"A rigorous discipline with warm-hearted BME teachers" - interview with Yimeng Wang

A Chengdu Technology University alumna, Yimeng Wang came to BME to study on our mechanical engineering MSc programme. With Yimeng, we had a conversation online about differences between Sichuan and Hungary, favourite places in Budapest, and about academic pressure in mechanical engineering. Interview with Yimeng Wang.

Yimeng Wang (in the middle), with her BME Faculty of Mechanical Engineering thesis supervisors, Dr. Kolos Molnár, associate professor and He Haijun PhD student (about He Haijun, we published an interview earlier about his story and invention)

 Where did you study before coming to BME Faculty of Mechanical Engineering?

I studied Material shaping and control engineering in the Faculty of Material Engineering of Chengdu Technology University (CDTU) from September 2013 to June 2017. Luckily, I was studying mechanical engineering at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of National Union University in Taiwan as an exchange student from September 2015 to January 2016.

How did you meet the opportunity of studying at BME?

This is a very interesting opportunity. After returning to Sichuan in 2016, I spent half a year preparing for IELTS and got good results. Perhaps the opportunities are only for the prepared mind. At this time, I learned from CDTU Foreign Affairs Officer that the Chinese Scholarship Council has a "Scholarship exchange program with Hungary" project. I thought that all the academic requirements were met at that time, so I submitted the application with my academic files with the mentality of trying. It is also for this reason that I finally got the opportunity to study at BME.

Sichuan province has an area more than 4 times larger and population 8 times larger population than Hungary. Besides this, basically what are the most significant differences between Hungary and Sichuan?

I think the biggest difference is the living cost. Not only in Sichuan, but also in the whole of China, the price of vegetables of the same weight is far lower than that of meat, but this is just the opposite in Hungary. I guess this is because Hungary has the largest grassland in Europe. Sichuan's geographical characteristics are mainly the integration of hills and basins, so most farmers and fishermen grow vegetables and grains locally. Animal husbandry is limited by geographical conditions, not many, so the price of meat is relatively high.

How did you like the city? What were the advantages and the disadvantages of Budapest?

I think Budapest is a very suitable city for travelling and living. Especially the night scenery on both sides of the Danube River in Budapest is impressive. I have been to many European cities, such as Paris, Copenhagen, Prague, Barcelona, Vienna, and so on. I am not impressed by the night scenery of any city like Budapest. The Fisherman's Bastion and the Parliament building are under the golden light, which gave a mysterious and solemn vibe. I think the scenery is a great advantage of Budapest.

What would you recommend for an international student to see in the city?

All places are worth seeing. For international students, the purpose of coming to a country with different living and cultural environments is to understand different cultures and respect each other. The necessary cultural impact can broaden the horizons and minds of international students. I can accept students of different cultures, religions, or colours. And I will respect them and they will respect me as well. Everyone will cooperate in a position of mutual respect.

How did you like studying at BME Faculty of Mechanical Engineering?

To be honest, academic pressure is much more than I thought. The examination difficulty of mechanical engineering may be one of the most difficult in the BME, and the examination frequency will be more than that of other subjects. However, because they strictly control the education quality of each student, I think graduate students who can successfully graduate from BME are satisfied to be an engineer. Strict education can effectively control the academic level of graduates, which has positive effects on the university itself and society.

Yimeng Wang after the graduation ceremony, with her fellow student Izaz Ali from Pakistan

What did your BME studies give you?

I realized my potential. When studying engineering courses in China, I focused more on the study of theoretical knowledge and submitted it to my teachers in the form of drawings or written reports. However, I have overlooked that no matter what work I do, I should communicate with others. Even if the product I designed is impeccable, I still need to introduce the performance and advantages of it to my colleagues, supervisors, and customers. So BME has made a leap in my presentation ability.

What do you do in China, since your graduation from BME?

Since the experience of studying in BME makes me truly realize how much positive impact studying abroad has on a person. So after I returned home, I worked in the largest education institution company in China to formulate study abroad plans for Chinese students and help them study abroad.

What would you recommend to a Chinese student coming to Hungary to study at BME Faculty of Mechanical Engineering?

Studying abroad is not a vacation. Studying mechanical engineering at BME will be full of inspiring challenges. Maybe other Chinese students can travel and attend various activities and parties. However, for BME students, you need to spend more time adapting to the class and the use and expression of various professional terms. Mechanical engineering is a very rigorous discipline. Errors are not allowed, only tolerance is allowed - which makes sense, because when engineers make mistakes, people may die. But don't worry, the teachers in the Faculty of mechanical engineering are really nice and warmhearted. As long as you are willing to ask questions, they will try their best to help you solve your problems.


László Benesóczky
Photos: Yimeng Wang