Two current Undergraduate Students, Mr. Jason ZHANG [Year 5 – BFin(AMPB)], and Ms. Kelly Huang [(Year 4 BBA)] have been nominated by the Faculty as student representatives for attending the Beta Gamma Sigma Regional Leadership Conference – “Navigating Leadership: Adapting Styles for the Evolving Workplace” at Loyola Marymount University from November 1-2, 2024.
The 2024 Regional Leadership Conference offers valuable learning outcomes to participants, including educating themselves on the necessity of adaptable leadership in a dynamic work environment, developing skills for academic and professional success, engaging in networking with various individuals, and actively participating in activities centred around leadership and adaptability in the workplace. Below are the appreciation testimonials from Jason and Kelly, highlighting the valuable insights and takeaways they gained from their participation in this transformative conference.
“My major takeaway was the emphasis on adaptable leadership, particularly the significance of building trust, fostering passion, and balancing intrinsic and extrinsic values in the workplace. The insights shared by industry professionals, especially regarding AI’s role in business development and networking opportunities, were invaluable. Collaborating with a diverse team on a leadership project and networking with global BGS members broadened my international exposure, offering fresh perspectives applicable to my future endeavors in Hong Kong.”
Mr. Jason ZHANG | BFin(AMPB) Year 5, Academic Year 2024-25
“The 2024 BGS Regional Leadership Conference provided a wealth of insights on leadership through renowned speakers like Anne Bonney on Effective Communication, Dayle Smith on Reflective Leadership, and Jim Wagner on Embracing Challenges. Networking sessions facilitated connections with individuals worldwide, fostering personal growth and resilience. A standout moment was participating in creating a digital children’s book during the BGS Gives Back session, reinforcing the importance of giving back and nurturing future leaders. Attending the conference inspired me to pay it forward and make positive societal impacts in the future.”
Ms. Kelly Huang | BBA Year 4, Academic Year 2024-25
Photo recaps about BGS Regional Leadership Conference 2024
Beta Gamma Sigma is The International Business Honor Society recognising and honouring top performing students from around the world in business schools accredited by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). The Beta Gamma Sigma HKU Chapter was established in 2012.
Members of Beta Gamma Sigma are the top 10% of undergraduate students, the top 20% of graduate students and all doctoral candidates who have successfully defended their dissertations at an AACSB-accredited business school. Besides giving recognitions to outstanding students, Beta Gamma Sigma also awards business veterans with exceptional leadership as Chapter Honorees in the annual Induction Ceremony.
Since its founding in 1913, Beta Gamma Sigma has inducted more than 900,000 outstanding students into membership worldwide. With more than 600 collegiate chapters and lifetime members from over 190 countries, Beta Gamma Sigma is truly a global network.
The 213th Congregation Ceremony of the HKU Business School took place at the Grand Hall, Centennial Campus, The University of Hong Kong on December 4 and 5, 2024. This momentous event spanned six sessions, creating a truly special occasion for all involved.
One of the highlights was an inspiring speech delivered by Dean Professor Hongbin Cai. As the graduands entered the next chapter of your life, Professor Cai reminded them: “Embrace the unknown, take calculated risks, and step outside your comfort zones. Opportunities are often found where others see only uncertainty.”
The Votes of Thanks were delivered by graduand representatives Lei Fu, Wei Wang, Xiaona Peng, Daryl Byron Wong, Pinshu Wen and Xinye Liu. They expressed heartfelt gratitude to the faculty, staff, families, and friends for their unwavering support throughout the academic journey. Their words resonated with the audience, capturing the essence of the challenges faced, the triumphs achieved, and the optimistic, forward-looking mindset of the graduates as they embrace the opportunities ahead.
The Congregation Ceremony was attended by over 3,500 people, including more than 1,500 graduands embarking on the next chapter of their lives and 2,000 families and friends who came to support and celebrate this remarkable milestone.
