What sets your MBA apart from other programmes?

The Hong Kong University of Science & Technology’s MBA program has been consistently ranked among the world’s top 15 and Asia’s top MBA programs. We are an international research university with a vision to be a leading university with international impact & local commitment. We offer three MBA programs – a full-time program with two options of 12 and 16 months which minimizes the opportunity cost of students, a 2-year part-time program in Hong Kong and one across the border on our Shenzhen campus. Location is the pride of our program – located in one of the world’s freest economies and third most influential financial center in the world, it’s the ideal business location where “East meets West” and students get the best of both worlds.

Why should prospective students choose to study in Asia, at your business school?

I personally believe that students who want a challenge both personally and professionally come to Asia because of the vast differences across all 48 countries from language, culture to business practices. It takes someone who has both tenacity and thoughtfulness to be willing to navigate these differences and experience the joys of doing so.

Our students recognize the growth of Asia and want to be part of it, whether they are looking to work in Asia or with Asia post-MBA. Studying at HKUST in Hong Kong helps them achieve this, where they learn about cultures, business practices, economic systems and local markets in the Asian context. We have an industry faculty with extensive experience in the region.

As one of the world’s leading financial centers, HK is a key source of foreign capital for business and companies around Asia. The program incorporates career events and study tours in multiple Asian countries, where students get to meet with senior executives to understand what it takes to succeed in Asia.

Who is the ideal candidate for your MBA programme?

We are looking for students with leadership potential, strong communication skills, international exposure and preferably with some supervisory experience. The candidate should be able to offer selfless contribution to classmates, be a strong team player, with the ability to offer a unique perspective in terms of his/her cultural and industry background to their peers.

How is your business school programme different from that of European and American schools?

The key difference would be faculty, class material and students we attract. 

At HKUST, we have a world-class faculty that consists of research & adjunct professors, who have experience working and teaching in schools overseas but more importantly across Asia Pacific. What this means is that their professional experience makes it more relevant and in context, same goes for the material used in class - while concepts and methods of teaching are global, cases and examples would be in an Asian context. At the heart of the Western-structured curriculum are required courses in business essentials in both global and Chinese contexts

Similar to why prospective students should choose to study in Asia, we attract students who want to further their careers either here in Asia, or with Asia if they do decide to return home or work elsewhere.

How diverse and international are your MBA cohorts?

Every year over 90% of our students are from overseas, representing more than 30 nationalities. For a small intake of 120-140 people, this is something we are very proud of because it's what makes the student experience so rich and special.

What is your programme’s ROI?

Student will gain what a 2-year MBA program offers in just 16 months, without missing the internships and exchanges. It’s all about minimizing their opportunity cost! We also offer a 12-month option to further reduce the time that students are away from work.  This is why in addition to the ranking of world number 8 in salary increases for graduates, we are also second in the world in term of value of money, according to Financial Times Global MBA Ranking 2015.

Where does the faculty/teaching staff hail from?

We recruit academic talents globally and our faculty represents over 15 countries. The MBA faculty team includes professors from Asia trained in the West and Western professors who specialize in Asian business

How does the curriculum adapt to the shifting world economy?

Does it bother you that China’s economic growth appears to be slowing down? Should it worry your future MBA students?

Despite the economic roller-coaster that Asia has been on for the past 6 months, the region is still expected grow at a steady 5.4 percent in 2015–16. The slowdown is necessary as Beijing (the government) transitions from an export-oriented economy to a more sustainable consumption-oriented one.It is evident that there is a shift of global economic gravity to whole Asia region and with the strategic location of Hong Kong, as the gateway to China at the heart of Asia, we offer students a global perspective with regional business expertise for the Asian Century. Around 80% of our alumni continue to develop their careers post-MBA in Asia; our expansive alumni network go a long way in helping students build a successful career in the region.

Tell us about your alumni networks, how powerful are they? How do they benefit your graduates?

We are a young school but we have a dedicated MBA alumni team which works closely with the HKUST MBA Alumni Association. They foster relationships through enrichment talks, social events and other activities. Our students will earn a lifelong access to the elite community of more than 20,000 HKUST alumni in over 60 countries once they graduate, where they can continue to tap into the network for personal and professional growth.