Congratulations to our students for winning 2^nd Runner-up in the Cross-Strait Hong Kong and Macao Logistics and Supply Chain Management Case Competition 2024!

The competition, co-organised by the China Chamber of International Commerce and the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science of The University of Hong Kong, aims to bolster the advancement of contemporary logistics and expedite the cultivation of innovative and economic talents specialising in logistics and supply chain management.

The competition consisted of two rounds. Each participating team was required to submit a business proposal and presentation deck based on field investigations of selected companies in manufacturing, commercial, logistics, and supply chain. After vigorous review, the top performing teams proceeded into the final round and presented their findings to the panel of judges.

Our students demonstrated their strong analytical skills and knowledge in logistics and supply chain management and won 2^nd Runner-up in the competition. Kudos to our students for their hard work and achievement!

More about the competition: https://ug.hkubs.hku.hk/competition/cross-strait-hong-kong-and-macao-logistic-and-supply-chain-management-case-competition-2024

2^nd Runner-up

Team Name: TenZ

Team members:

Keung Ka Ching, BBA, Year 2
Chan Sum Wai, BEcon&Fin, Year 2
Fu Chi Ki, BBA, Year 3
Hung Yu San, BBA(Acc&Fin), Year 2
(The team comprises 1 other team member from other university in Hong Kong.)

Student Sharing:

“I wish to extend my deepest appreciation to the organizers and the International Association of Business Management Simulation for granting us this invaluable opportunity to engage in knowledge and cultural exchange with prestigious universities from the Mainland China.

As a student with limited prior experience in logistics and supply chain management, participating in this competition has provided me with a profound understanding of this field, ranging from the intricacies of the supply chain process to the current challenges and opportunities presented by AI utilisation and digital optimisation. Delving into the operations of Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG not only solidified my knowledge but also honed my analytical skills and fostered a spirit of teamwork. The opportunity to learn from and collaborate with the Mainland China team was a definite highlight of the competition.

This experience has undeniably contributed to my academic and personal growth. Lastly, I want to express my sincere gratitude to my team for their trust, dedication, and unwavering commitment throughout our preparation, which has made this journey both meaningful and gratifying. Thank you, Team TenZ!”

(By Miss Keung Ka Ching)

“Joining this case competition was a challenging yet rewarding experience. Our team worked tirelessly for weeks, researching the industry, analysing data, and brainstorming innovative solutions. We met teams from top universities and exchanged insights on different industries. Despite the pressure, we remained focused and presented our proposal with confidence. I am very happy that we were awarded the 2^nd Runner-up in the competition, recognising our hard work and strategic thinking. This experience not only enhanced my understanding of supply chain management but also developed my problem-solving, teamwork, and presentation skills. I would also like to thank my teammates for their efforts and time spent in this case competition. It is my honour to have such a great experience with all of them.”

(By Miss Chan Sum Wai)

“I am truly grateful for the invaluable experience I gained during my participation in this case competition. Throughout this period, I had the opportunity to work on a variety of topics that significantly broadened my horizons in the food manufacturing industry and supply chain management. Not only had I the privilege to research more on the chocolate giant – Chocoladefabriken Lindt & Sprüngli AG, standing in their shoes and facing the problems, building a business proposal suggesting the future development and marketing prospects of the Company, but I also had the privilege to meet and connect with elites from various institutes and industries, exchanging ideas and gaining insights from them. This hands-on experience has been instrumental in enhancing my understanding and skills in the industry. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the China Chamber of International Commerce, the International Association of Business Management Simulation and The University of Hong Kong for making the competition possible. Last but not least, I am also incredibly appreciative of my teammates, who are from different institutes, for their collaboration and unlimited support. The experience would not be as enriching and memorable as it was if not for their dedication and sacrifice throughout the period.”

(By Mr. Hung Yu San)

The Conference on Digital Innovation and Transformation in the Age of AI was successfully held on July 12, 2024, at HKU-iCube. Hosted by the HKU Business School’s Institute of Digital Economy and Innovation (IDEI) and the Area of Innovation and Information Management (IIM), the event brought together over 50 researchers, professionals, and industry experts. Participants engaged in discussions on the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in digital innovation and transformation within the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Professor Yulin Fang, IDEI Director and Professor of Innovation and Information Management at HKU Business School, welcomed attendees with remarks highlighting the conference’s aim to offer valuable insights and strategies for navigating digital transformation complexities and leveraging AI for sustainable growth and success in today’s dynamic business environment.