Delivering quality education to nurture future leaders is an integral part of the Faculty’s mission. Every year, the Faculty recognises teachers with outstanding achievements and significant contributions in teaching and student learning through the Faculty Teaching Award Scheme. The award-winners for the academic year 2023-24 are:
Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Undergraduate Teaching)
“I am deeply honored to receive the Faculty Outstanding Teaching Award (Undergraduate Teaching) this year. Teaching has been a driving passion in my career, where I strive to create a learner-centered environment that encourages students to engage actively and think critically. Through interactive discussions, case analyses, and engagement with industry practitioners, I aim to empower students to tackle complex real-world challenges and make meaningful impact in their fields. This award reflects the shared efforts and collaborative spirits of my students, colleagues, and mentors, from whom I continue to draw inspiration. I am grateful and excited to keep growing as both an educator and a lifelong learner.”
“I am honored to receive the Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award. I believe everyone should gain from a course, despite differences in preparation and learning profiles. I redesigned the compulsory course Intermediate Microeconomics to help students connect mathematics, diagrams, and economic intuition, and gradually familiarize with mathematical models. I teach with rigor while scaffolding in various ways. I modify many question formats to reduce the computation burden significantly. I revamp the assessments so that students can demonstrate their knowledge through a verbal explanation, an informative diagram or a mathematical argument. I continuously take note of the common obstacles and improve my teaching materials accordingly.”
“I am deeply honored to receive this award. By creating a student-centered learning environment and combining case studies with real-world applications, I aim to help students acquire the tools they need to master. The encouragement and feedback from my students have been invaluable in refining my approach and reaffirming the value of a relaxed yet engaging teaching style.
Patience and a supportive atmosphere remain central to my teaching philosophy. This award is a testament to the collective contributions of my students, teaching assistants, and colleagues, who inspire me every day. I am excited to continue improving students’ learning experiences and supporting their growth.”
“I am deeply honored to receive the Faculty Outstanding Teaching Award at the undergraduate level. My teaching philosophy was built around connecting complex marketing concepts with real-life examples that students encounter daily, making learning both relatable and impactful. I also emphasize hands-on learning by all kinds of in-class interactive activities, such as storytelling and live experiments, allowing students to experience and understand marketing in person. Additionally, I believe in the power of effective communication and providing timely feedback to support and guide students throughout their academic journey. This award inspires me to continue enhancing my methods and fostering an engaging and supportive learning environment.”
Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Postgraduate Teaching) – for MSc programmes
“Postgraduate students typically come from diverse educational backgrounds and possess substantial work experience. Each student has unique strengths, needs, and career aspirations. I strive to recognize and understand each student’s learning progress and needs. A thorough understanding of students is essential for a teacher to provide personalized support and encouragement, enhancing their learning interests and commitment. Building relationships with students based on mutual respect and trust is the foundation for creating an effective teaching and learning environment. This approach guides students through a rewarding learning journey, helping them achieve their career goals.”
“It is my great honor to receive the Faculty Outstanding Teaching Award this year. Teaching is an important part of my academic career. I enjoy teaching and seeing students grow in their knowledge and maturity, and become successful in their career and life. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to teach and interact with thousands of high-quality students at the University of Hong Kong over the years and I have learned and gained a lot myself along the journey.”
“As both a researcher and an educator, I aim to bridge the gap between academic research and practical application by making the latest knowledge readily accessible to students. I constantly update my teaching materials to incorporate the most up-to-date academic research. In addition, I provide students with current examples, relevant case studies, and actual data for analysis to facilitate knowledge internalization. This approach greatly enhances students’ involvement, which is a key determinant of my course’s success. By guiding students to explore and discover knowledge, I achieve significantly better learning outcomes than by merely allowing them to passively absorb information.”
“I love teaching and cherish the opportunity to interact with our talented students. As to teaching philosophy, I deeply believe in the importance of teachers’ passion in teaching and adopt student-centered approach to course and programme design in helping students achieve meaningful learning outcomes.
