thesis defense in chinese

China expels former defence minister Li Shangfu accused of violating Communist Party principles and 'discipline'

Former Chinese defence minister Li Shangfu has been expelled from the ruling Communist Party (CCP), months after being removed from office in an abrupt leadership shake-up. 

State-run Xinhua news agency reported on Thursday Mr Li was removed over allegations of corruption and bribery, which he was undergoing investigation for. 

The general was ousted from his positions as defence minister and state councillor last October, with no explanation being provided for the dismissal.

Prior to that, he had gone missing from public view for about two months amidst a clampdown on corruption by the Xi Jinping government. 

Xinhua said CCP leadership decided on Mr Li's expulsion due to his "serious violation of Party discipline and the law", determined by China's Central Military Commission (CMC) through a probe running since August.

"According to the investigation results, Mr Li seriously violated political and organisational discipline," the news agency reported.

"He sought improper benefits in personnel arrangements for himself and others, took advantage of his posts to seek benefits for others, and accepted a huge amount of money and valuables in return. He is suspected of the crime of taking bribes.

"He was also found to have offered money to others to seek undue benefits, constituting the suspected crime of offering bribes."

It added that Mr Li's apparent contraventions also went against the party's "original aspiration and principles" and hindered growth of the nation's powerful military.

Scant clarity on alleged crimes

Such charges have been levelled in past by numerous military leaders under the rule of Mr Xi, who also heads the armed forces as chairman of the CMC and has made a crackdown on corruption a hallmark of his rule since taking power more than a decade ago.

Another former defence minister, Wei Fengshe, was also expelled by the party's Political Bureau on Thursday for the same reasons. 

Both leaders were previously members of the CMC. The commission had been behind the decree to remove them from military posts last year.

Mr Li's "suspected criminal case" is now set to be transferred to the procuratorial organs of the Chinese military, which could likely sentence him to life in prison.

Details on what the graft allegations against him relate to are yet to be made clear.

In its statement, the ministry only said alleged crimes were "exceptionally pernicious" and that they posed "an enormous danger".

Mr Li spent most of his career as a specialist in the missile and procurement branches, and was under travel and financial sanctions from the United States when he dropped from view last September. 

That roughly coincided with the sudden disappearance of then-foreign minister Qin Gang and several leading officers in the rocket corps amid unproven allegations of misconduct.

Mr Li was replaced in December by Admiral Dong Jun.

China has the world's largest standing military, its biggest navy, and a rapidly expanding nuclear arsenal, but it has not been tested in warfare in half a century. 

It has a highly politicised and bureaucratic structure, led by Xi as head of the party's Central Military Commission, with the defence minister playing a subsidiary role who has few contacts with counterparts from foreign nations.

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How to prepare an excellent thesis defense

What is a thesis defense?

How long is a thesis defense, what happens at a thesis defense, your presentation, questions from the committee, 6 tips to help you prepare for your thesis defense, 1. anticipate questions and prepare for them, 2. dress for success, 3. ask for help, as needed, 4. have a backup plan, 5. prepare for the possibility that you might not know an answer, 6. de-stress before, during, and after, frequently asked questions about preparing an excellent thesis defense, related articles.

If you're about to complete, or have ever completed a graduate degree, you have most likely come across the term "thesis defense." In many countries, to finish a graduate degree, you have to write a thesis .

A thesis is a large paper, or multi-chapter work, based on a topic relating to your field of study.

Once you hand in your thesis, you will be assigned a date to defend your work. Your thesis defense meeting usually consists of you and a committee of two or more professors working in your program. It may also include other people, like professionals from other colleges or those who are working in your field.

During your thesis defense, you will be asked questions about your work. The main purpose of your thesis defense is for the committee to make sure that you actually understand your field and focus area.

The questions are usually open-ended and require the student to think critically about their work. By the time of your thesis defense, your paper has already been evaluated. The questions asked are not designed so that you actually have to aggressively "defend" your work; often, your thesis defense is more of a formality required so that you can get your degree.

• Check with your department about requirements and timing.
• Re-read your thesis.
• Anticipate questions and prepare for them.
• Create a back-up plan to deal with technology hiccups.
• Plan de-stressing activities both before, and after, your defense.