Professor Dongjun (D. J.) Wu, the Ernest Scheller Jr. Chair and Professor of Information Technology Management at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Department Editor of Management Science, delivered an insightful speech titled “Endless Digital Business Model Innovation.” Professor Rajiv Kohli, the John N. Dalton Professor of Business at the College of William & Mary and Senior Editor of Information Systems Research, explored the multifaceted impacts of AI on digital innovation in his presentation titled “Digital Innovation with AI: Human, Organizational and Legal Issues.” Juan (Jane) Feng, the Hon Hai Chair Professor at Tsinghua University and Senior Editor of Information Systems Research, addressed the limitations and challenges of federated learning in promoting data collaboration across firms with her speech “Is Technology Panacea? Why Federated Learning Does Not Necessarily Lead to Inter-Firm Data Collaboration.”

Professor Jianliang (Leon) Zhao, the Presidential Chair Professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Co-Head of Information Systems and Operations Management, and Director of the Center on Blockchain and Intelligent Technology, offered a comprehensive analysis on blockchains through his speech “Optimization of Collective Incentive Mechanism in Public Permissioned Blockchains: A Multi-Method Perspective.” Professor Zhenhui (Jack) Jiang, the Padma and Hari Harilela Professor in Strategic Information Management at the University of Hong Kong, discussed the nuances and challenges of evaluating large language models in his presentation titled “Large Language Model Assessment in Chinese and English Contexts.”

Professor Wonseok Oh, the K.C.B. Chair Professor of Information Systems at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Senior Editor of Information Systems Research, highlighted the transformative potential of AI in the publishing industry with his speech “Bestseller Prediction in E-Book Markets: Leveraging Consumption Patterns with Machine Learning.” Lastly, Professor Xi Li, Professor in Marketing at the University of Hong Kong, Director of the Asia Case Research Center, and Associate Director of the Institute of Digital Economy and Innovation, emphasized the significance of historical pricing data for understanding and predicting market trends in his speech titled “Learning from Historical Prices.

Throughout the day, the sessions were chaired by esteemed academics, including Prof. Yulin Fang, IDEI Director; Prof. Junhong Chu, CIE Associate Director; Prof. Michael Chau, Deputy Area Head of IIM and Prof. Hailiang Assistant Dean Professor in IIM. Their insightful sharing and guidance stimulated and engaged the audience with innovative ideas.

Photo Caption

Group photo:

Prof. Yulin Fang, IDEI Director and Professor of Innovation and Information Management, delivers the welcoming remarks.

Dongjun (D. J.) Wu, the Ernest Scheller Jr. Chair and Professor of Information Technology Management at the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Department Editor of Management Science.

Rajiv Kohli, the John N. Dalton Professor of Business at the College of William & Mary and Senior Editor of Information Systems Research

Juan (Jane) Feng, the Hon Hai Chair Professor at Tsinghua University and Senior Editor of Information Systems Research

Zhenhui (Jack) Jiang, the Padma and Hari Harilela Professor in Strategic Information Management at the University of Hong Kong

Wonseok Oh, the K.C.B. Chair Professor of Information Systems at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and Senior Editor of Information Systems Research

Lastly, Xi Li, Professor in Marketing at the University of Hong Kong, Director of the Asia Case Research Center, and Associate Director of the Institute of Digital Economy and Innovation.

The diverse range of topics and expert perspectives provided attendees with a comprehensive understanding of the current and future landscape of digital innovation.

The Summer School for Quantitative History cum International Symposium, a cross-institutional effort initiated by Prof. Zhiwu Chen in 2013, trains aspiring young researchers from various disciplines to become successful scholars in the rapidly growing field of quantitative history, with a focus on China. This summer, the project team members and advisory board members of the Centre for Quantitative History (CQH) at the HKU Business School brought the team’s momentum again to Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), where they jointly organized the 10th Summer School for Quantitative History cum International Symposium on Quantitative History together with SJTU Department of History, and the Institute of Qing History at Renmin University of China. These annual activities, held from July 6 to 15, 2024, were a success, attracting over 250 scholars from universities and research institutions around the world.