I am glad to make a difference in students’ learning. A student commented, “Professor Meng’s course was very interesting, who gave a lot of examples to help us understand. And in the process, this course has expanded my international perspective and inspired me to give speeches on stage. I really like Prof Meng!” I will strive to continue making a positive impact on the students’ learning and life.”
“I am honoured to receive the Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Postgraduate Teaching), after receiving the accolade last year for the Undergraduate Teaching. I am grateful that my dedications are recognized not only by the Faculty and undergraduates, but also my postgraduate students with diverse academic and cultural backgrounds, job aspirations and work experiences.
It has been my privilege to teach and share my experience with my students for almost three decades, who are from the top accounting and business programmes in Hong Kong. I am always eager to share my knowledge and insights with my students, who will be our business leaders in the future, and empower them with up-to-date knowledge and practical skills.
It has always been rewarding and motivating to inspire and witness my students to grow and succeed in the accounting, legal and business fields. I will adhere to my teaching philosophy and keep up with my momentum to deliver quality teachings.”
Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Postgraduate Teaching) – for MBA Hong Kong programme
“My approach to teaching is emphasize critical thinking through discussing latest practices and up-to-date knowledge in an interactive learning environment. When designing the MBA course “Business Analytics for Managers,” I recognize that balancing essential data concepts with practical relevance is key, as most students are managers who won’t be coding daily but need to understand data analytics’ objectives and power. Therefore, each class begins with a real-world business problem, such as designing mobile games with A/B testing or predicting wine auction prices. I also use examples from media and reports to underscore the importance and common errors of data analysis. Additionally, I leveraged the university’s free access to GPT-3.5 and taught students how to “program with English.” I introduced how to use prompts effectively to generate usable code without uploading data. This empowers students to combine business acumen with advanced data analytics techniques to make better decisions.”
Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Postgraduate Teaching) – for GBA (HK-SZ) MBA programme
“It is my great honour to receive that Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Postgraduate Teaching). The award will spur me to work harder to become an even better teacher. I attribute my success to my longstanding efforts to continually improve my courses. In my teaching, I focus on delivering edutainment. I believe that my students learn best if I teach in ways that help them develop their own potential and learning style, as well capture the attention and stimulate their learning interest. I look forward to continuously improving my educational techniques to educate future generations of students and in the process, win more teaching awards.”
Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Postgraduate Teaching) – for EMBA programme
Professor Haipeng SHEN Patrick S C Poon Professor in Analytics and Innovation Chair of Business Analytics and Innovation
“The opportunity to teach, to me, is a blessing, an opportunity, and a gift. I cannot thank my PhD advisor – Professor Larry Brown – enough for opening the door for me twenty-six years ago. I cannot thank my students enough for making teaching so enjoyable and rewarding for me. There are three principles that I follow dearly in teaching: enjoyment and passion, relevance and application, communication and interaction. Try to impress upon the students your enjoyment and passion about the subject, with enthusiastic attitude, humorous lectures, and active body language. In return, your students will become more active and engaged. Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime. Make your lectures more relevant and illustrate how to connect with applications. In return, your students will teach you with their real world cases. Everything is about story telling. There are a story teller, a group of story listeners, and the story. Be communicative, be interactive, be humorous, tell a good story!”
Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award (Postgraduate Teaching) – for IMBA programme
“I am honored to receive the Faculty Outstanding Teacher Award of the IMBA programme. The award suggests that students agree and support my teaching philosophy. I believe that teaching is not only a form of transferring knowledge, but also an opportunity to cultivate students’ self-learning interests and ability. While any given teaching can be a one-time assignment for a teacher, learning is a life-long journey for students. For such a journey, teaching is not the ending, but the beginning of every crucial turn and advancement; therefore, as a teacher, I’d love to help students navigate their journey to the success.”
“Empowering future leaders through education is a privilege. I continuously adapt my teaching to cultivate a dynamic classroom environment that engages and inspires students with diverse learning preferences. My approach to teaching is designed to foster students’ critical thinking and problem-solving while equipping them with the necessary skills to thrive in a rapidly changing global environment. By immersing in innovative methods, students are better equipped to confront real-world challenges, build resilience, and nurture a lifelong love of learning. I am deeply grateful to receive this prestigious award.”
