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The Chinese University Hong Kong (CUHK) Q+A

Diana Gineva headed straight from a Bachelors in International Business in Germany to the CUHK MBA in Hong Kong, and has now landed a job as an M&A consultant.

By  

Mon Jul 18 2011

BusinessBecause

Where are you from and how old are you?
I come originally from Varna, Bulgaria and I am 23 years old.

What was your first degree?
I studied International Business at Reutlingen University in Reutlingen, Germany. A bilingual programme in English and German, including two six-month internships.

Where were you working before Chinese University Hong Kong?
Before my MBA degree I did two six-month internships during my Bachelor studies in the finance industry. First at Deka Bank in Frankfurt, Germany, in the Risk and Finance department and then at Allianz Bank in Varna, Bulgaria, in the Loans department.

Why did you decide to do an MBA?
An MBA degree has always been a part of my education plan. My undergraduate program consisted of a dual degree programme with a Bachelor degree from Reutlingen University and an MBA degree from CUHK. One of the reasons I chose this programme was the opportunity to do an MBA at an earlier stage, before having any full-time working experience.

What kind of skills did you want to acquire in particular?
From what I have heard from former MBA students, I expected the MBA programme to have a rather practical approach, involving a lot of case studies, class discussions and group work. I also wanted to further develop my intercultural competence and knowledge of Asian culture and customs.

I also expected to meet with many industry professionals, such as CUHK alumni, professors and guest speakers. Fortunately, most of my expectations have been met and even exceeded during the course of my MBA studies!

How did you first hear of CUHK's MBA programme?
I first heard of CUHK’s MBA at my German university when I was choosing a partner university for my MBA. I did some additional research on my own and spoke to former CUHK graduates, who were very positive impression about the university and the location.

Did you get a scholarship?
I was offered an entrance scholarship by the MBA office, reflecting my undergraduate academic records and extracurricular involvement during my undergraduate studies. After the second term at CUHK I was also nominated for the Haitong International Securities Group New Generation Leaders Scholarship.

I think I got the scholarship because of my contributions outside the classroom: I’m an events co-ordinator at the Finance club, and participated in the Hult Global Case Competition in Shanghai.

When will you complete the program?
The MBA programme at CUHK can be finished within 12 or 16 months, depending on whether you want to go for an exchange during the fall of the second year. However, I decided to finish my classes within 12 months. Almost all classes are based on group projects with a mixture of oral presentation and written papers, so there’s no explicit final thesis on one topic.

Whom would you recommend CUHK to?
Definitely any business student who wants more knowledge, experience and contacts in the growing Asian markets.

Is there a moment you’ve particularly enjoyed so far?
At the beginning of the program everyone had to participate in the Outward Bound outdoor teambuilding exercise for five days. Although it was very challenging physically and mentally, I’d say it was one of my favourite moments because I learned a lot about myself and managed to overcome challenges I never thought I would be capable of. I also learned a lot about team spirit and the importance of leadership and trust.

How is life in Hong Kong compared to Europe?
Life is much more dynamic and busy here than in Europe, both because of the size of the city and the dense population, and because of the different culture. Having said that I adapted very quickly and I’ve enjoyed the new experiences of the past year. I learned a lot about the Asian culture and customs, met many interesting people, and finally decided on my career path.

Do you know what you'll be doing next year?
After finishing my studies in August I’ll go back to Frankfurt, Germany, for my first full-time job as a Junior Consultant at a UK strategy and Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) consultancy firm. I’m very excited because I was able to find exactly what I was looking for, and hope that I’ll develop my knowledge and skills and get involved in interesting international projects.

And what would you like to do in five to ten years?
My ultimate career goal would be a higher level position in M&A. I’d probably like to change locations every couple of years in order to experience as much as possible and explore every opportunity that comes my way.

Student Reviews

CUHK MBA

Student

Verified

23/09/2022

Blended

One of a kind

I studied Bioinformatics at CUHK last year. It was the only Master's degree in Hong Kong in this field. This program developed my analytical skills and equipped me to be a Bioinformatician in a very practical way. I enjoyed my year here and met classmates from different parts of the world. If you are thinking to enhance your profile, this degree program would be a good option.

Student

Verified

19/11/2021

On Campus

general education courses, unique college system, large campus

The university facilitates multi-dimension and interdisciplinary learning. In social science faculty, we need to choose courses as our faculty package from other departments (architecture, psychology, sociology, etc.) to learn more than our major required courses. We are also required to finish general education courses, which aid our critical thinking and humanistic sensibilities. I do recommend the social science broad-based program, and the professors I met so far are all responsible and erudite.