How long your oral thesis defense is depends largely on the institution and requirements of your degree. It is best to consult your department or institution about this. In general, a thesis defense may take only 20 minutes, but it may also take two hours or more. The length also depends on how much time is allocated to the presentation and questioning part.

Tip: Check with your department or institution as soon as possible to determine the approved length for a thesis defense.

First of all, be aware that a thesis defense varies from country to country. This is just a general overview, but a thesis defense can take many different formats. Some are closed, others are public defenses. Some take place with two committee members, some with more examiners.

The same goes for the length of your thesis defense, as mentioned above. The most important first step for you is to clarify with your department what the structure of your thesis defense will look like. In general, your thesis defense will include:

• your presentation of around 20-30 minutes
• questions from the committee
• questions from the audience (if the defense is public and the department allows it)

You might have to give a presentation, often with Powerpoint, Google slides, or Keynote slides. Make sure to prepare an appropriate amount of slides. A general rule is to use about 10 slides for a 20-minute presentation.

But that also depends on your specific topic and the way you present. The good news is that there will be plenty of time ahead of your thesis defense to prepare your slides and practice your presentation alone and in front of friends or family.

Tip: Practice delivering your thesis presentation in front of family, friends, or colleagues.

You can prepare your slides by using information from your thesis' first chapter (the overview of your thesis) as a framework or outline. Substantive information in your thesis should correspond with your slides.

Make sure your slides are of good quality— both in terms of the integrity of the information and the appearance. If you need more help with how to prepare your presentation slides, both the ASQ Higher Education Brief and James Hayton have good guidelines on the topic.

The committee will ask questions about your work after you finish your presentation. The questions will most likely be about the core content of your thesis, such as what you learned from the study you conducted. They may also ask you to summarize certain findings and to discuss how your work will contribute to the existing body of knowledge.

Tip: Read your entire thesis in preparation of the questions, so you have a refreshed perspective on your work.

While you are preparing, you can create a list of possible questions and try to answer them. You can foresee many of the questions you will get by simply spending some time rereading your thesis.

Here are a few tips on how to prepare for your thesis defense:

You can absolutely prepare for most of the questions you will be asked. Read through your thesis and while you're reading it, create a list of possible questions. In addition, since you will know who will be on the committee, look at the academic expertise of the committee members. In what areas would they most likely be focused?

If possible, sit at other thesis defenses with these committee members to get a feel for how they ask and what they ask. As a graduate student, you should generally be adept at anticipating test questions, so use this advantage to gather as much information as possible before your thesis defense meeting.

Your thesis defense is a formal event, often the entire department or university is invited to participate. It signals a critical rite of passage for graduate students and faculty who have supported them throughout a long and challenging process.

While most universities don't have specific rules on how to dress for that event, do regard it with dignity and respect. This one might be a no-brainer, but know that you should dress as if you were on a job interview or delivering a paper at a conference.

It might help you deal with your stress before your thesis defense to entrust someone with the smaller but important responsibilities of your defense well ahead of schedule. This trusted person could be responsible for:

• preparing the room of the day of defense
• setting up equipment for the presentation
• preparing and distributing handouts

Technology is unpredictable. Life is too. There are no guarantees that your Powerpoint presentation will work at all or look the way it is supposed to on the big screen. We've all been there. Make sure to have a plan B for these situations. Handouts can help when technology fails, and an additional clean shirt can save the day if you have a spill.

One of the scariest aspects of the defense is the possibility of being asked a question you can't answer. While you can prepare for some questions, you can never know exactly what the committee will ask.

There will always be gaps in your knowledge. But your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. You are not expected to know everything.

James Hayton writes on his blog that examiners will sometimes even ask questions they don't know the answer to, out of curiosity, or because they want to see how you think. While it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, but you would need to do [...] in order to find out.” This shows that you have the ability to think as an academic.

You will be nervous. But your examiners will expect you to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions, for example. Dora Farkas at finishyourthesis.com notes that it’s a myth that thesis committees are out to get you.

Two common symptoms of being nervous are talking really fast and nervous laughs. Try to slow yourself down and take a deep breath. Remember what feels like hours to you are just a few seconds in real life.