“It’s my great honor to receive this reward. It has been my aspiration that my teaching will make a significant contribution to my students’ growth, thereby facilitating their future career paths. I believe that teaching innovation is epitomized by providing students with unique learning content that encompasses rare and invaluable knowledge. Such knowledge should have direct applicability to their future academic and professional endeavors, thus conferring upon them a competitive advantage. Moreover, teaching innovation involves the utilization of novel methodologies, including cutting-edge technologies and practical insights, to furnish students with a seamless integration of theoretical knowledge and practical experience. In summary, my goal in teaching is to provide students with a comprehensive learning experience that enables them to become creative individuals capable of solving novel problems.”
“To allow students to experience the dynamics in economics and game theory, I adopt the interactive game approach by integrating a simulation platform into my course. During my lectures, I conduct approximately 15 to 20 live game sessions, where a student’s payoff typically depends not only on their own choices but also on the choices made by all other players in the group, mirroring real-life scenarios. Although each session is very short, lasting only two or three minutes, the games provide a valuable opportunity for students to experience firsthand the need to accommodate diverse interests while pursuing personal gains. They also appreciate the refreshing break from the usual mode of lecturing and discussion.
The choices made by players reveal a rich array of human characteristics: greed, arrogance, cheating, as well as fairness, generosity, and pragmatism. Many students remark that the most significant lesson they learn is the importance of cooperation for effective strategy. I believe this lesson will not only make them better managers in the future but also more empathetic and caring individuals.”
The Inauguration Ceremony of the HKU Business School Mentorship 2024-25 Programme was successfully held on 5th November 2024 at Loke Yew Hall. This year, nearly 80 pairs of mentors and mentees have been matched. Moreover, mentors and mentees from the Executive Mentorship Programme (EMP) hosted by the Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Finance Programme were also invited to the ceremony to commence their journey together.
Professor Hongbin Cai, the Dean of HKU Business School, initiated the event with a welcoming address to our mentors and mentees. He expressed appreciation to mentors for their dedicated support to the Faculty over the years and affirmed that the encouragement and guidance from mentors would inspire mentees with fresh perspectives, empower them to realize their full potential and lead them towards success. Since the programme’s inception in 2014, it has nurtured and inspired over 600 students, instilling in them the values of leadership, growth, and perseverance. The success and steady expansion of the programme relies on the unwavering commitment and selfless dedication of all members, particularly batches of professional industry mentors who pass on their wisdom and serve as companions to their assigned mentees.
During the inauguration ceremony, two esteemed long-serving mentors, Mr. Teddy Liu and Mr. Vincent Tam, shared their past experiences serving as mentors for the Programme, both relishing the rewarding experience of transforming a professional connection into a lifelong friendship with their assigned mentees. Vincent has also teamed up with two of his former mentees – Ms. Bona Tsui and Ms. Jamie Leung. Through their testimonials, they emphasized how a strong mentoring relationship can significantly impact one’s personal and professional development.
This year, our School also recognized mentors* who have supported the HKU Business School Mentorship Programme for over a decade. During the ceremony, Professor Hongbin Cai presented each of these mentors with a Certificate of Appreciation to acknowledge their contributions to the Business School mentorship community.
Mentors with Service for 10+ years
(In alphabetical order of surnames)
Mr. Francis Cheng
Mr. Barry Ho
Mr. Tim Koo
Dr. Kate Kwan
Dr. Michael Leung, MH
Mr. Teddy Liu
Mr. Vincent Tam
Mr. Alvin Tse
Mr. Eric Yu
Ms. Minmin Zhan
As the youngest and most dynamic faculty member at the university, the HKU Business School has made remarkable progress in enhancing our academic and research excellence. The Faculty’s achievements reflect a commitment to excellence and long-term development, including the nurturing of young talent for the future by connecting them to the real business world. We firmly believe that the Mentorship Programme plays a crucial role in shaping the younger generation’s future, providing invaluable opportunities for students to broaden their horizons and develop essential skills.”
