Imperial College London Vs. Masdar Intitute (MSc, Environmental Engineering)

[Jehad Kharraz]

Hello guys,

I'm actually a new member to the forum and I hope you could share me your opinions and make me decide !!!

I got an offer for Environmental Engineering, MSc program from Imperial College London which is a really good school and has a ranking in the world top 10 !

I also got another offer from Masdar Institue of Science and Technology in Abu Dhabi, UAE which is a newly institute opened on September, 2009 but it is the world’s first graduate-level university dedicated to providing real-world solutions to issues of sustainability. The Institute’s goal is to become a world-class research-driven graduate-level university, focusing on advanced energy and sustainable technologies. The institute has a collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

I really can't decide where to go and I need to hear your thoughts and suggestions. I'm more into the research activities and I'm planning to go for a Ph.D after the Masters. I need to know if Imperial College gives a good part of the Masters study toward research or it just concentrated on the pure classes and courses. What about the available resources, labs and opportunities !?!

Thanks,

[marting]

I'm a recent graduate of Imperial so I can say that if you come to London you will have a great university experience. There are two things about university, the institution itself and the student body. Imperial is clearly a world class university with world class students so on that basis I would say Imperial has to win.

 

A new institution has a lot of work to do to build a reputation and attract the best.

 

Martin.

[TeaGirl]

All things being equal including cost of attendance for you, I personally would go with ICL if you're planning to pursue a PhD. From what I know, UK masters are usually 1 year long with the first half dedicated to coursework and the second half dedicated to your research dissertation.

 

New institutes can be really great to work in, but when going on to other things it may lack the reputation or background to impress schools you may be applying to. I wouldn't rule it out, but it has to be offering something really amazing to compete with ICL.

 

There's of course the whole issue of the rich experience of living in London versus living in the UAE which for me isn't even a competition.

[Jehad Kharraz]

Thank you Martin and TeaGirls,

Martin, Are you a Masters graduate of Imperial ?!! if yes, what specialization and tell me about you whole experince. What about the research in ICL ?!

I need to know about the opportunities after the Masters. In Masdar Institute, after the Masters, I could be offered to continue for the Ph.D. in a full scholarship and I could attend up to two semesters in MIT ! What about the Imperial College ?! What Ph.D opportunities they offer ?! Does they provide funding for the Ph.D ?!!

[Seeking]

An Imperial College Masters can lead you to the top-ranking funded PhD programs in the UK and North America.

 

Perhaps after PhD, you can find a high-paying job at the Masdar - that is, if you want to come back to your part of the world after a Masters at the ICL and a top-ranking PhD in the West.

 

As a highly-regarded researcher or professor, you can make greater contribution towards building Masdar than as a Masters and PhD student there.

 

If you want to explore opportunities in the West after PhD, then Masdar degree won't be much help - not because it's not good, but because that's the way the world is oriented - whether we like it or not.

 

If you want to stay in the Arab World or in some other Asian country rather than go West, then Masdar is a good choice - however, exclude Singapore, Japan and South Korea from your list in that case, as a Masdar degree may not go far in these countries.

 

So, you can make your decision based on what you want to do after PhD.

Edited April 18, 2013 by Seeking