HKUST Business Review

19 HKUST Business Review Cover Technology’s Constant Impact He emphasizes too just how profoundly technology will continue to reshape industries. Alluding to his own initial skepticism about the value of camera phones, he now uses this as a reminder of how easy it is to underestimate the impact of shifts in technology. The lesson is that new business models can appear overnight, entire sectors can be upended, and accepted norms can be completely transformed. “For example, the speed of business is much faster now,” Tung says, noting how responses that once took hours or days are now expected within minutes. Leaders must learn to operate within this relentless tempo, and business education must prepare them for it. Connecting Education to Broader Trends For HKUST, helping students understand and participate in major macroeconomic trends presents an enormous opportunity. This is especially so in Asia where China’s push up to move up the value chain, its ambition in areas ranging from climate science to AI and robotics, and its “going out” strategy to find new international markets will create a host of new possibilities. Taking just one of them—green energy—where many countries are seeking sustainable solutions. Hong Kong can play a unique role in financing, exporting, and implementing these technologies. And HKUST can prepare leaders to connect the technical innovations with commercial interests and sales efforts in international markets. “The chance for cross border collaboration allows businesses to access different ideas, talents, and opportunities,” Tung says, adding that good leadership ultimately rests on character. “You need to be genuine, transparent, and consistent. You are there to build an organization, a culture that will outlast yourself.” That mindset engenders trust and will enable graduates to steer organizations through the inevitable cycles of disruption. Looking Ahead As HKUST Business School looks to the next stage of development, Tung hopes it will remain bold, open minded, and committed to shaping leaders who can solve problems in Asia and around the world. He also underscores the importance of ethics and a social conscience, emphasizing that graduates must understand not just what technology can do, but what it should do. “I hope that the School and the University will continue to train students to be aware and understand the importance of these issues, so that they continue to add value as global citizens,” he says. “That is a big job.” Driving Progress through Industry–Academia Collaboration Consisting of local and international business leaders from various industries, the HKUST Business School Advisory Council provides strategic advice and support to the School on its current issues and future developments. In collaboration with corporations across diverse industries, the School fosters dynamic exchanges that advance both business practice and academic inquiry, while equipping students with real-world problem‑solving skills through initiatives such as Corporate Projects, Social Responsibility Projects, and case competitions.