Student profile

Li Zhang, BSc Chemical Engineering, from Zhengzhou Henan Province

Why Bath?

The first time I arrived in Bath was for a University Open Day, and I was absolutely amazed by the beautiful scenery. While, of course, the content of the programmes in my department was very favourable, it was the beauty of the city that made me choose the University of Bath without any doubt. Bath is a city of World Heritage. It is small but full of Georgian buildings, parks and bustling city life.

To study in this beautiful city is the best choice I ever made! I remember walking down the hill from campus to city centre on a sunny evening, with a fabulous view of the sun setting over the city.

Why Chemical Engineering?

I chose Chemical Engineering at Bath because it is a challenging and demanding course. It is a technical degree but also involves integrated mathematics, so that after graduation you can chose from a wide range of professional fields, reaching from food production to the petroleum industry and from accountancy to engineering.

The modules throughout the course are very well selected to approach industrial requirements. Further, there are many elements of group work in the course, from design projects for presentations to laboratory work, and I think this is a brilliant way to develop our skills in many ways. It mixes the class in order to create and maintain a friendly studying environment and there is always something to learn from fellow class mates. 

How will a degree from Bath help your career?

The one year placement makes the course even more special: the department has close contact with industries. This provides us the opportunity to apply our learning in practice and feel what a real working environment is like. For my placement year I worked for DuPont Teijin Films, an invaluable experience. It has left me a much stronger disciplined person which will, no doubt, improve my performance for the years to come. More importantly, through the variety of work I have done during the placement, I strengthened my way of further developing my future career experience.  

What is life at the University of Bath like?

Being an overseas student, the University’s International Office is always there to help us sort out issues such as visas, and they organise various events to bring international students together to experience the British culture. You are welcome to join all kinds of societies that allow us to get to know people from their own countries and explore difference. Another fantastic aspect of the life at the University of Bath are the sports facilities- The Sports Training Village is outstanding! There are lots of activities that are free of charge for students, and students can easily enjoy all the benefits of being members. You can’t miss it