It’s a question that every prospective graduate student has asked themselves—and lately, a lot of them have been answering ‘Asia’.
According to data from the Graduate Management Admission Council (GMAC), 67% of graduate management programs in the Asia Pacific region reported application growth in 2018. This is more than both Canada and Europe, and significantly more than the US, where 57% of programs reported a decline.
Evidently, the lure of Asia’s expanding economy and innovation centers is pulling in increasing numbers to Asia’s top management schools. CUHK Business School is no exception.
The school’s innovative new MSc in Management welcomed its first cohort this year. It promises early-career businesspeople the chance to gain an in-depth, practical understanding of the challenges facing business today from an Asian perspective.
With courses on cutting-edge topics like FinTech Analytics and digital innovation, plus a two-week international capstone project in consulting, students will be well-placed to launch global careers once they graduate.
BusinessBecause caught up with some members of the new cohort to find out their first impressions of the program—and what drew them to Hong Kong in the first place.
Name: Joe Cirkiel
From: USA
Background: Entertainment Industry
What do you think are the advantages of doing an MSc in Management in Hong Kong?
First and foremost, for anyone who has an interest in the Asian market, the reality is that it doesn’t do it justice studying it in the US—you really have to immerse yourself in it.
Besides that, I think for somebody with my passion and experience in internationalization, Hong Kong is a really good fit. It’s a world city akin to London or New York, but it’s still the Asia platform; I think as we see the economy transition from Europe, to the US, to China, it’s the right place and right time for somebody with my background.
What are you hoping to gain from the MiM?
I think the curriculum itself is very progressive. The fact that it’s a new program and it’s serving a much newer job market, they’re changing the paradigm a bit—I think that the MSc in Management program did a lot better than my home university in terms of forward thinking rather than staying with the status quo.
We study emerging economies in Africa and Asia, we learn about FinTech, innovative technologies, AI. Hong Kong is well-situated for those sort of things.
I feel very fortunate that as a class we’re very much on the ground, learning about the future of business, not about the past—that’s what I’m valuing the most about my education on this program.
Name: Koe Shern
From: Malaysia
Background: Accountancy
Why did you choose the MSc in Management at CUHK Business School?
Firstly, it’s the professors. I actually met with Professor John Lai beforehand, and I could feel that he’s not there for the salary: he’s really passionate about the students.
This can all be shown after only being here for three months—he helped set up industrial talks, invited CEOs from Phillip Morris Asia Pacific, the head of HR from McDonalds, and invited alumni from investment banks like JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs.
He’s using all the networks he can to give us experience—I wouldn’t get this kind of experience if I were staying back in Malaysia, and I’m very grateful.
How do you think the MiM will help you in your career?
Before this, I was an accounting student. Accounting students just look at the four big ‘dream’ companies that we want to get into, but now my vision has expanded. I could get into consulting, I could get into banks, maybe even work in sustainability!
By getting into a CUHK Master’s program, we have a career team that aids us in achieving what we want. We have a career fair to talk with HR personnel, to show that there is no single path for our careers.
Name: Bill Tung
From: Taiwan
Background: BA English Language and Literature
Why did you decide to do the MSc in Management?
With my BA being in the liberal arts, I needed to acquire more business knowledge to stay competitive in the job market.
The design of the MSc in Management is a perfect fit to service businesses, and find the career I’m searching for.
Why did you choose CUHK Business School?
When I was choosing the school, I had many options. But, I chose here because I feel that Hong Kong is still a really competitive place to learn—particularly CUHK Business School, with its location, resources, and network.
Its curriculum also appealed to me, especially the capstone. We will be part of a consulting group solving a real life business case in another country—that sounds exciting! It’s a great opportunity to learn and get a taste of what it’s really like in the business world.