Student

Verified

28/10/2017

LLM

The faculty of law is relatively new. You do not need to have a LLB to pursue a LLM, which is special. The taught programme is great for mature students who want to obtain legal knowledge. CUHK has good teaching staff too.

Student

Verified

20/10/2017

Amazing Campus and Great Educational Environment

Not only is CUHK's main campus breathtaking, it provides for a good educational environment for students. The university is well-equipped with modern and up-to-date facilities to help students with their study. We have 8 libraries in total around the campus; one for media, one for architectural studies, the medical library and the law library. The Professors are always helpful and are happy to talk to students when needed. Moreover, the college system within the university brings forth the uniqueness of CUHK. Each student belongs to a different college, and in that students are able to meet different peoples from different countries and students from different faculties. I think CUHK provides for a well-rounded university life for all students.

Student

Verified

17/10/2017

exthrillating

One of the most down to earth places in HK. A great opportunity to learn and embody the local culture. Also had one the most beautiful campus in Hong Kong up on the hillside. Glad to have graduated here.

Student

Verified

5/10/2017

Innovative and Supportive

My university provided me with all the support I needed, and encouraged me to be up to date with all the new developments in the world. They also provided me with the incentive to excel at what I do, and they take much pride in my achievements. I have had a very rewarding university experience.

Student

Verified

2/10/2017

Small, New But Friendly Law School

To being with, I think the campus of CUHK is the best and the biggest in Hong Kong, with fresh air and trees everywhere. I am an undergraduate Law student at CUHK and I think the teaching here is great, with very friendly and nice professors and the new Lee Shau Kee Building. In terms of the courses offered by CUHK, as one of the largest universities in Hong Kong, CUHK is an all-rounded university, offering a wide range of courses to students. Students may take the introductory courses of discipline other than their own major, or even declare a minor. For law electives, due to the small amount of intake, the variety of law electives are not that huge. However, the Faculty is offering some international programmes, which can be treated as law electives, but at the same time, provide us with an opportunity to travel and know more about the legal system of another country. The career support from the Faculty of Law is also amazing. The Faculty will organise CV Sessions and talks on how to get an internship from law firms or mini-pupillage from barrister's chambers. Each student will also have a Distinguished Professional Mentor, which is a current legal profession, providing us with practical advices and updates of the legal field. Finally, from my personal experience, I think the students in CUHK are friendly and genuine. As Law students, competition is inevitable for grades, GPAs, vacation schemes and training contract. However, I think the competition in CUHK Law School is a positive one, in a sense that help us grow together, instead of fighting with each other no matter what. That is the biggest reason why I am having a very good time here in CUHK Law School.

Student

Verified

30/09/2017

A place to explore your interests

As a law graduate from CUHK (both undergrad and post-grad), I realise that I had many opportunities to explore my areas of interests (legal and non-legal both). The faculty/university requires us to take a certain number of non-law electives, and offers a plethora of courses to choose from. Personally, I took 3 modules in Korean --I can't say it's made me highly proficient, but it's definitely given me a good foundation (I can walk into a Korean restaurant and confidently order food, at the very least). The fact that language courses are offered also provides students who are more financially constrained an opportunity to learn a language without having to shell out a premium for a decent language course. On top of that, we have a range of law electives as well. I know of classmates who have developed lasting interest in different areas of law because of the electives they took in school. The two electives that I would say have changed me is (i) mooting and (ii) family law. I think my experience in an international commercial arbitration moot competition has helped tremendously in formulating legal arguments and legal writing. On the other hand, taking a family law elective has made me very interested in the family law practice, especially in terms of child rights. For these experiences which I have gained, I'm grateful for the opportunities provided by the school. One main issue most students I know have is with the way our GPA is calculated and the lack of transparency in terms of how the honours system works. As our GPA is marked on a curve. it's highly unrepresentative of what we have achieved as individuals. Given that our GPA is the only criteria that is looked at when we apply for the compulsory post-graduate law course (mandatory should we want to practise law and/or be trainees in Hong Kong), it will put our own students at a distinct disadvantage when we compete for limited spaces with students from schools where GPA is not on a bell curve.

Student

Verified

27/06/2022

On Campus

Valuable time in CUHK

I like the learning environment and people at CUHK. Surrounded by hills and Tolo Harbour, CUHK provides a balance between nature and hustle. You can always escape from the busy study life and meet your friend around the big campus for different activities.

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