Two inaugural programs at HKUST Business School designed to cultivate future-ready leaders, the Bilingual DBA Program and Entrepreneur InnoTech Management Scholar Program (EITMS), brought together distinguished speakers for a series of high-impact modules in June.
Bilingual DBA Program Concludes the Sixth Module
The sixth module of the Bilingual DBA Program in Hong Kong focused on three main themes: Frontiers in Finance Research, Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, and Chip Technology, creating a high-level platform for in-depth dialogue among academia, industry, and policy.
At the Frontiers in Finance Research session, three leading voices presented a compelling narrative on Hong Kong’s financial landscape. Prof. LOU Dong opened the discussion with insights into the deep structural shifts in asset pricing theory. He was followed by Prof. KC CHAN, former Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the HKSAR Government, who traced Hong Kong’s transformation from a “connector” into an international pricing platform. Former Chairman of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX), Ms. Laura CHA, then expanded the discussion to Hong Kong’s core competitiveness as a global financial hub and its synergies with Shanghai. Dr. Kelvin WONG, Chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission, further engaged participants on structural challenges facing the local stock market. While Mr. ZHOU Qiangwu, Vice President and CEO of the New Development Bank, concluded with a forward-looking presentation on Global South cooperation.
In the Hard Tech track, four HKUST scholars presented a cohesive perspective on AI and chip innovation. Prof. Tim CHENG and Prof. XIE Yuan first analyzed chip architecture breakthroughs driven by AI computing power. Prof. Harry SHUM then charted AI’s evolution and industrial integration, before Prof. XIONG Hui capped the discussion with a visionary view of AI shifting from a mere tool to a “cognitive agent,” redefining digital transformation.
EITMS Second Module Focuses on Fintech and Web3
The EITMS Program inaugural cohort completed their second module at the Business School’s new Admiralty campus. Centered on fintech and Web3, the module delivered an intensive learning experience that combined academic rigor with industry insights through expert lectures, company visits, dialogues, and closed-door sessions.
Led by HKUST cross-school faculty and industry leaders including Prof. HUI Kai-Lung, Prof. Kani CHEN, Prof. Tim CHENG, and Mr. LI Xiaojia, Founder and Chairman of Micro Connect, the module covered blockchain, the AI-Web3 machine economy, deep-tech innovation, and AI-native fintech, complemented by site visits to leading industry organizations.
Learning in practice: site visits to Animoca Brands and HashKey Capital
Student feedback was highly positive. One student called the industry keynote “the most brilliant talk in recent memory.” From blockchain to deep-tech innovation, every speaker demonstrated exceptional expertise and depth of insight. Many agreed the program is “not a choice but a necessity for entrepreneurs.” As one student noted, the value of HKUST EITMS “lies not only in the knowledge itself, but also in the inspiration from faculty and the deep exchanges among peers.”