We are thrilled to announce that our students have won the Third Prize in The Third KPMG ESG Case Study Competition.
The competition, jointly organised by HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute, KPMG China, and Renmin University, aims to enhance students’ ability to analyse ESG business cases, foster a meaningful dialogue among students, businesses, and society, and pave the way for sustainable development.
From the pool of 1,700 entries, our students have stood out by demonstrating their strong awareness in ESG issues, exceptional presentation and analytical skill. Kudos to our students for winning the Third Prize in the competition!
Team Members: Mr. Leung Chun Man Edmond, BSc(QFin), Year 1 Mr. Ho Man Chung, BEng, Year 1 Mr. He Yujie, BEng(EngSc), Year 1
Student Sharing:
This journey has been a tremendous learning experience. I have gained invaluable insights into ESG disclosure and reporting, potential technologies for ESG monitoring, circular economy practices, and global supply chain strategies in an era marked by geopolitical tensions. With two of my teammates from non-business backgrounds, this achievement is a testament to the power of pushing boundaries and embracing interdisciplinary collaboration. I believe that diverse perspectives are crucial in addressing complex challenges like ESG, and this experience has reinforced my commitment to driving sustainable and responsible business practices.
Congratulations to our student team for winning 1st Runner-up in Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge 2024!
Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge is an international undergraduate case competition hosted annually by Thammasat Business School in Bangkok, Thailand. The competition brings together top undergraduate student teams from leading business schools around the world for an intensive competition with invaluable networking opportunities.
The competition consists of two rounds. Teams were asked to analyse a real-life business case and formulate a strategic solution within a tight timeframe of 28 hours, then present their solution to the panel of judges.
Our students showcased their ability to tackle complex business challenge and their exceptional presentation skills. We are proud of their hard work, dedication, and high standards they set for themselves. Please join us in congratulating them on this remarkable achievement.
1st Runner-up Miss Cheung Lok Ching, BBA(IBGM), Year 2 Mr. Sy Mateo Rafael Roman, BBA(IBGM), Year 2 Mr. Xia Yunchu, BBA(IBGM), Year 2 Mr. Xu Shu Ming Alex, BBA(IBGM), Year 2
Faculty Advisor: Prof. Doyeon Kim
Case Competition Coach: Ms. Pinto Rasika Tasdyata (Pipin)
Student Sharing:
The 5-day TUBC journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. Participating in such a prestigious international case competition was already an honour, and securing the 1st Runner-up position has made it even more memorable. When we first received the technically challenging case focusing on sustainability concepts, I remember feeling overwhelmed by its complexity and specificity. However, the intense 28-hour case preparation, though demanding, proved that dedication and perseverance truly paid off.
What made this experience particularly unique was the opportunity to compete against brilliant minds from top universities worldwide. The level of competition pushed us to exceed our own expectations and deliver our absolute best.
I want to express my deepest gratitude to HKU Business School for this invaluable opportunity. Standing on an international stage and representing our university has undoubtedly become one of the highlights of my college journey. This achievement wouldn’t have been possible without the unwavering support, guidance, and encouragement from everyone involved – Prof. Winnie Leung (Assistant Dean (Undergraduate)), Ms. Pipin Tasdyata (Case Competition Coach), Prof. Doyeon Kim (Faculty Advisor for TUBC2024), and my teammates. Thank you all for being part of this remarkable journey!
(by Miss Cheung Lok Ching, Joey)
As the team leader of Vinco Consulting, I was thrilled that we were given the opportunity to compete at the international level, representing HKU. Being my first International Case Competition, I was initially shocked by the scale of the event but was quickly intrigued by the number of people from different universities and the in-depth planning of the event itself. In the end, I am proud that as one of the youngest teams at the competition, my team was still able to perform and come out as 1st Runner-up.
