Jay Yoo organized this year’s Graduate Business Conference at CUHK Business School, with his passion for corporate social responsibility driving discussions
Jay Yoo, an MBA student at Hong Kong’s CUHK Business School, has a passion for socially-responsible business. With this in mind, he undertook his MBA, confident that it would help him take a step towards starting his own socially-impactful consulting firm.Jay Yoo organized this year’s Graduate Business Conference held at CUHK, which brings together government representatives, leading executives and students from the world’s top business schools, to discuss solutions to world business issues.
With Jay Yoo’s influence, this year’s conference focused on business for good and engaged students and high-ranking professionals in creative discussions about how to have a positive impact on society.
Tell us about your experience organizing the 2017 Graduate Business Conference at CUHK.
I believe that if people can discuss CSR and business sustainability in a global sense, it can be impactful for MBA students.
The conference was a place to share ideas and exchange best practices in order to create a forum of mutual inspiration. Interactive networking and brainstorming activities at the conference helped students get to know fellow attendees and their school’s strengths through sharing.
There were also a series of interactive meetings between the student leaders where best practices and new innovative ideas were shared along with solutions to issues suggested by the student leaders. Each of these workshops focused on a different topic and attendees were asked to develop specific issues within the topic and break into smaller groups to discuss solutions.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?
In 2012, I was in charge of conducting a hospital construction official development assistance project in Vietnam. I saw that most companies, despite their competitive advantages on price and quality, were struggling to enter the global market since they were unable to satisfy all the documentary and procedural requirements.
So, I set myself a long-term goal of establishing a consulting firm for small and medium-sized medical device companies, which are competitive but lack effective global market expansion strategies. I want to provide consulting services on exploring and entering the global market. For me, an MBA was an important step towards achieving this.
Why did you choose CUHK?
I’m especially interested in events such as the corporate social responsibility conference. Development projects are relevant to CSR and business sustainability and I believed access to these would be great chance to get exposure to these environments and clarify my career goals.
What’s more, I believe that the strength of China’s market on a global scale will be increasing. So, for me, Hong Kong and CUHK was the best option to explore China and the international atmosphere.
What are your plans for the future?
After graduating from the CUHK MBA, I plan to join a global medical device company which is taking part in development work.
Based on this experience, I will refine the structure of my consulting service business plan and be better able to help small and medium-sized medical device companies enter the development market.
I am close to the end of my MBA journey and I strongly believe that my MBA experience helps me to be prepared. I am confident to face new challenges not only in future work, but also in my personal life.
Student Reviews
One of a kind
I studied Bioinformatics at CUHK last year. It was the only Master's degree in Hong Kong in this field. This program developed my analytical skills and equipped me to be a Bioinformatician in a very practical way.
I enjoyed my year here and met classmates from different parts of the world. If you are thinking to enhance your profile, this degree program would be a good option.
general education courses, unique college system, large campus
The university facilitates multi-dimension and interdisciplinary learning. In social science faculty, we need to choose courses as our faculty package from other departments (architecture, psychology, sociology, etc.) to learn more than our major required courses. We are also required to finish general education courses, which aid our critical thinking and humanistic sensibilities. I do recommend the social science broad-based program, and the professors I met so far are all responsible and erudite.
LLM
The faculty of law is relatively new. You do not need to have a LLB to pursue a LLM, which is special. The taught programme is great for mature students who want to obtain legal knowledge.
CUHK has good teaching staff too.
Amazing Campus and Great Educational Environment
Not only is CUHK's main campus breathtaking, it provides for a good educational environment for students. The university is well-equipped with modern and up-to-date facilities to help students with their study. We have 8 libraries in total around the campus; one for media, one for architectural studies, the medical library and the law library. The Professors are always helpful and are happy to talk to students when needed.
Moreover, the college system within the university brings forth the uniqueness of CUHK. Each student belongs to a different college, and in that students are able to meet different peoples from different countries and students from different faculties.
I think CUHK provides for a well-rounded university life for all students.
exthrillating
One of the most down to earth places in HK. A great opportunity to learn and embody the local culture. Also had one the most beautiful campus in Hong Kong up on the hillside. Glad to have graduated here.
Innovative and Supportive
My university provided me with all the support I needed, and encouraged me to be up to date with all the new developments in the world. They also provided me with the incentive to excel at what I do, and they take much pride in my achievements. I have had a very rewarding university experience.
Small, New But Friendly Law School
To being with, I think the campus of CUHK is the best and the biggest in Hong Kong, with fresh air and trees everywhere.
I am an undergraduate Law student at CUHK and I think the teaching here is great, with very friendly and nice professors and the new Lee Shau Kee Building.
In terms of the courses offered by CUHK, as one of the largest universities in Hong Kong, CUHK is an all-rounded university, offering a wide range of courses to students. Students may take the introductory courses of discipline other than their own major, or even declare a minor.
For law electives, due to the small amount of intake, the variety of law electives are not that huge. However, the Faculty is offering some international programmes, which can be treated as law electives, but at the same time, provide us with an opportunity to travel and know more about the legal system of another country.
The career support from the Faculty of Law is also amazing. The Faculty will organise CV Sessions and talks on how to get an internship from law firms or mini-pupillage from barrister's chambers. Each student will also have a Distinguished Professional Mentor, which is a current legal profession, providing us with practical advices and updates of the legal field.
Finally, from my personal experience, I think the students in CUHK are friendly and genuine. As Law students, competition is inevitable for grades, GPAs, vacation schemes and training contract. However, I think the competition in CUHK Law School is a positive one, in a sense that help us grow together, instead of fighting with each other no matter what. That is the biggest reason why I am having a very good time here in CUHK Law School.
A place to explore your interests
As a law graduate from CUHK (both undergrad and post-grad), I realise that I had many opportunities to explore my areas of interests (legal and non-legal both). The faculty/university requires us to take a certain number of non-law electives, and offers a plethora of courses to choose from. Personally, I took 3 modules in Korean --I can't say it's made me highly proficient, but it's definitely given me a good foundation (I can walk into a Korean restaurant and confidently order food, at the very least). The fact that language courses are offered also provides students who are more financially constrained an opportunity to learn a language without having to shell out a premium for a decent language course. On top of that, we have a range of law electives as well. I know of classmates who have developed lasting interest in different areas of law because of the electives they took in school. The two electives that I would say have changed me is (i) mooting and (ii) family law. I think my experience in an international commercial arbitration moot competition has helped tremendously in formulating legal arguments and legal writing. On the other hand, taking a family law elective has made me very interested in the family law practice, especially in terms of child rights. For these experiences which I have gained, I'm grateful for the opportunities provided by the school.
One main issue most students I know have is with the way our GPA is calculated and the lack of transparency in terms of how the honours system works. As our GPA is marked on a curve. it's highly unrepresentative of what we have achieved as individuals. Given that our GPA is the only criteria that is looked at when we apply for the compulsory post-graduate law course (mandatory should we want to practise law and/or be trainees in Hong Kong), it will put our own students at a distinct disadvantage when we compete for limited spaces with students from schools where GPA is not on a bell curve.
Valuable time in CUHK
I like the learning environment and people at CUHK. Surrounded by hills and Tolo Harbour, CUHK provides a balance between nature and hustle. You can always escape from the busy study life and meet your friend around the big campus for different activities.
