Asia is recovering from the coronavirus pandemic faster than other regions—and studying an MBA can help you tap into Asia’s growth
SPONSORED BY
By Matt Kefford
Mon Mar 22 2021
1
Asia is recovering from the coronavirus pandemic quicker than any other region in the world.
While the global economy fell by 3.5% in 2020, the economy of emerging and developing Asia—a region comprising over 20 countries including India, Vietnam, and Malaysia—fell by just 1.1%. China’s economy even grew in 2020, setting it apart from every other country.
Some of the long-term consequences of the pandemic, such as the increasing use of remote working technology, could also leave Asia well placed to continue to grow in the future. McKinsey predicts Asia will account for more than half of the world’s economy in years to come.
If you want to be part of this trend, an MBA in Asia could be the solution—and as the natural bridge between East and West, Hong Kong is a popular and appealing destination.
In Hong Kong, MBA programs offered by renowned local schools like the University of Hong Kong (HKU) familiarize internationals with Chinese business culture and help students tap into Asia’s economic boom. 90% of graduates from the program go on to work in Asia, including 50% in Hong Kong, 30% in countries like Thailand and Singapore, and 10% in Mainland China.
Asian GDP | An Upward Trend
What’s the impact of COVID-19 on Asia? The Asian Development Bank projects that China, the largest economy in Asia, will generate 7.7% economic growth in 2021.
Wider Asian GDP is also expected to bounce back, with the International Monetary Fund predicting emerging and developing countries in Asia to grow at a rate of 8.3% in 2021.
Much of this rebound is helped by Asia’s strong position in tech, as an exporter of computers, laptops and other high-tech devices, which have become more important than ever during the pandemic.
In 2019, China made up 50% of the world’s computer exports, while Japan exports almost 20% of the world’s high technology. The shift to working from home during the pandemic has driven sales of these products to the highest levels in years.
McKinsey predicts that Asia’s strong post-pandemic recovery, built on its technological prowess, will allow it to further extend its reach and amass 52% of the world’s GDP by 2040.
Asia is also capable of sustaining its economy alone. Even before the pandemic, 60% of trade within Asia was intraregional as it makes up 60% of the world’s population and also accounts for between 50% and 70% of the world’s demand for essential materials like copper, iron ore, and nickel.
Tapping into these opportunities is not that straightforward for professionals from the west, but studying an MBA in Asia can help bridge the gap.
Hong Kong is regarded as a gateway to business in China. In 2018, over half of the $60.2 billion raised in IPOs by Chinese firms came through Hong Kong Stock Exchange listings.
Hong Kong is also the largest offshore trading hub of Chinese Yuan in the world and an integral part of its trade. 63%of investment moving in and out of China in 2017 went through Hong Kong.
The University of Hong Kong MBA program draws on Hong Kong’s unique position, and students on the Hong Kong/China track, one of three specializations on offer, have the opportunity to study at Fudan University in Shanghai and further immerse themselves in Chinese business culture.
Through HKU’s China Immersion Program and business treks, students visit cities and meet companies in China. Students are also able to connect with the extensive HKU network, comprising more than 245,000 alumni, many of whom are based in the region.
Students on the HKU MBA are also introduced to Asia’s technological landscape through modules in managing digital innovation and marketing for tech-intensive industries.
As China is the driving force behind Asia’s projected growth in the future, enrolling in a Hong Kong MBA program could help you tap into growing career opportunities in Asia for years to come.
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) - MBA Programmes HKU Business School
Student
Verified
23/02/2023
On Campus
Academic
Very good academic, caes course amazing, ccs are all amazing, professors are excellent, the architecture and infrastructure is splendid, people here are awesome, made some really nice friends, and teachers support us
Hatim
Verified
6/02/2023
On Campus
Diversified culture
I highly recommend The University of Hong Kong to students all around the world because of their diversified culture, teaching standards, and the people which make the learning experience better every day.
