalongkorn University (Thailand)

I am one of the Double Degree Program (DDP) students between Niigata University and Chulalongkorn University. I have done the research at the Center for Transdisciplinary Research which conducts research theme by Prof. Futao Kaneko, Prof. Keizo Kato, Prof. Kazunari Shinbo, and Assoc Prof. Akira Baba. Now, I am still a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University. I would like to share valuable experience I gained while I was a DDP student at Niigata University.

I think Niigata Prefecture is a livable city, including Niigata University. Niigata city has such a good environment and also good weather for most of a year although winter is rather cold. About my life in Niigata City, it was not difficult for me to survive there as Japanese staple is rice like in my country. English language could be used for conversation in daily life. My apartment was located in a good area, close to the university and the laboratory. About Niigata University, the environment at the university was not much different from Chulalongkorn University. Graduate students’ life style was going to the laboratory on weekdays and sometimes on weekends. Surely, it is not different from my life style at Chulalongkorn University. My laboratory at Niigata University had enough instruments and facilities. All professors here gave me opportunities to learn a lot in a research field of my interest. They advised and gave me directions to achieve research. Students here could operate the instruments well. Everyone had basic knowledge in their research fields.

About the Ph.D. program at Chulalongkorn University, there is something different from the Ph.D. Program at Niigata University. First, we have a qualified examination. The qualified examination is an examination, testing about understanding in basic knowledge of my own major. We have to pass this examination before going aboard. Second, Ph.D. students at Chulalongkorn University need to present their project proposal before starting the research. All Ph.D. students study coursework and do the research to get some promising data and then present project proposal to their advisor and department committees. Finally, all Ph.D. students must pass an English test, Chulalongkorn University Test of English Proficiency (CU-TEP), before graduation.

The advantage of this program was the continuation of research. At Chulalongkorn University, I was a chemist. I synthesized new materials and explained how those materials could be formed. At Niigata University, the materials that I synthesized were used for exploitation in application. Nevertheless, the main disadvantage for me was the total period of study for doctoral degree. Total period that I have to study to obtain the doctoral degree will be more than 4 years, even though this is not a serious problem.

Finally, I would like to thank all professors at the Center for Transdisciplinary Research for carefully and patiently watching the process of training for me to become a good Ph.D. student and a good researcher. I also would like to acknowledge the Graduate School of Science and Technology for financial support. Many thanks to all people at the Graduate School of Science and Technology for taking care of me while I stayed at Niigata University.