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.”
Why Global Exposure Matters More than Ever
Global exposure, in Ip’s view, is one of the most powerful ways to broaden that lens. “I always encourage students going on exchange to take advantage of courses not available at HKUST, even if they may not count as credits for graduation. Exposure to different cultures, teaching styles and perspectives is something employers value more than students realize,” he explains.
Interdisciplinary Learning for an Interconnected Economy
Professor Ip also sees interdisciplinary learning as essential to HKUST’s next chapter. “The value of interdisciplinary studies, a double major or a major with another minor degree is becoming increasingly essential, for example pairing economics with math” he says. “Companies themselves are reorganizing along interdisciplinary lines.”
He argues that students should be encouraged to blend fields creatively—finance with data analytics, marketing with psychology, management with social science. “The more perspectives you bring, the more marketable you become. Employers are looking for people who can connect dots across disciplines.” Thinking out of the box, he adds, often leads students to opportunities they never initially imagined.
That same ability to “connect the dots,” Professor Ip adds, is transforming philanthropy and corporate engagement. “Cross selling in philanthropy is now the norm,” he says.
Another pillar of Professor Ip’s advice is the importance of building a robust network of mentors. Success, he says, is rarely achieved in isolation. Therefore he encourages students to actively connect with teachers, industry leaders and alumni. He has seen time and again how building these relationships can open doors. The 35th anniversary, in his view, is an ideal moment to deepen these partnerships and reinforce the University’s community value.
A Mindset for the Next Chapter
Passionate about guiding career success, Professor Ip counsels 40 students at the Business School each year, providing career guidance along with recommendations and referrals to companies. His influence now extends beyond the School and HKUST. As the founding chairman of the new Career Development Advisory Board in the School of Humanities and Social Science, he hopes to see more cross school collaboration in both curriculum and career support. In addition, he chairs two career development advisory committees at another university in Hong Kong.
He emphasizes that faculty should rethink their role in student development, moving beyond academic teaching to include practical application to foster broader knowledge while also including career advising in their teaching.
Reflecting on his ten-year journey at HKUST, which included six years as a Council Member, Professor Ip returns to a message that has become a constant in his counseling: humility, adaptability and curiosity will carry young professionals further than any credential. “Getting an HKUST degree is an important first step,” he says.
Looking ahead, Professor Ip envisions an HKUST career that embraces interdisciplinary learning, global exposure, employer partnership and a strong culture of alumni engagement. Holding dual roles as the Foundation Chairman and CDAC Chairman, he strongly believes in and supports student development, career counseling and alumni engagement, which complement each other not only in job referrals but ultimately in building a closely knit university.
Insights extracted from the Chinese book authored by Prof. Ip on career guidance for students
叶毓强教授《心之行：学生就业辅导与规划》节录
《心之行：学生就业辅导与规划》一书，记述了叶毓强教授（Prof. Albert Ip）回顾其成长、学习、工作及辅导学生的心路历程，并分享个中体会。书中亦访问了曾受叶教授协助的学生、共事过的大专院校同事，以及合作企业的管理层，透过多元视角的经历与观察，透视毕业生在职业规划与求职路上可能遇到的挑战，同时提供出路与建议。该书精彩节录如下：
叶毓强教授
「学生无论资质如何，面对困难都不要放弃，应该认清自己的长处及短处，尽力发挥个人的优点：改善弱点，只要开放自我，便会发现社会为年轻人提供许多支持及关怀。」
「Mentor见完学生之后给予意见十分重要，因为这可启发学生对社会的看法。」
「我感受到自己的付出真的能帮助到学生。譬如我遇过一个案例，学生有抑郁症，我辅导他，后来他毕业后工作很好，之后在科技大学拿到硕士学位。」
香港科技大学毕业生吴嘉慧
「我知道Albert曾经是银行高层，拥有很强的人脉。他问我申请了哪几家银行，看看他认不认识他们，然后问我怎样准备面试。他替我做模拟面试，用雇主的角色来问我为何想要做这份工作。」
「找career team帮忙很有用，他们替我练习面试，又写了推荐信，这两部分是最有用的。」
香港科技大学副校长（行政）谭嘉因
「待人接物的技巧、正面的态度、自信心，我们未必可以在课室里教授学生，但我们也累积了一些经验，知道课外活动也可帮助他们培养这些特质。」
「实习或到外国做交换生，学生在自己不熟悉的环境中生活及学习四至五个月，这经历是可以帮助学生，让他慢慢去建立刚才谈到的那些素质。」
富邦银行行政总裁兼董事总经理钟国强
「面试是很重要的一关，现在很多大学都会教学生怎样面试，并提供模拟面试。面试能让公司在很短的时间内认识求职者，从而决定是否聘请他。」
「我们对就业组的期望是替我们配对适合的学生。我们告诉他们技能要求，他们就看看有什么学生适合，并通过课程、培训、活动等帮助学生去装备，投入社会。」
新世界发展有限公司执行董事赵慧娴
「如今若要争取一个职位，申请一份工作，竞争对象可能是一个在外国申请来港的人，所以一定要增值自己，别觉得读完书，满足于现有资历。第二，现在竞争大了，申请工作时，一定要做好准备功夫。」
「在筛选的阶段，首先要迎合职位需求，包装好自己，令履历突显出来，例如申请市场部工作，加入自己曾参与的相关项目，自然比别人优胜。」