The HKUST MBA has won acclaim for its international vision, world-class quality and unique position at the interface of East and West. It is truly one of the best MBA educations to have.
Students at HKUST enjoy international exposure that is unmatched by most programs in the world; access to the most up-to-date information from faculty who have top qualifications, global experience and strong research track records; and great value for money. They also enjoy one of the highest percentage increases in income upon graduation of any MBA program.
These factors are key benefits cited by our students, and also by the Financial Times which named the HKUST MBA No. 8 in the world in 2013 and No. 1 in Asia – the fourth year that the program has been in the top 10.
Our annual full-time MBA intake typically includes students of more than 25 nationalities, almost all of them originally based outside Hong Kong.
During their studies, they get many opportunities to develop their abilities as international leaders through the signature leadership core course, cross-cultural group work, student clubs, business case competitions and other activities.
Many of them take the ball and run with it, using the opportunities provided by the program to position themselves in ideal jobs. Nearly two-thirds of graduates in the full-time MBA program switch work locations, with most of them focused on Hong Kong, China and the Asia-Pacific.
Jon Yau - a 2009 graduate - had engineering qualifications from the University of Melbourne in Australia and the University of Birmingham in England and wanted to move into finance in Hong Kong. The HKUST MBA attracted him because of the international diversity of the program and Hong Kong’s position as a global finance centre.
Jon went on exchange to Madrid in 2008 (the HKUST MBA has 58 exchange partners around the world) and after graduation worked there for three years before returning to Hong Kong as the Asia-Pacific Head of Audit at Santander.
“The three most important things that I took from the MBA were: the confidence to walk into a room full of C-suite level executives and talk confidently to them on business matters, a lasting interest in how organizations work and why they are set out the way they are and – last but not least - an international network of lifelong friends,” he said.
Up to three-quarters of graduates use their MBA to change job functions upon graduating, including Kalvin Zhang, also a 2009 graduate.
Kalvin had an engineering degree from Tsinghua University and had worked in human resources for General Electric, but he wanted to work in finance. The HKUST MBA attracted him because of its strong reputation and curriculum and its location in Hong Kong. He is now Associate, China Institutional Business, for JP Morgan Asset Management.
“The HKUST MBA definitely helped me to make a successful career switch. I was provided with a good education in finance and I learned how to be professional and confident in communicating with clients. I’ve also gained a valuable network from the strong alumni community,” he said.
The HKUST MBA, then, is more than a degree: it’s a future.