Xiaobin Cai

Country of origin: China

AP Accountant, Halliburton (China)

I have set my career path to become a highly qualified and professional accountant. After my undergraduate study, I wanted to learn advanced accounting in the UK – LUMS was the perfect choice to take me one step closer towards my career goal.

The structure of the one-year MSc in Accounting & Financial Management is very carefully balanced. The level of the courses for each semester advances gradually, giving us room to make self-adjustments and adapt to the theme of the semester without too much pressure. It provides very useful guidance on how to think collectively and independently and then dig deeper.

The group coursework and individual assignments allowed me to get to know other talented students and gain precious experience of playing different roles within different assignments – challenging but worthwhile.

My university life was always filled with activities. I often participated in the day trips held by the University to travel around and had very unforgettable memories. I also participated in the college basketball games for women and made many friends through that. It was really a joyful time.

Studying at LUMS does expose my strengths and weaknesses and makes me examine myself and explore my potential. It is a process of self-development. And I am glad that I have no regrets and I have learnt so much. Life at Lancaster is always full of freedom and happiness. This unique experience is one that I will always cherish.

I gained very useful advice from the LUMS Career team, aiding my CV writing and interview preparation, and I am very thankful for their guidance and support. I hope that other students at Lancaster University can seize that opportunity, and make full use of the resources provided by LUMS Careers team to achieve a bright future.

Since graduating I am now working as an associate accountant for Halliburton, in Tianjin, China. It is a good start, and I believe the knowledge I have learned and the self-study and analytical ability I have developed during my study at Lancaster University will be a strong support for me to progress and grow within the company.