The 9-day Summer School cum Symposium featured a series of lectures and keynote speeches by Prof. Zhiwu Chen, Prof. Chicheng Ma, Prof. Denggao Long (Tsinghua), Prof. Debin Ma (Oxford), Prof. Cameron Campbell (HKUST), Prof. Hilde De Weerdt (KU Leuven), and Prof. Stephen Broadberry (Oxford), among others who have been fully committed to this open and reciprocal academic discourse. Lectures and discussion groups were filled with lively discussions, leaving participants with more questions to be answered – an important outcome for young minds.

This year’s programme admitted 123 promising young scholars globally, including eleven from HKU. “This was not an average summer school but rather an intensive series of discussions about historical research among a community of historians and social scientists,” CQH advisory board member Prof. Hilde De Weerdt (KU Leuven) later tweeted on her account. The collaborative spirit that defines this vibrant interdisciplinary community were on full display during the summer school.

The Summer School culminated in the International Symposium on Quantitative History, held on July 13 and 14. The symposium programme included keynote speeches by leading scholars in the field, as well as 48 diverse presentations by young scholars across four parallel sessions. During the two-day event, the prestigious 7th Narada (Nandu) Quantitative History Research Best Paper Awards were announced, recognizing outstanding contributions in the field.

Also a highlight was the 10th Anniversary Gala Dinner, held on the evening of July 13, that commemorated the 10th anniversary of the team’s ongoing effort in promoting quantitative history research in China. Participants and symposium presenters were connected with alumni who chronicled the team’s transformative journey over the past decade.

The founders, including Professors Zhiwu Chen, Denggao Long, and Debin Ma, shared the original intentions behind establishing the initiative and reflected on its remarkable growth. “Emerging from our inaugural Summer School in 2013 and flourishing to mark our tenth anniversary, our core belief centers on the transformative potential of data-driven historical analysis,” said Prof. Zhiwu Chen who is the director of CQH, “we have proved ourselves as a diverse and outward-looking platform where we advocate for a paradigm shift in historical narratives.” They, together with organizing hosts Prof. Jiang Qin (SJTU) and Prof. Zhan Lin (Renmin) expressed heartfelt gratitude to the programme’s supporting parties and donors, namely the Research Grants Council’s Area of Excellence (AoE) scheme, HongShan, Longfor Group, Narada (Nandu) Foundation and Yonyou Foundation, whose generous support has been instrumental in the success of the quantitative history community in China. They also thanked alumni in the quantitative history community for their perseverance. In hindsight, it makes perfect sense why we were able to secure that charming group photograph amid the incessant downpour that had almost enveloped the day.

Looking ahead, the Centre for Quantitative History is filled with optimism as it sets its sights on the next decade. The remarkable progress made over the past 10 years has the team feeling energized and excited, envisioning a future where young scholars have more opportunities with more data becoming more easily available.

About the Centre for Quantitative History
The Centre for Quantitative History (CQH) is a focal institution for coordinating and conducting big data-based historical inquiries with quantitative methods to construct a holistic picture of China’s past development, sponsored by the HKU Business School. The focus of the Centre is on the study of the quantitative history of China. It is an area of excellence designated and funded by the Research Grants Council, a non-statutory advisory council functioning under the aegis of the University Grants Committee.

A Shining Memory: Group photo taken for the 10th Summer School for Quantitative History cum International Symposium on Quantitative History
CQH Team and Advisory Board members bring momentum to Shanghai Jiao Tong University for the AoE-Quantitative History project From Left to Right: Prof. Kaixiang Peng (Wuhan), Prof. Nan Li (Fudan), Prof. Ying Bai (CUHK), Prof. William Guanglin Liu (LingU), Prof. Debin Ma (Oxford), Prof. Chicheng Ma (HKU Business School), Prof. Zhiwu Chen (HKU Business School), Prof. Cameron Campbell (HKUST), Prof. Stephen Broadberry (Oxford), Prof. Hilde De Weerdt (KU Leuven), Prof. Shuji Cao (SJTU and HKU Business School) and Prof. Zhan Lin (Renmin)	HKU Business School: Leading regional quantitative history research as coordinating university for the AoE research grant From Left to Right: Prof. Chicheng Ma (HKU Business School), Prof. Zhiwu Chen (HKU Business School), Prof. Cameron Campbell (HKUST) and Prof. Debin Ma (Oxford)

衷心祝賀!

