80-to-85% of MBA grads from Hong Kong’s CUHK Business School land jobs in Asia each year. Over 1,000 CUHK MBA alumni work in China.Michael Czoske joined CUHK with experience working for engineering companies across the Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. He was looking for a career change.
CUHK’s 16-month full-time MBA – the longest-established MBA program in Asia – offered him the opportunity to reflect on his future career path and develop his knowledge of the Chinese market.
Through his CUHK MBA experience, he’s faced fresh challenges, honed a new language, and immersed himself in new experiences. On a class trip to Shanghai and Nanjing in mainland China he visited local companies and networked with leading execs.
He now hopes to take his skills into a new role with a multinational corporation working in China.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?
After six years of working in different positions, I just felt I wanted to make a major change. I decided to pursue an international MBA not only for the typical reasons such as career opportunities or the acquisition of managerial skills, but also to see new places, different cultures, and to build up a global network and friendships during that time.
The MBA in that sense would give me the chance to both take a break to reflect on what I had done till that point and, eventually, refocus myself based on the new experiences and impressions I would gain.
What stood out about CUHK?
CUHK has a focus on Chinese and Asian business and a strong alumni network in those regions. CUHK also emphasized its entrepreneurship concentration which differentiated it from other schools. The time between my initial application to interview was only a few days, and the following processes concerning my visa and further documents was well supported by the MBA office.
What advice would you offer anyone considering an MBA?
I think that the clearer you are about your objectives to pursue an MBA, the more rewarding any program will be.
An MBA is a big investment of time and money, so take your time to get a feeling for the universities and programs you are interested in. Reach out and contact people, MBA staff and current students, and ask questions. The better you understand the study environment and the type of people studying in those programs, the more able you are to pick a program that’s right for you.
What are your plans for the future?
Ideally, I’ll soon be working within a multinational corporation that operates in Asia, aiming to expand its business. Having an engineering background, I find future-oriented, technology-heavy industries and companies extremely interesting, in renewable energies, e-mobility or life sciences.
However, one thing I have learned during my MBA studies is to keep a certain degree of flexibility – so I won’t rule out other opportunities that come along the way.
How has your CUHK MBA experience helped prepare you for a career in China?
The recent CUHK field trip brought me to China, to Shanghai and Nanjing. We visited several companies of different industries and had lectures at local, well-known universities, covering contemporary issues such as changes in HR management in China.
While there, we had to build teams and choose one of the companies we visited to analyze its position in the market and upcoming strategic challenges. These activities allowed us to develop great insight into different industries and their particular challenges and opportunities in China.
CUHK also offered me support right from the beginning when it came to acquiring more Chinese language skills – crucial to eventually working in mainland China.
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.