• Try meditational breathing right before your defense.
• Get plenty of exercise and sleep in the weeks prior to your defense.
• Have your clothes or other items you need ready to go the night before.
• During your defense, allow yourself to process each question before answering.
• Go to dinner with friends and family, or to a fun activity like mini-golf, after your defense.

Allow yourself to process each question, respond to it, and stop talking once you have responded. While a smile can often help dissolve a difficult situation, remember that nervous laughs can be irritating for your audience.

We all make mistakes and your thesis defense will not be perfect. However, careful preparation, mindfulness, and confidence can help you feel less stressful both before, and during, your defense.

Finally, consider planning something fun that you can look forward to after your defense.

It is completely normal to be nervous. Being well prepared can help minimize your stress, but do know that your examiners have seen this many times before and are willing to help, by repeating questions for example if needed. Slow yourself down, and take a deep breath.

Your thesis defense is not about being perfect and knowing everything, it's about how you deal with challenging situations. James Hayton writes on his blog that it is ok sometimes to just say "I don't know", but he advises to try something like "I don't know, but I would think [...] because of x and y, you would need to do [...] in order to find out".

Your Powerpoint presentation can get stuck or not look the way it is supposed to do on the big screen. It can happen and your supervisors know it. In general, handouts can always save the day when technology fails.

• Dress for success.
• Ask for help setting up.
• Have a backup plan (in case technology fails you).
• Deal with your nerves.

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Thesis Defense

Thesis Review

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• Miscellaneous

Master Thesis Evaluation ordinarily conducts one and a half months earlier than Thesis Defense. Review team should be composed by two professors or associate professors invited from related disciplines. (If the student applies for Degree Equivalent to Master, the review team should be composed by three related professors or associate professors, among which should include one expert invited from institutes outside of the university.) Meanwhile, the author will possibly be engaged in stochastic spot-check of the degree thesis quality at the given website. The engaged authors are required to submit their degree theses on time for Double Anonymous Assessment. (colloquially called “blind review”. The students who delay/advance their graduation dates, or apply for Degree Equivalent to Master are compulsorily engaged in the “blind review”.)

For required documents and process applying Thesis Evaluation, please reference to annex 1: Flowchart of Master Degree Thesis Review (including Professional Degree).

The affairs related to thesis delivery, review, results collection, and feedback should be arranged by the Thesis Defense Secretary assigned to the author. The author himself is not allowed to participate.

1. Time of Evaluation

The Master Thesis Evaluation should be finished with a month (start from the date of submission).

The authors who passed the evaluation or submitted their theses on time but didn’t receive their feedback yet, are allowed to apply for thesis defense. If the evaluation feedback is released after thesis defense but indicates objection, the students who have one unqualified item (the item in Grade “D” or “E”), should revise their thesis according to the feedback, but not need to re-apply the thesis defense. The student whose thesis is overall unqualified (the total score is below 60 points), is not only need to revise the thesis but also need to re-apply the thesis defense.

2. Objection Handling

(1) Reconsideration: The student who failed in Master Thesis Evaluation should apply and pass the reconsideration before graduation. The reconsideration should be no more than twice. Fee of reconsideration should be paid by students themselves. The students who didn’t apply in time or failed twice are not allowed to apply for thesis defense and degree.

(2) Appeal: The students who don’t agree with the evaluation results have the right to appeal to the Degree Evaluation Committee of related department within ten workdays.

Process of appeal:

a. The student submits the application to supervisor and department;

b. The supervisor and department review the application;

c. After the department review, Degree Affair Office of Graduate School organizes two experts outside of the university to review the dissertation of applicant;

d. After the feedback released, the degree evaluation committee of department shall organize no less than three experts to review the feedback as well as the reason of appeal. The review result will be sent to the degree evaluation committees of department for arbitration; and the arbitration result will be sent to degree evaluation committees of discipline, and of university for final review.

Copyright 2011-2024 School of Public Policy and Management of Tsinghua University All Rights Reserved Tel: (86)10-62773832 Fax: (86)10-62782853  Email: [email protected]

• Cover Story

Thesis defense at temple of learning, knowledge

The Confucian temple in Dujiangyan, Sichuan province, played host to a doctoral and master's thesis defense on Monday. It is the first time that a thesis defense was held at a Confucian temple, according to the organizer.