Student
Verified
6/10/2017
A place where you best understand local and international cultures
With plenty of experiences available, HKU provides a plenty of experience for me to explore our own and other countries culture. She has excellent teaching and research staffs in the Department of Ecology and Biodiversity. Time allocate to students are considered sufficient and staffs are ready to reach anytime.
Besides academic, she has various subsidised programmes that allow students to explore. This credit should be given to GenEd (general education) Office to provide different interesting programmes. These ranged from guest speaker giving talks on China-Hong Kong relationship; Contemporary art in Asia; or holding mini forum on geopolitics. Most, if not all, of which are free of charge!
Student
Verified
1/10/2017
Life at HKU
Pursued the SHS degree at HKU, academic and clinical staff members were very devoted and passionate. The academic program is under constant reviews, staff members are open minded and willing to modify the program with regards to students' opinions. Career prospect is good. Uni life is fruitful, many different activities for students to choose. Great facilities supporting learning.
Student
Verified
29/09/2017
Student Life in HKU
As an Accounting and Finance year3 undergrad student in HKU, the university provides lots of opportunities for me to learn and explore my interests.
You could join a wide variety of activities, like being an committee member of societies and joining hall activities. As for me, I chose to join the winter exchange programme, be a committee member, and did volunteering servic and had latrine construction and volunteer teaching in Ghana, Africa. I also organized lots of activities for societies and had lots of meetings with company representatives. As for school work, it is okay normally but definitely u got a lot busier during November and April. You got a lot more free time compared to CUHK and HKUST. And of course, this is considered as the most ‘international’ uni in HK in a way that I could make friends coming from different countries.
Just wanna add, HKU has a good location for foodie as its near Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui. For those who love night lifes dont miss this. I didnt speak of anything i dislike coz there isnt anything i dislike much, but if I do have to say, it is the hall life of many local students, such as having cheers at night and never sleeps that may disturb others.
Student
Verified
2/09/2020
Blended
Academics
I think it’s a great university that gives you a lot of opportunities in terms of academics as well as extracurricular activities. The education system is fairly westernized and the professors are good for the most part.
Student
Verified
3/11/2017
International, stratified and political
Adequate resources and very convenient campus with sufficient channels to expand your social and professional circle. Also politically active, and perhaps too biasedly so. Its law school is firmly established, with the longest history in Hong Kong. Practical and professional training, with a constant atmosphere of anxiety and competition that encourages a relatively focused and narrow vision of career outlook. Good range of extra curricular activities available.
Student
Verified
12/10/2017
Life in HKU
HKU provides students with lots of opportunities in multidisciplinary researches and experiences. This encourages students to widen their horizons and prepare for the future. The programme I attended organised both local and oversea field trips that allowed me to have the first hand experiences of relative aspects. It was very useful for my later career.
Student
Verified
6/10/2017
BSocSc
I am a graduate of the BSocSc programme several years ago. I appreciate that the programme provided a flexible choice of majors and minors. Even I was admitted into social sciences programme, I could explore various streams of studies in and out of the social sciences faculty, including global studies, human resources, politics, science and music. I did a double major in psychology and sociology. Among all learning experiences in lectures, tutorials, field trips…, I would say the internship experience was one of the most memorable part of my university life. The faculty offers a credit-bearing internship programme in which students can go to various NGOs to work on social issues, ranging from poverty, education to adjustment of ethnic minorities. Students can be placed locally or overseas, depending on placement quota, their personal preference and past experience. I went to a social service agency that serves adults who are intellectually challenged and have autism spectrum disorder. It was an eye-opening experience in observing how different professionals work together to provide training for those people and reflecting on how psychological knowledge could come into play. I was also able to gain some hands-on experience in leading an activity.
There are more and more internship opportunities for university students. It is just another way to gain practical experience apart from applying for interns in government agencies or business companies, especially in organisations that would not openly recruit interns but only work with tertiary institutions.
It should be noted that for some majors/courses, there are really a lot of people studying. When I was an undergraduate back then, we often expected a lecture with 100+ students and a tutorial with nearly 20 students. If you favour close student-teacher interaction in small classes, you may look into the enrolment of particular courses.
