Sebastián Andrés Baeza González

Sebastián is a Chilean PhD student in Human Geography, whose research is funded by a CONICYT Scholarship provided by the Chilean government.

On my research

I am currently interested in video games development and the business of making games, looking at the production networks in Chile and the motivations behind games creation.

I want to help to create a better public policy for my country. Chile suffers from the specialisation in a few economic sectors; I would like to demonstrate that non-traditional economic activities are possible despite many barriers that small businesses face today to reach international markets.

On choosing my PhD

During my undergraduate studies, I was always interested in research. Since then, I’ve been participating in different research projects as an assistant. Doing a PhD is the following natural step to becoming a full-time researcher.

In my area, The University of Manchester has a good reputation. I was also interested in carrying out my research with a professor in the Geography department who is very well known in the Global Production Networks literature.

On my PhD student experience

My time so far has been great and my colleagues in the department are very nice.

Coming from a distant country, you sometimes feel out of context but I always feel welcomed here and that was really important, especially during the first year.

I think the University has many opportunities for networking with other researchers. I've participated in conferences in the UK and Europe. There are also reading groups, research groups and funding opportunities for conferences. There are also many opportunities to participate in teaching or research projects.

I think I’ve learned many new things and improved my research skills. All these activities help you to enhance your curriculum and improve your chances to get a job after finish the PhD.

On being an international student in Manchester

As an international student, you have many opportunities to meet up with other international students and researchers.

The University is very welcoming; you can participate in the International Student Society or many other societies.

Also, administrative issues are very straightforward; the University has vast experience with students from many countries, so the processes (eg paying fees and getting certificates) are very easy to follow.

Manchester is a great city to study in - cheaper than other cities in the UK and I would say 'student friendly'.

In that sense, the city is very diverse and multicultural, so you can meet people from many countries and share experiences with them.