Xin Mai

Xin recounts experiences of studying MSc Urban Economic Development at the Development Planning Unit

Before enrolling at DPU, I had held my bachelor’s degree in Economic Geography from Sun Yat-Sen University in China. My strong interests in urban economic issues and perfectly designed UED courses fortunately enabled me to have this valuable one-year study experience at DPU. I extremely enjoyed the UED programme thanks to DPU’s pure academic atmosphere, perfectly designed course structure, and the knowledge and the way of critical thinking the whole course encouraged me. It was absolutely different from my previous study in my home country.

The modules in the UED programme covered a wide variety of cutting-edge topics in the urban development domain, which had extended and strengthened my academic capacity in Urban Economics, urban development and planning.

We were highly encouraged to keep our mind open and analyse critically with our original ideas and understanding, which was highly demanding training and good improvement for our academic skills. Although the process was tough and challenging, I believe it must be of great value to every one of us in the future, whatever for further academic studies or career development, since it developed us the important transferable skills about how to understand and analyse the real world.

Upon graduation from DPU, I secured a job as a consultant at CCID Consulting Corporation – the largest state-owned consulting group in China, which operates as the think tank for Chinese Central Government and local authorities. I have been very pleased to be able to utilise my academic skills developed from the UED programme to analyse regional and urban development issues with particular emphasis on industrial development. I am also responsible to develop recommendations to local authorities in the Pearl River Delta region – one of the leading urbanisation and economic developed regions in China.

Based on the critical thinking and analytical skills I developed at DPU, I have been able to accomplish the challenging work and operate my job smoothly. I do cherish my study experiences in London with all the tutors and staff at DPU. I am very grateful for the unforgettable memory the UED programme gave me.

4 March 2013