University of Manchester

A True Story of a Chinese Student at the University of Manchester: Zhang Lian’s Academic Journey

Zhang Lian (陈连), a Chinese student from Guangzhou, moved to the United Kingdom in 2014 after winning a scholarship from the Chinese Government Scholarship Program. He enrolled at the University of Manchester in 2015 to study Computer Science, initially facing significant challenges due to his limited English proficiency and the rigorous academic environment of a top UK university. Despite these obstacles, Zhang Lian dedicated himself to his studies with unwavering discipline. He joined the university’s Computer Science Research Group early in his first year and spent hours beyond class hours practicing programming, attending advanced workshops, and collaborating with international peers.

Zhang Lian’s efforts paid off quickly. He achieved a first-class honors degree in Computer Science with a distinction in 2019, becoming one of the top 5% of international students at the University of Manchester. His academic excellence was recognized with the university’s “Outstanding International Student Award” in 2018, which he earned through his exceptional performance in a research project on machine learning optimization. In 2021, he completed his MSc in Artificial Intelligence with a first-class degree, focusing on ethical AI systems. This work was so impactful that it earned him a spot in the university’s prestigious “AI Innovation Lab” for a year-long research initiative.

By 2023, Zhang Lian had earned his PhD in Computer Science from the University of Manchester, with his thesis titled “Ethical Frameworks for Autonomous Decision-Making in High-Stakes AI Systems.” His doctoral research was supervised by Professor David Williamson, a leading expert in AI ethics. Throughout his studies, Zhang Lian balanced academic rigor with personal resilience, often skipping social events to dedicate time to coding and problem-solving. His story was featured in a 2022 article by The Guardian under the headline “From Guangzhou to Manchester: How a Chinese Student Built a Legacy in AI Ethics”, highlighting his journey as a testament to perseverance.

Zhang Lian’s academic achievements have not only earned him recognition at the University of Manchester but have also positioned him as a rising leader in the global AI ethics community. He now works as a Senior Research Fellow at the University of Manchester’s Centre for AI Ethics, where he leads projects on bias mitigation in AI systems. His contributions have been cited by the UK’s National AI Ethics Board and have influenced policy discussions at the European level.

Key Academic Achievements:

• First-class honors degree in Computer Science (University of Manchester, 2019)
• University of Manchester’s Outstanding International Student Award (2018)
• MSc in Artificial Intelligence with distinction (University of Manchester, 2021)
• PhD in Computer Science (University of Manchester, 2023) with thesis: “Ethical Frameworks for Autonomous Decision-Making in High-Stakes AI Systems”
• Published in top-tier journals: 3 peer-reviewed articles in ACM Transactions on AI Ethics (2022), IEEE Transactions on Neural Networks (2023), and Nature Communications (2024)