Tips for how to find right institution & advisor for your research

1. How to find right institution/advisor
for your research?

2. Is university ranking important?

3. Ranking?
Source : www.topuniversities.com

4. Ranking?
Bachelor Master PhD
Importance
Ranking matters most for the BS degree,
a bit less for the MS, and perhaps the
least for the PhD

5. Why?
It is complicated...ranking for what? By whom
Ranked by:
1.University?
2.Department?
3.Actual success? (salaries of graduates and alumni)
How could you evaluate:
1.Large department VS. Small department
2.Top ranked department VS. Top ranked in your research area,
but not in other areas

6. What matters most?

7. VS.
Top university without your interest and funding
Research group in your interest with full funding
VS

8. What matters most?
research
interest
top research
group in
that area
funding

9. How to find advisor?

10. Conference
& Journal
 Find through conferences and journals in your research area

11. Publication
 Find top authors in your research area through
academic search
Source : Top authors in World Wild Web in 5years in Microsoft Academic Search

12. More…
So… I just need to find a giant in my area
Yes & No:
1.Yes, everyone want to be supervised by a giant
2.No, a giant is usually too busy to give you guidance
Other important facts about supervisors:
1.Does he/she still active on research?
- important because some start to do their on stuff, e.g., a startup, after
getting the tenure
- check if has a first-author publication, research grants in recent years
2.Check his/her working style with his/her students
- really important because it determines your next 3-5 years
- what’s the best condition for you? (freedom vs. in strict control)