Hong Kong is one of the world’s most exciting cities for business graduates. It’s a vital financial center and also houses the regional offices of major multinationals like Bank of China, Christie's, Estée Lauder, Goldman Sachs, and IBM—so MBA graduates in the region have plenty of options.
The University of Hong Kong Business School (HKU) is well placed to take advantage of the destination’s opportunities. It’s one of the oldest educational institutions in Hong Kong (111 years old this year) and its MBA program is regularly ranked one of the best in Asia, including by the Financial Times.
But how exactly can an MBA at HKU boost your employability? BusinessBecause spoke to recent graduates Lewis Chen and Karolis Navickas, as well as Ernest Cheung, the school’s director of career development and training, to find out.
An interdisciplinary degree
The HKU MBA sets itself apart by its focus on both global and Asia economics. It was this dual focus that first attracted Lewis (pictured) to the program, who was born and raised in China and wanted an MBA degree that combined a global perspective with an Asia focus.
“I really believe that a China and Asia-centric business school is the best fit for candidates like me who see the career future in the region,” he says.
To establish that specialized Asia knowledge, the HKU MBA curriculum includes a China Immersion Program, giving students an understanding of the particulars of the Asian economy, while core courses in the global economy offer broader knowledge.
Students can also broaden their studies by taking electives at a HKU partner institution for one semester: London Business School, Columbia Business School, or Fudan University. It’s this wide-ranging curriculum that can transform graduates’ careers says Ernest (pictured).
“They have exposure to not just a Hong Kong view,” he says. “This helps them prepare for a role in China, or a role in New York or the UK.”
Karolis took advantage of the chance to study at Columbia Business School during his MBA, and this experience directly led to his graduate role as CEO of a property development company in the US.
“I was at a networking event for Americans and Lithuanians doing business in America,” he recalls. “And I randomly saw one interesting person, and we started having lunch together every single week. After the fourth or fifth lunch, he said ‘maybe you’re looking for a CEO position? We are looking for someone.’
“The key thing was how the HKU MBA built confidence in myself. I was confident to propose and to show what I'm capable of,” Karolis adds.
Putting skills in practice
As well as offering an interdisciplinary curriculum, the HKU MBA also offers ample opportunities for students to apply their skills to real-world business problems.
One of the biggest experiential learning projects students work on is the Corporate Partnership Project, which connects MBAs to corporate professionals working in Hong Kong for mentorship and hands-on strategy experience.
Last year, companies involved in the Corporate Partnership Project included AXA Insurance, BCW, Nan Fung Group, Irostors, and CLP.
“They work closely with the [HKU MBA] team so they understand how the business is going in new directions, and that prepares them for the latest developments in industries,” says Ernest.
Students can also visit companies in Hong Kong, which Karolis (pictured below) particularly credits with strengthening his career development by broadening his understanding of markets and industries specifically in Asia, as opposed to Europe.
Career development
Each MBA cohort at HKU contains between 40 and 50 students, meaning the school can deliver personal career device tailored to each student. During the HKU MBA, students also attend compulsory career workshops, where they can develop skills essential for their future careers.
“During the workshops they will practice their presentation skills, how to build their own brand, and critical thinking and problem solving, team spirit and collaboration skills,” explains Ernest.
However, Lewis emphasizes how careers skills aren’t just a part of separate courses: they’re embedded in every module on the MBA.
“Professors or course instructors kept telling us what is the essence behind management, what management really means, what it is like being managers. That empathy part was my key takeaway,” he says.
The annual MBA careers fair is also an opportunity for students to meet local and international companies; around 60 companies attend the event, as well as 200 recruiting partners.
Working in Hong Kong
Opportunities for MBA graduates in Hong Kong are endless, and HKU graduates are adept at finding those career routes.
In the career report for the MBA Class of 2022, 90% secured jobs in Asia, with 72% of those students securing jobs in Hong Kong and 16% finding a role in mainland China.
Consulting and finance are the most popular industries for HKU MBA graduates, which makes sense given the wealth of companies in the Hong Kong area. Popular MBA recruiters at HKU include companies like JP Morgan, Boston Consulting Group, and PWC.
Part of this success, particularly in securing roles in Hong Kong post-MBA, is down to the favorable study visa process in the region. The Immigration Arrangements for Non-local Graduates (IANG) visa allows students to remain in Hong Kong for up to a year after graduating, without requiring a local job offer.
While Karolis took a position in the US, Lewis now works in Hong Kong as an associate director of private banking for HSBC. He says that support from the careers service at HKU was vital.
“I feel really grateful that their careers team provided valuable support throughout my job applications process, as well as getting great advice from my alumni and professional network,” he adds.
