Spotlight on… an Auditor

Du Li, MSc Accounting and Finance graduate, is now working back home in China as a Chief of the Corporate Audit Section for a District Government in China. We caught up with her eleven years on from her graduation in 2010 to reflect on her time at Essex and look to her future as a working professional.

Tell us a bit about why you chose to study at Essex?

The memory and experience of studying at the University of Essex is precious for me. The beautiful scenery of the university grounds impressed me deeply. While I was a student, I felt like my horizons were broadened by the international student body, I enjoyed working with classmates from so many different countries. 

I decided that the University of Essex was the place for me to study Accounting and Finance when, in 2008, I met an Admissions representative from Essex at a Shanghai higher education exhibition. This very kind gentleman introduced me to the University of Essex and really influenced my decision to study abroad in the UK because I believed that having met friendly staff from Essex in Shanghai, then I would be able to have an enjoyable experience studying there.

Why did you choose to study Accounting and Finance?

My undergraduate major was in Finance and I really needed a Masters degree in order to be able to face fierce competition for jobs in China. Therefore, MSc Accounting and Finance at the University of Essex helped me to train my way of thinking and writing. This training enabled me to write high-quality academic articles and improve my knowledge of the field of accounting and finance.

Where did life take you after graduation?

The knowledge gained from my Masters degree at Essex allowed me to enter the professional work arena. I now work in the Audit Bureau of a District Government in China as Chief of the Corporate Audit Section. Without having studied in the UK or my Masters degree in Accounting and Finance, I would not have secured such smooth promotion into my role.

As an auditor, I oversee many large-scale audit projects and I am responsible for state-owned enterprises and government departments.

I enjoy my work; I feel respected in my role and our audit projects are always important in district development. In China, working in government is seen as a good and stable career and we also have the opportunity to make improvements and train further at a higher level, it is definitely a challenge.