(by Mr. Sy Mateo Rafael Roman)
Participating in the Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge 2024 was an enlightening experience that I had the honour to share with my fellow HKU Business School team members. Competing in a 28-hour case competition centred around Krungsri provided an intensive platform to apply our strategic skills, resulting in our team securing the 1st Runner-up position.
Our journey began with three rigorous training sessions that equipped us to tackle the complexities of the challenge effectively. The competition itself was a testament to our team’s resilience and collaborative spirit, as we worked tirelessly to devise innovative solutions for Krungsri.
Aside from the competition, we immersed ourselves in the rich culture of Bangkok. We delved into local culinary delights, tried our hand at Muay Thai, and enjoyed the relaxation of a traditional Thai massage. These experiences enriched our visit, providing a perfect balance between intense competition and cultural appreciation.
I extend my deepest gratitude to Thammasat Business School for organising such a prestigious event and to our hosts for their warm hospitality. Special thanks to HKU Business School for offering us this invaluable opportunity. The lessons learned and the friendships forged during this journey are experiences I will cherish.
(by Mr. Xia Yunchu, Kevin)
The competition was exceptionally well-organised, allowing me to engage with a truly international group of participants. I formed meaningful connections with diverse individuals, which provided me with unique insights and broadened my global perspective.
Prof. Shuqing Luo and her co-author Prof. Guoli Chen won the Case Centre Awards and Competitions 2024 – Strategy and General Management category for their outstanding case “SHEIN vs Zara: Digital Transformation in the Fast-fashion Industry”. The case highlights how the Chinese apparel maker SHEIN has disrupted the fast-fashion industry, and explores how it can leverage its strengths while addressing challenges such as geopolitical risk and environmental impact.
The Asia Case Research Centre (“ACRC”) of HKU Business School is committed to the advancement of learning and teaching in business education and strives to promote leading management thinking through research on the latest practices in the Asia Pacific business environment.
As a major producer of quality business cases, ACRC boasts a repository of nearly 800 business case studies drawn from a vast range of industries and disciplinary areas, written mostly by HKU faculty members. Its cases are distributed globally through its own website as well as those of Harvard Business School Publishing, Ivey Publishing and The Case Centre.
Additionally, ACRC is the organiser of the world’s largest business case competition for undergraduates—the HSBC/HKU Asia Pacific Business Case Competition—providing some of the brightest minds of tomorrow with the skills to make valuable contributions to the global economy.
Congratulations to Prof. Shuqing Luo on this remarkable achievement!
On September 13th, 2024, The University of Hong Kong played host to the highly anticipated AMPB Alumni Homecoming Party, bringing together an exceptional group of individuals from the Asset Management and Private Banking (AMPB) programme. With over 70 guests in attendance—including industry practitioners who have served as our adjunct professors, guest mentors and guest speakers, our AMPB alumni and faculty members. The event was a vibrant celebration of professional achievements and enduring relationships.
The evening commenced with a warm and inspiring welcoming message by Prof. Anna Wong, Programme Director for Asset Management and Private Banking and Mr. Joseph H. L. Chan, JP, Under Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury of the Hong Kong SAR Government. Professor Wong highlighted AMPB’s inauguration ceremony was held in the same function room exactly 7 years ago. Both speakers reflected on the immense growth of the AMPB community over the years, highlighting the programme’s pivotal role in shaping leaders for the ever-evolving financial landscape.
A key part of the event was the alumni sharing session, where graduates from various cohorts spoke about their career journeys, successes, and challenges. Each of them were asked to use one word to express their feelings about the AMPB programme, three words from them were “unexpected”, “grateful” and “transformative”.
The energy of the evening was further amplified by mini games designed to foster interaction among the participants, adding a fun and playful element to the occasion.
The event concluded with a mingling session between the alumni and guests. The AMPB Alumni Homecoming 2024 was more than just a reunion; it was a celebration of the thriving community that continues to support one another in their personal and professional endeavors.
We look forward to seeing these connections continue to grow and strengthen, paving the way for future collaborations and successes within the AMPB community.
