(ECNS) -- Ning Boyu, a principal engineer at China's tech giant Huawei, recently announced on social media that he has left the company and will pursue postdoctoral research at KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Sweden.

Explaining his decision, Ning said that during his time at Huawei, he noticed a gap between industry needs and academic research. After discussing these issues with university professors and students, he realized that he particularly enjoyed engaging with the academic community, according to Jiupai News, a media outlet in Hubei province.

Ning said he has received a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship and will conduct research at KTH Royal Institute of Technology. He plans to return to China after completing the program.

Widely known as a member of Huawei’s Top Minds program, the 30-year-old described his three years at the company as a valuable experience that sharpened his skills and allowed him to forge lasting friendships with colleagues.

Asked about the “Top Mind” label, Ning admitted that after joining Huawei, he realized he was not necessarily the most outstanding employee in terms of either technical ability or intellect. This led him to question whether he truly deserved the title.

In his own assessment, his strengths include a passion for research, a willingness to delve deeply into problems, a habit of getting to the root of issues, and an ability to simplify complex matters.

However, he also acknowledged several weaknesses, including an average memory, difficulty multitasking, a tendency to have many scattered ideas, and a mind that often jumps from one thought to another in both work and daily life.

Recently, Ning helped a relative sell freshly harvested corn. He described it as a completely new experience that gave him a deeper appreciation of the challenges faced by people from all walks of life.