I have been a researcher, consultant and business owner, but pursuing a doctorate had been an unrealised dream until recently. The DALS programme has provided the structure, support and flexibility that I needed. In recent years, I have been more attracted to education, teaching courses on my research software as well as publishing and consulting. Having the chance to teach during a guided study session during the programme helped me realise that applying for a position as a professor is an ideal career path for me, while I continue my consulting practice.

Adam PEASE

The working and learning environment at PolyU offers both advanced technologies and sufficient human interest. I enjoyed getting along with PolyU and FH staff, who were always more than helpful in assisting students in every domain of our campus life. Admittedly, the essence and most appealing quality of the DALS programme lay in the professionalism and academic performance of its full-fledged, world-class professors, paving the way for students’ guaranteed academic horizons and academic maturity in their own career paths. My professors perfectly demonstrated their work ethic, leadership in academia and humanitarian caring for us through cultivation of our academic reading, writing, creativity and critical thinking ability, as well as all-rounded qualities both in and out of class. My advice for future DALS students would be “open your mind and mouth” in the class, as class participation in the Chinese mainland is perhaps not as prevalent and valued as in HK and DALS. Overall, it is an understatement to say that the DALS programme enables the rebirth of its students, academically, professionally, psychologically, internationally and fundamentally.

The DALS programme is an excellent and well-organised doctoral programme for those who aim to achieve high-level academic performance, while keeping their current jobs. I am fully satisfied with the quality of the lectures by the world-class professors. They opened the door to a new world and invited us into the deep forest of academic theories and practices. I had never imagined that I would be a researcher of professional communication in English when I started my DALS study as a Japanese lecturer. Professor Martin Warren, my thesis supervisor, has demonstrated sophisticated professionalism and guided me along my academic path. The insightful advice enabled me to complete my thesis. The administrative support is also an outstanding strength of the DALS programme. The decision to enrol on the DALS is one of the best I have ever made and the programme continues to provide me with further avenues to explore as a researcher.