Dean’s Doctoral Scholarship Recipient, Shuting Yu Scholar from China Shares Her Journey from Huawei to a PhD in Business Research

I obtained my bachelor’s degree from a leading university in mainland China. After graduating, I worked at Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. for one year. I then decided to pursue further education and completed my master’s degree in Hong Kong. I was awarded a scholarship to undertake an MPhil at Hong Kong Baptist University. Following my studies, I worked at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council’s Beijing Representative Office for nearly ten years. I later applied for a PhD at the University of Auckland, where I was fortunate to receive the Dean’s Scholarship.

University of Auckland Business School Dean's Doctoral Scholarship Details

University of Auckland Business School Dean's Doctoral Scholarship. The intention of the Scholarship is to encourage and support academically excellent students to undertake their first full or part-time doctoral study on a pre-determined topic that falls within one or more of the four Strategic Research Themes of the University of Auckland Business School (UABS): productivity and sustainability, innovation and value creation, leadership and governance, and internationalisation. The offer of this scholarship is up to five students.

Educational Background

I obtained my bachelor’s degree from Renmin University of China, one of the leading universities in the country. I then completed a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in Communication at Hong Kong Baptist University. The MPhil is a research-intensive degree, with assessment based on satisfactory or unsatisfactory outcomes rather than GPA-based grading. A substantial proportion of the degree was dedicated to independent research and thesis writing.

This strong research focus provided solid preparation for doctoral study. The University of Auckland generally requires applicants to hold a master’s degree with a significant research component, as coursework-only master’s degrees are typically not sufficient for PhD entry. My MPhil, therefore, met the University of Auckland’s expectations for advanced research training and academic readiness.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Auckland Business School Dean's Doctoral Scholarship?

I developed a strong research proposal as part of my preparation. In the University of Auckland PhD programme, scholarship decisions are made by a committee, which assesses the potential of PhD candidates rather than leaving the decision solely to individual supervisors. Although applicants may be asked whether they have identified any potential supervisors, I did not contact a supervisor prior to applying. While some of my peers had already secured supervisors in advance, I was still awarded the scholarship without having one confirmed. This experience reinforced my belief that the quality and clarity of the research proposal are critical factors in the success of a scholarship application. I will elaborate further on this in the following section.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

Two factors made my application stand out. First, the research proposal was innovative and aligned well with the interests of potential supervisors. Second, the selection committee had confidence in my ability to access high-quality data, which is essential for rigorous research. Although I did not yet have publication outputs, my professional work experience provided a strong advantage, particularly compared with many PhD applicants who apply immediately after completing a master’s degree.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

You should be able to demonstrate that you have sound knowledge of research. The scholarship is competitive. My supervisor mentioned that they decided to grant me a scholarship because they are hoping that I don’t need to do any other part-time work, just focusing on my studies. It is commendable to show them your topic is very promising for publication because this is much more measurable.