香港大學賽馬會

環球企業可持續發展研究所

聯席所長Roni Michaely教授榮獲

2024年金融研討會“最佳論文獎”

(Best Paper Award, The Finance Symposium 2024)

該獎項由金融研討會科學委員會(The Scientific Committee, The Finance Symposium) 提名，於2024年7月24至27日在希臘羅多斯舉行的2024年國際同行評審金融研討會，由至少兩名同行評審員進行評審後，頒發予最高得分的研究論文。

獎項表彰了Roni Michaely教授在金融科學領域作出的傑出成就，彰顯了人工智慧科技，對解決金融理論前沿問題有顯著效果。

Roni Michaely教授的得獎論文《產生人工智慧創新和價值影響》 (Producing AI Innovation and Value Implications）記錄了AI在過去三十年間所產生的創新總量中所占的重要份額，並見到了持續增長的趨勢，科技目前已遍佈各個行業和技術領域。隨後，研究團隊對上市公司進行了分析，發現企業在其自身、其客戶、其員工接觸AI的激勵推動下，更多的將創新的題目導向AI。研究團隊對企業創新能力和其與AI的接觸進行外部交互，以衡量實際的AI生產量。研究主要發現，生產人工智慧會增加公司未來的股票回報，而更高的盈利能力和更低的風險則是其主要支撐因素。結果表明，生產人工智慧會增加公司價值。

再次祝賀Roni Michaely教授取得這一超卓成就！

THE FINANCE SYMPOSIUM

金融研討會針對金融理論新趨勢中的前沿問題提出新的解決方案，這些解決方案由學術界開發，並與國際從業人員的研究和行業實用經驗相結合。研討會亦大力支持學術界和實務界在金融科學方面的卓越成就，是次主題為金融及銀行，促使研究、演講和交易大廳從業人員的新觀點，能通過金融領域的各種特別會議得到廣泛性傳播。

機構簡介

香港大學賽馬會環球企業可持續發展研究所（HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute）是香港大學與香港賽馬會之間的戰略合作專案，致力於建立一個全球一流的環境、社會和治理(ESG)最佳實踐中心，服務于香港、亞洲及更遠的地區。通過聚集來自不同領域的傑出全球學者，我們的使命是培育一種多學科的ESG研究和培訓方法，並與私營和公共部門建立夥伴關係，推動可持續發展宣導和負責任領導力倡議。

作為ESG研究的領先機構，我們致力於通過開創性研究、可行性見解、ESG指數開發、初創企業孵化和變革性專案創造有意義且持久的影響。我們的目標是為下一代ESG專業人士和領導者提供促進負責任和可持續增長所需的知識和技能。

在追求卓越的過程中，我們認識到合作和知識交流的重要性。我們致力於促進監管機構、企業、非政府組織和學術界之間的對話與合作，以確保ESG最佳實踐的發展和傳播。通過共同努力，我們的目標是塑造一個更加可持續、公平和負責任的未來，造福所有利益相關者。

HKU Business School and Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on nurturing industry leaders and elevating academic research in support of the tourism industry. The partnership marks an important milestone in strengthening collaboration between the academic and business sectors in the modern service industry. The MoU was jointly signed by Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean of HKU Business School, and Ms. Linda Chen, President, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited.

HKU Business School will work closely with Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A., a leading integrated resort in Macau to offer learning opportunities and Executive Education programmes, to equip industry practitioners with the latest leadership and service management knowledge. By enhancing individuals’ professional service capabilities, the collaboration aims to bring the quality of services in the industry to new heights. The partnership will also establish an academic cooperation framework, to support cutting-edge research projects and promote efficient information exchange for academic studies. Additionally, various forms of collaboration opportunities will be explored to accelerate industry growth.

