HKUST Business Review

54 HKUST Business Review Shaping and Preparing Students for a Changing World Professor Albert IP, Chairman of the HKUST Foundation, Senior Advisor to HKUST President, Special Advisor to Dean of the Business School, and Chairman of the Business School's Career Development Advisory Council (CDAC), reflects on the University’s 35-year journey and shares his vision for how students can thrive in an increasingly complex, interdisciplinary and global job market. While HKUST celebrates its 35th anniversary, Professor Albert Ip is seeing a university standing on the edge of its next transformation. With decades of experience in global banking and a portfolio of corporate board roles, he brings a pragmatic, forward-looking voice to the question he believes matters most: how should HKUST prepare students for a world defined by complexity, speed and constant reinvention? "l always tell people I am not smart," he says, "but companies trust me because they know I am practical, grounded, and I genuinely care about cultivating students to grow." That emphasis on action-oriented and human-centered approach shapes his leadership of the School's CDAC, which consists of ten distinguished senior corporate leaders in a broad spectrum of businesses. For Professor Ip, the 35th anniversary is more than a milestone. It is a call to rethink what career readiness truly means and how universities can better equip students not just with academic knowledge, but with the mindset and adaptability needed to navigate an uncertain future. From Mentoring to Counseling and Meaningful Career Matching Professor Ip notes that students today face more choices than they realize, yet often limit themselves out of habit or perceived prestige. “Students tend to follow trends rather than their self-assessment of what may suit their background,” he says. “Career decisions shouldn’t be driven by what classmates are doing. They should be guided by strengths and long term interests.” At the heart of his career advice is the importance of embracing a growth mindset. In his experience, the most successful individuals are those who perceive challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles. Failures and setbacks are not endpoints, but are stepping stones to success. In his experience, he has also found that students perform best when their attributes and passions align with the skills and types of talent companies are truly seeking. “Students will always do better in jobs they love,” he says. Moreover, he urges students to explore fast growing areas such as sustainable finance, digital transformation, private equity, behavioural insights, fields where HKUST graduates can lead, not chase. “There are so many opportunities students haven’t even considered,” he says. “The world is changing, and they must widen their lens.” View extract of Professor Ip’s Chinese book on career guidance for students