Four doctoral candidates in Chinese History at Sichuan University joined and passed their thesis defense in the morning. Another four master's candidates in the same major passed the thesis defense in the afternoon.

"Taking the thesis defense here is a great honor for us, because we studied Confucianism and like the atmosphere at this place," said Zhong Yaqiong, one of the doctoral candidates, whose thesis is on the study of the Confucian classics in Song Dynasty (960 - 1279).

"All the thesis this year are about Confucianism, so we choose to hold the thesis defense at the holy place for Confucianism, making the defense more 'tasteful'," said Shu Dagang, director of the International Confucian Institute of Sichuan University and deputy dean at the School of History & Culture (Tourism) of Sichuan University.

Shu said holding the thesis defense at the Confucian temple is also to show the gratitude and respect to the Confucianism predecessors.

The Dujiangyan Confucian Temple has been acting as an academy for Confucianism since it was built in the Five Dynasties (907-960). The temple has been trying to restore the traditional etiquette system and preserve traditional culture since it reopened to the public in May last year, according to Deng Shijian, director of the temple.

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China Levels Graft Charges Against Former Defense Ministers

The two generals were accused of taking huge bribes and of corruption that reached into the armaments sector, indicating that the country’s military has not shaken off old habits.

By Chris Buckley

Reporting from Taipei, Taiwan

China’s leadership accused two former defense ministers on Thursday of taking “huge” bribes and of other acts of corruption that compromised military promotions and the nation’s weapons production complex.

Two announcements from the Chinese Communist Party’s Politburo, a council of 24 top officials, laid out multiple accusations of crime and insubordination against Gen. Li Shangfu , the defense minister for much of last year, and Gen. Wei Fenghe , the minister from 2018 to 2023. The statements suggested that more heads could roll in expanding investigations.

Speculation has built since last year that China’s leader, Xi Jinping, had begun inquiries into military corruption and misconduct, after senior officers from the People’s Liberation Army’s Rocket Force were abruptly replaced or had disappeared. General Li’s removal as defense minister in October , after he had vanished from public view for months, added weight to the rumors. But only now has China’s leadership revealed the range of allegations involved in the investigations.

The announcement about General Li said he was found to have taken bribes in return for abusing his powers, including through corrupt personnel decisions, and that he had bribed others and tried to obstruct the investigation into him. The announcement about General Wei made similar accusations, and said that he had been plied with valuables and money.

Both men were stripped of their military ranks and expelled from the Communist Party, and their cases were sent to military prosecutors, meaning, almost inevitably, that both will be put on trial, found guilty and given heavy sentences, even death sentences, if their crimes are judged to be especially severe. The statements also suggested that their misdeeds amounted to a betrayal of Mr. Xi, who is chairman of the Central Military Commission as well as party leader.

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Thesis Defense Presentation templates

If you are ready to defend your dissertation, our free thesis defense ppt templates and google slides themes are a great tool for you to impress the committee and get that desired degree you have always wanted..

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Thesis collaboration.

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Chinese teacher and a doctoral researcher from Finland living in Guangzhou, China

Thesis defence in Chinese and on the doorstep of graduation

It’s been a hectic week here in Guangzhou, can’t believe it’s Monday again! Those days last week before Friday all let to my thesis defence on the 29th. It was one of the most nervous days of my life, making me almost faint at the classroom!

I arrived early to the campus as printed out two pages of my thesis that had a terrible error on them. I wanted to show the teachers, that I had noticed the mistake my self which is better than wait for them to point it out. Of course I have noticed several small typos as well, wondering how tired my eyes were when I checked my thesis before printing it out.

We had our presentations in small groups, with me I had a Korean girl, Indonesian girl and an Italian guy, last two being ethnic Chinese. We were seated at one of the sides in the classroom, we would be speaking in front of the room and the teachers were seated at the back. There was also chairs for classmates to come in and listen to our presentations.

While I waited my turn, I was third, I started getting more and more nervous. Would I be able to finish my presentation in the 7 minutes allowed or would it be too short? Could I answer all the questions asked my teacher? Heck, could I even stand on my two feet?

