Candidates defend their PhD thesis online

Li Yubo and Yang Yang

TWENTY-THREE PhD candidates of Donghua University recently completed their thesis defense online.

To reduce the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the students, the university introduced video conferences for its qualified graduates to hold thesis defense.

He Shanshan, a doctoral student at Donghua University’s College of Textiles, did her thesis defense preparation before 8am. She logged on the online conference software and tested her visual and audio facilities.

At 8:30am, the thesis defense started on time. She introduced her education background, the list of defense committee members was announced and she talked of her work on her graduate thesis. The committee members asked questions, He replied and a final vote was taken.

At 11:40am He’s success in passing the thesis defense was announced and she shared the good news with her family.

Fifteen people participated, all in different locations.

“I felt nervous when I heard my graduate thesis would be defended online, but my teachers tried their best to assist me and now my doctoral study ends in success,” He said.

Obed Akampumuza, a PhD candidate, finished his graduate thesis defense online at his home in Uganda.

“The online thesis defense is fair and impartial. We screen recorded the whole process and the final vote was a secret ballot,” said a teacher from the university’s graduate department.

The voting system was also something newly developed by the graduate department, according to the teacher.