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) - MBA Programmes HKU Business School
Student
Verified
23/02/2023
On Campus
Academic
Very good academic, caes course amazing, ccs are all amazing, professors are excellent, the architecture and infrastructure is splendid, people here are awesome, made some really nice friends, and teachers support us
Hatim
Verified
6/02/2023
On Campus
Diversified culture
I highly recommend The University of Hong Kong to students all around the world because of their diversified culture, teaching standards, and the people which make the learning experience better every day.
Student
Verified
6/10/2017
A place where you best understand local and international cultures
With plenty of experiences available, HKU provides a plenty of experience for me to explore our own and other countries culture. She has excellent teaching and research staffs in the Department of Ecology and Biodiversity. Time allocate to students are considered sufficient and staffs are ready to reach anytime.
Besides academic, she has various subsidised programmes that allow students to explore. This credit should be given to GenEd (general education) Office to provide different interesting programmes. These ranged from guest speaker giving talks on China-Hong Kong relationship; Contemporary art in Asia; or holding mini forum on geopolitics. Most, if not all, of which are free of charge!
Student
Verified
1/10/2017
Life at HKU
Pursued the SHS degree at HKU, academic and clinical staff members were very devoted and passionate. The academic program is under constant reviews, staff members are open minded and willing to modify the program with regards to students' opinions. Career prospect is good. Uni life is fruitful, many different activities for students to choose. Great facilities supporting learning.
Student
Verified
29/09/2017
Student Life in HKU
As an Accounting and Finance year3 undergrad student in HKU, the university provides lots of opportunities for me to learn and explore my interests.
You could join a wide variety of activities, like being an committee member of societies and joining hall activities. As for me, I chose to join the winter exchange programme, be a committee member, and did volunteering servic and had latrine construction and volunteer teaching in Ghana, Africa. I also organized lots of activities for societies and had lots of meetings with company representatives. As for school work, it is okay normally but definitely u got a lot busier during November and April. You got a lot more free time compared to CUHK and HKUST. And of course, this is considered as the most ‘international’ uni in HK in a way that I could make friends coming from different countries.
Just wanna add, HKU has a good location for foodie as its near Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui. For those who love night lifes dont miss this. I didnt speak of anything i dislike coz there isnt anything i dislike much, but if I do have to say, it is the hall life of many local students, such as having cheers at night and never sleeps that may disturb others.
Student
Verified
2/09/2020
Blended
Academics
I think it’s a great university that gives you a lot of opportunities in terms of academics as well as extracurricular activities. The education system is fairly westernized and the professors are good for the most part.
Student
Verified
3/11/2017
International, stratified and political
Adequate resources and very convenient campus with sufficient channels to expand your social and professional circle. Also politically active, and perhaps too biasedly so. Its law school is firmly established, with the longest history in Hong Kong. Practical and professional training, with a constant atmosphere of anxiety and competition that encourages a relatively focused and narrow vision of career outlook. Good range of extra curricular activities available.
Student
Verified
12/10/2017
Life in HKU
HKU provides students with lots of opportunities in multidisciplinary researches and experiences. This encourages students to widen their horizons and prepare for the future. The programme I attended organised both local and oversea field trips that allowed me to have the first hand experiences of relative aspects. It was very useful for my later career.
Student
Verified
6/10/2017
BSocSc
I am a graduate of the BSocSc programme several years ago. I appreciate that the programme provided a flexible choice of majors and minors. Even I was admitted into social sciences programme, I could explore various streams of studies in and out of the social sciences faculty, including global studies, human resources, politics, science and music. I did a double major in psychology and sociology. Among all learning experiences in lectures, tutorials, field trips…, I would say the internship experience was one of the most memorable part of my university life. The faculty offers a credit-bearing internship programme in which students can go to various NGOs to work on social issues, ranging from poverty, education to adjustment of ethnic minorities. Students can be placed locally or overseas, depending on placement quota, their personal preference and past experience. I went to a social service agency that serves adults who are intellectually challenged and have autism spectrum disorder. It was an eye-opening experience in observing how different professionals work together to provide training for those people and reflecting on how psychological knowledge could come into play. I was also able to gain some hands-on experience in leading an activity.
There are more and more internship opportunities for university students. It is just another way to gain practical experience apart from applying for interns in government agencies or business companies, especially in organisations that would not openly recruit interns but only work with tertiary institutions.
It should be noted that for some majors/courses, there are really a lot of people studying. When I was an undergraduate back then, we often expected a lecture with 100+ students and a tutorial with nearly 20 students. If you favour close student-teacher interaction in small classes, you may look into the enrolment of particular courses.
