Zhang Liang, a PhD candidate for the class of 2006 in Nankai University, received an invitation to attend an academic meeting in Canada. Though this is a rare opportunity for students in China, he did not seem excited. The reason is simple: he can not afford it. But now some good news may change his disposition: the university will cover the bill.

To encourage its PhD candidates to take part in international academic exchanges, Nankai University has created a fund with an annual budget of over 500,000 yuan to finance PhD candidates attending international academic meetings and other academic exchanges. The fund will cover the applicants’ round-trip flight, meeting registration fees, living accommodations and other expenses. 8.000 yuan will be offered to students attending meetings in Asia, and 10,000 yuan to those attending meetings outside Asia. To offer more students the chance, this financial aid is a one-time grant for each PhD candidate. I

In addition to receiving an invitation from the sponsoring organization of the academic meetings, applicants must be proficient in English in order to be eligible for the aid. “The Fund will encourage more PhD candidates to participate in international academic exchanges and to be informed of the international trends in their disciplines, which is critical to enhancing their academic level,” Tong Jiadong, Vice President of Nankai University, was quoted.

To ensure the fund is not misused, applicants are required to report their academic experiences at the international meetings to the Graduate School office upon their return.