Four months into his newfound job as a recent graduate of the University of Petroleum in China, Gouchen Zhao decided to leave it all behind and move to Saudi Arabia. Shortly after attaining his bachelor’s degree, a once-in-a-lifetime master’s degree opportunity came across his radar. Despite the 3,700-mile journey from southern China to Dhahran, Gouchen chose to pursue advanced studies in electrical engineering at KFUPM, being particularly drawn to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to its sharp focus on energy transformation and the latest technological developments driven by its Vision 2030 aspirations. Gouchen recognized the endless opportunities of being right in the center of this vision, studying at the top-ranked university in the Middle East. In pursuit of a rewarding career, combined with his passion for exploring unfamiliar territory, Gouchen chose KFUPM as his home for the next few years.

Here, he quickly found himself immersed in research on sustainable energy, specifically the optimization of desalination plants integrated with hydrogen systems. This subject aligns closely with Saudi Arabia’s long-term energy priorities and gives him exposure to applied research with direct relevance to real-world infrastructure.

Unexpectedly, even the climate was a pleasant surprise for him. Coming from Chongqing, where heat and humidity dominate most of the year, he found comfort in knowing that Saudi Arabia briefly shares similar conditions, making the move feel less distant than the map suggested.

As he settled in, Gouchen witnessed the campus changing around him. The Chinese student community nearly doubled within a year, growing from seven or eight students to around fifteen, including both graduate students and post-doctoral researchers. This increase mirrors the overall exponential rise in international enrollment at KFUPM, adding diversity to labs and classrooms alike.

Academically, the pace was noticeably different from his studies in China. Projects at KFUPM extend across entire semesters rather than four intense weeks, giving him enough time to refine his skills and fully engage with complex problems. The program’s flexibility also allowed him to step outside his department; he chose a wind energy elective course from mechanical engineering to expand his technical perspective.

Much of his progress, he says, is supported by a strong relationship with his advisor, whom he describes as approachable and consistently encouraging. Regular seminars further enrich the experience; led by both professors and industry professionals, these open doors to collaborations with external companies. Such industry connections stood out to Gouchen as particularly valuable for his long-term career planning.

While he expected a greater cultural adjustment, he was surprised by how natural the transition felt. “KFUPM is a heaven for engineers,” Gouchen remarked, noting the high concentration of engineering majors and all the facilities available to them.

His passion was immediately spotted, leading Gouchen to be selected to represent KFUPM at education fairs in China alongside university officials, sharing his story with prospective students. Some of his observations included the fact that students genuinely enjoy their academic lives and have multiple paths open to them. Compared to China, the pressure also feels lighter, encouraging collaboration rather than constant competition with peers.

On campus, friendships formed easily with students from around the world, including France, South America, the Middle East, and Africa. He also connected with local undergraduate students during his regular gym sessions, which he attends four times a week. Daily life is further made easier by the campus infrastructure, where essential facilities are close by and often free or low-cost for the KFUPM community.

Looking ahead, he plans to stay in the Middle East after graduation, drawn by the labor market opportunities here. Aware that networking plays a central role in Saudi Arabia, he intends to focus more on building professional relationships. When asked to sum up his experience, he chooses three words: convenience, passion, and ambition. Convenience reflects the ease of campus life, passion is based on the university’s motto “Dream big and accomplish,” and ambition is most visible among local undergraduates who actively pursue entrepreneurial programs and business ventures alongside their studies.