HKUST Business School is home to families who have created bonds through academia.
Below is a collection of stories about the people who have made special ties and links through the Business School family. It shows that HKUST is not just a place for academic studies, it’s also a place where strong relationships are formed. The stories speak of students who have become faculty members, fathers who have taught their sons their trade, and tell of the adventures of three German brothers who all graduated from the same postgraduate program. They highlight how the HKUST Business School has a wider focus than academia alone.
Business Education as Family Tradition
Having served at HKUST for over 20 years, Professor Ronald LAU of the Department of Information Systems, Business Statistics & Operations Management has taught many generations of students including all four of his sons, who all studied at HKUST. “Even though we’ve been taught business by dad during family grocery trips for years, we would still try our best to attend his classes after we got in HKUST,” says Joshua, his eldest son. “I’m glad that they all went to HKUST, where they could enjoy a world class education at a fraction of the cost than in the US,” says Professor Lau.
Inspiring New Generation at Alma Mater
Following in the footsteps of the inspiring professors and mentors he met as a BBA and PhD students at HKUST, Senior Associate Dean of the School Professor HUI Kai Lung joined the school faculty in 2008 to motivate a new generation of HKUST students. He enjoys working in the university setting, as he gets to work on interesting research topics, share the knowledge with students, alumni, and external bodies, while enjoying the freedom and liberal environment unmatched in the corporate world.
A Tale of three Brothers
Three brothers from Germany have all taken different paths to their current careers, but they are united in crediting their time at the School as being the experience that spurred their entrepreneurial spirits, work ethic and potential. After completing his bachelor’s degree at HKUST, Pierre WIEDENMANN furthered his studies by embarking on a oneyear full-time Master of Science in International Management (MIMT), offered by the School in collaboration with CEMS. His experience at MIMT that inspired his brothers Francois and Frederic to pursue the same postgraduate degrees.
Alumna Builds on University Vision
A BBA alumna of the School, Professor Emily NASON, who is now the Director of Undergraduate Recruitment and Admissions at HKUST after serving in various program leadership roles at the School, says “As a student, I was inspired by the passion of the professors here in advancing knowledge, which led me to pursue a career in the academia. It is truly humbling to be part of the team to help build this world-class and visionary university. I feel very fortunate to be able to co-create something meaningful with so many talented colleagues and students every day.”