Both parties were excited to embark on this journey of collaboration, and look forward to creating more opportunities for researchers and industry professionals to work together and share knowledge, supporting the development of the tourism industry in the region.

Caption: The MoU between HKU Business School and Wynn is signed by Ms. Linda Chen, President, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited (left), and Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean of HKU Business School (right).

港大經管學院212屆學位頒授典禮於2024年7月9日和10日在香港大學百周年校園大會堂隆重舉行。這一為期六場的盛大典禮為所有參與者創造了一個獨特而難忘的經歷。

其中院長蔡洪濱教授的鼓舞人心的演講令人印象深刻。在畢業生們準備踏入充滿活力的商業世界時,蔡教授提醒他們:”秉承香港大學的校訓 – ‘明德格物’，我堅信你們將能迎難而上，剋服一切困難和挑戰，並找到通往成功與實現理想的道路。”

畢業生代表楊睿邦、馮沛謙、Vallent Elbert、李蕙竹、Gong Yifan和楊光發表了感謝致辭，衷心感謝教職員工、家人和朋友在求學路上的堅定支持。他們的話語引發了觀眾的共鳴,表達了畢業生所面臨的挑戰、取得的成就,以及迎接未來機遇的樂觀和前瞻性心態。

此次畢業典禮共有3,100多人參加,其中包括1,100名即將開啟人生新篇章的畢業生,以及2,000名前來支持和慶祝這一重要里程碑的家人們和朋友們。

Congratulations to our students for winning Champion and 1^st Runner-up in MBS Simulated Business Management Competition 2024!

The MBS Simulated Business Management Competition is organised by the International Association of Business Management Simulation (IABMS) and HKU SAAS Data Science Lab. It aims to provide students with the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in practical and simulated business environment.

The competition involved a series of challenges that simulated real-world business scenarios. In the six intense rounds, each participating team was required to run a virtual enterprise and make strategic decisions related to marketing, finance, operations, and other business functions to achieve the highest overall business performance and profitability.

Among the thirty student teams from Hong Kong and Thailand, our students demonstrated their outstanding critical thinking and decision-making abilities and won Champion and 1^st Runner-up in the competition.

Find out more about the competition: https://www.intabms.org/mbssimulatedbizmgmtcomp2024

Champion
Team Name: RiskTakers
Team members:
Huang Hongbin, BSc(QFin), Year 2
Sun Zong Zheng, BEcon&Fin, Year 2

First Runner-up
Team Name: VPN
Team members:
Wong Man Chun, BSc(QFin), Year 2
Lian Wai Kai, BSc(QFin), Year 2
Poon Tsz Chung, BSc(QFin), Year 2

Student Sharing:

“This competition is a precious opportunity for students to utilise academic knowledge learned from the university and integrate real-life decisions. We had the chance to analyse the given economic status and choose the most suitable business strategies to outperform other teams. I learned how to cooperate and communicate with my teammates during the competition to make a guesstimation for different financial budgets and data.

Furthermore, the competition also required us to finish an on-site presentation regarding our strategies and put forward new ideas for the company’s future development. The strict time limit gave me the experience of quick preparation and helped develop my presentation skills significantly. Overall, this competition deepened my insight into the whole industry and made me know more about business management with many soft skills.”

(by Mr. Huang Hongbin)

“Winning as the champion, though very rewarding and encouraging, was not the initial purpose. Participating in the competition was an attempt to push my boundaries and gain a better understanding of business management in real life. Indeed, my goal was achieved, and I learned a lot from this insightful experience. It taught me that the ability to adjust to new conditions is sometimes more important than coming up with a good initial strategy. “

(by Mr. Sun Zong Zheng)

“Participating in the competition gave me valuable insights into various aspects of company operations through a macro business simulation. Analysing our team’s conditions and the decisions made by other competitors, it was fascinating to uncover the rationale behind the user interface. Making decisions on different markets and long-term investments provided a hands-on experience that deepened my understanding of real-world business operations. This insightful competition expanded my practical knowledge and exposed me to the complexities of business management.”