Finally it was my time to take the spotlight. I had prepared a nice Power Point slide show about my thesis, but probably it didn’t really matter much. After I was done, I sat on the chair in front of the teachers. I had a desk in front of me and I placed my thesis on the desk. I had read it over a few times, making careful notes on mistakes and questions the teachers might ask.

I have no idea how long they asked me questions, and can’t remember all of them, but somehow I lost my nervousness and was able to be calm. I answered everything the best I could, but wasn’t given enough time to defend my thesis as much as I would have liked to.

Three of us received a grade good , one received average . It was a relief that I was able to get a good grade, but I would be lying if I said I was happy with it. Not being able to get the highest grade, excellent, was bitter.

There won’t be a change to do it all over again, but if everything goes well, I will be writing my master’s thesis in two years. What I have learned during these months is that it’s crucial to choose the best teacher to help you and start as soon as possible. Don’t leave anything at the last-minute and check your work numerous times before printing.

Writing a thesis in Chinese was nerve-wracking at times, but I learned a lot too. I’m happy to get it finally of my hands very soon and head for new challenges.

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• Ministry of National Defense: Lai Ching-te and his like will be condemned by history and punished by law

Chinese Ministry of National Defense spokesman Senior Colonel Wu Qian held a press conference on Thursday. The following is his response to Taiwan regional leader Lai Ching-te's remarks.

Question: At the centennial celebrations for the Whampoa Military Academy in Taiwan, Lai Ching-te, leader of the Taiwan region, claimed that he does not accept the idea of “the first battle is the final battle”, and the biggest challenge for Taiwan’s troops is the Chinese mainland aiming for “Taiwan’s annexation and the elimination of the Republic of China”. He also touted on many occasions absurd narratives in support of “Taiwan independence” such as “the two sides of the Taiwan Strait are not subordinate to each other.” What’s your comment, please?  

Wu Qian: The Whampoa Military Academy is a historical memory in the heart of all Chinese people and a witness to the arduous journey of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Guided by the patriotic and revolutionary Whampoa Spirit, graduates of the academy have a glorious tradition of dedicating themselves to patriotism and revolution, and are an important force for national reunification and rejuvenation. Lai Ching-te and his like who attempt to falsify history and split our nation will surely be condemned by history and punished by law. 

There is but one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory. The government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. The one-China principle is a prevailing consensus in the international community. No matter how the DPP authorities try to distort or deny it, this basic fact will not change, nor will the family bonds between compatriots on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait be severed. It needs to be emphasized that each time “Taiwan independence” separatists make provocations, they will be responded with stronger countermeasures from the PLA. These responses will pave the way for the resolution of the Taiwan question. For the PLA , defeating military elements of the “Taiwan independence” separatist forces is like shooting fish in a barrel.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Polish President Andrzej Duda in Beijing

Extended metro line put into operation in Paris for upcoming Olympics

First cross-broader electric coach linking Hong Kong and Shenzhen starts operation

Lion dance on water cheers for dragon boat race

Picturesque scene of wild elk living in Tiaozini Wetland

Yak-riding race held in Lhasa

Chinese researchers discover new species of perleidid fish

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Miniature art exhibition restores lifestyle of Hong Kong People

Gorgeous scenery of Qumar River, north headwater of Yangtze River

Wild animals appear at the foot of Kunlun Mountains

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Guilin combats the city's most severe flooding since 1998

Badain Jaran Desert gets on 'green' look

China-Malaysia ties in numbers

30th Beijing International Book Fair kicks off

Hong Kong streets decorated to celebrate HKSAR's 27th anniversary

Huangmao cross-sea channel fully connected

Rescue teams rush to transfer flood-trapped people in Guilin

Chinese vocational school student ranks 12th in Alibaba Global Math Competition

World's largest liquid air energy storage demonstration project expected to be commissioned by end of the year

Shenzhen Window of the World celebrates 30th anniversary

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Photo exhibition on China-Laos Railway opens to public

Flood in Fuzhou turns Jinshan into 'isolated temple'

Russia-born giant panda cub lives happily at Moscow Zoo

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