(by Mr. Wong Man Chun)

“This competition gave me valuable insights into the fundamental activities and decision-making procedures involved in companies’ financial and marketing aspects. It enhanced my understanding of business practices and helped me develop a keen business sense. The competition entailed examining diverse business data to make informed decisions regarding production distribution, marketing approaches, and research and development investments, all crucial for succeeding in the ever-changing business landscape.”

(by Mr. Lian Wai Kai)

“Participating in IABMS workshops and bootcamps offered a great opportunity to acquire and develop technical skills from hands-on field experience. I learned to extract insights from large data and interpret economic indicators. Representing different departments, we analysed and debated business issues like production flow, inventory management, research and development, and project financing. Through active discussion, we created a clear, interconnected presentation. This competition broadened my business horizons, enhanced my technical knowledge, and improved my interpersonal skills.”

(by Mr. Poon Tsz Chung)

The HKGCC Pitch Perfect Programme 2024 is an all-round training programme organised by Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC). This year, the programme was sponsored by six companies – Cathay Pacific Airways, Ernst & Young, MTR Corporation, The Mills Fabrica (Nan Fung Group), New World Development and NEC Hong Kong.

The programme consists of four stages, which aims to equip students with essential workplace skills through a series of training courses, company visits, and mentorship opportunities. In the semi-final and final round, students underwent hypothetical job interviews with senior executives from sponsoring companies and HKGCC leadership.

Among the 150 undergraduate students across universities in Hong Kong, students from the HKU Business School have demonstrated their exceptional interview and pitching skills, and were crowned as Winner and Overall Champion in this programme.

Find out more about the programme: https://www.hkgccppp2024.com/

Winner and Overall Champion:
Chan Chun Yan Natalie, BBA(Law)&LLB, Year 3

Winner:
Singh Karndeep, BEcon&Fin, Year 2

Student Sharing:

“The HKGCC Pitch Perfect Programme 2024 has been an invaluable learning experience for me on multiple levels. I have learned a tremendous amount about resilience, adaptability, and effective communication. The high-pressure pitch competition environment challenged me to think quickly, respond to tough questions, and maintain composure under stress. I am enormously grateful to have been a part of this experience, and I know the skills and connections I have gained will continue to serve me well in my career.”
(by Miss Chan Chun Yan Natalie)

“Having mentors like Mr. Victor Lam, JP, who brought the perspective of a business owner, and Mr. Kevin So, Arcadis, who brought the perspective of a corporate, they both provided me a lot of guidance and answered all of our questions about presenting oneself at an interview. My public speaking skills have definitely improved, and I have been given various tips on how to best present myself in a job interview setting.”
(by Mr. Singh Karndeep)

The annual summer programme, “Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship in China (CIEC)” was successfully concluded online on June 19, 2024. Right after the completion of the fourth cohort of the CIEC programme, an in-person networking event was held on June 22, 2024 at Shenzhen Campus. The event offered CIEC past participants an opportunity to exchange ideas and forge connections with CIEC guest speakers and the student community.

The CIEC programme provides the younger generation with an in-depth understanding of the economic development in Hong Kong and Mainland China, as well as the latest trend in education, business, creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship in the Greater Bay Area since its launch in 2019. In 2024, 62 students from different faculties at The University of Hong Kong and other top universities with diverse background were enrolled in the programme. With the innovative pedagogical approach, students actively participated in the CIEC with the guidance from CIEC Programme Co-Directors, Prof. Joseph Chan and Dr. Jing Li, throughout the class time, regardless of their geographic location.

This year, the CIEC programme collaborated with 10 companies from all walks of life, including biotechnology, drone technology, education, asset management, finance, human resources, property development, construction, retail and other innovative technology, such as Web3 development. The guest lectures offered students the opportunities to learn and gain insights into various industries from the guest speakers, who are either senior management or founders of the corporates. After learning from these business leaders, the programme provided students with ample opportunities to discuss, brainstorm and present their innovative ideas on various topics in smart construction, drone technology applications, retail business development and digital transformation in the debate sessions.

CIEC Programme Co-Directors, Prof. Chan and Dr. Li, had conducted interviews with guest speakers from these companies before the programme began. After broadcasting the interview videos, students got the chance to interact with the industry experts in the Q&A sessions throughout the 9-day programme. These interactive sessions offered valuable opportunities for students, not only to understand the real business landscape and environment, development and policy of different industries but also to explore their own future development and planning. 10 speakers for the guest lectures included (in alphabetical order of industry partners):

• June Leung, Chairperson, BExcellent Group Holdings Limited
• Rui Zhe Shao, Assistant President, China State Construction Engineering (Hong Kong) Limited
• Tommy Cheung, Managing Director, Club Essence
• Jimmy Tsang, Deputy General Manager, Goldlion Holdings Limited
• Junwei Tan, Chairman, Guangzhou Zhihui Group
• Sammi Wong, Leader, HKSTP Ventures
• Jackson Chan, Co-founder & Executive Director, KOS International Holdings Limited
• Justin Yeung, Secretary to the Board of Directors, Shenzhen DAMODA Intelligent Control Technology Co., Limited
• Timmy Leung, Director of Treasury, Shui On Land
• Jimmy Tao, CEO, Vitargent (International) Biotechnology Limited

Towards the end of the programme, Mr. Chan gave his greatest appreciation, not only to Dr. Jing Li, the CIEC Programme Co-Director, Dr. Ernest Lo who supported the guest interview shooting, the student ambassadors who supported the translation of the guest lectures, the CIEC working team and its collaborators, but also to all participating students who were fully engaged and involved in learning throughout the 9-day programme.

“Different guests have shared their own experience, thoughts and insight in different areas. I believe students are able to learn, not only from their past experience but more importantly, how they see the current business environment”, said Mr. Chan. He hopes these insights can open up the students’ mind with a better understanding of different industries so that they can seize future opportunities ahead. Mr. Chan added, “Although the programme has come to an end, the CIEC community is here to support your future development with the resources we built.”

Dr. Li also expressed her appreciation for the active participation of all students. “Your reaction, contribution and participation throughout different sections helped to develop a very good synergy between teachers and students. I am also deeply impressed by your growth and significant improvement from the first debate session to the last one”. Dr. Li is confident that the comprehensive information delivered through the guest lectures, Q&A, discussion and lectures will be useful for students’ future learning and career development. “You will find some clues or reference from today’s CIEC programme when trying to develop new connections or solve new problems in future”.

After the conclusion of CIEC 2024, we took the opportunity to host a CIEC Alumni Networking Event at the HKU Business School Shenzhen Campus. Past participants from 4 cohorts since 2019 and guest speakers gathered for the whole day event on June 22, 2024. The CIEC community had the chance to explore the Shenzhen Campus and its incubation centre – YUAN Valley in the morning, followed by a networking session with prominent CIEC guests in the afternoon.

It was an unforgettable gathering, bringing together a diverse array of CIEC past participants and guests for an invaluable opportunity to forge connections, exchange ideas, and strengthen the vibrant CIEC community after the programme. This event underscores the continued growth and unity of the CIEC community, and we look forward to bringing more positive impacts towards students’ development.

For more event photos, please visit https://www.hkubs.hku.hk/ciec/gallery/.

HKU Business School and Alibaba Cloud Academy successfully launched the first cloud computing credit course for undergraduate students. In the second semester of 2023/24, over 50 students worldwide enrolled in the course. Nearly 90% of the students attained the Alibaba Cloud Associate (ACA) Cloud Computing Certification at the end of the course.

The comprehensive curriculum leveraged Alibaba Cloud Academy’s resources to introduce key cloud computing concepts to our students and provide real-life industry scenarios to accelerate their learning. Our students immersed themselves in a comprehensive curriculum curated by Alibaba Cloud Academy, diving into cutting-edge technologies and practical applications of the Alibaba Cloud ecosystem. Seamlessly blending technical prowess with business acumen, they explored the intersection of Alibaba Cloud’s technology and their own entrepreneurial ideas, helping them understand cloud computing’s transformative potential. Alibaba Cloud also extended unwavering support for the students’ commercial projects with utmost dedication. The culmination of the course saw students equipped with academic knowledge and practical experience. Several students also secured coveted roles in cloud computing-related fields post-graduation.

HKU Students at Alibaba Cloud Hong Kong Office

Cloud Computing Credit Course Session at HKU