Collaborating with Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited (Cyberport) and the AICPA & CIMA, Venture into Future Career (VFC) was initially introduced in 2020 as an exclusive programme for undergraduate students at the HKU Business School.

The primary objectives of the VFC Programme are to assist our budding talents in the following ways:

• Providing students with career guidance and coaching
• Facilitating career-focused discussions between students and experienced industry leaders
• Equipping students with firsthand industry knowledge to help them identify career interests and strategically plan for their future careers

Over the past four VFC cohorts, we have mentored a total of 160 students from the Faculty. With the expert guidance of faculty members, guest speakers, industry stalwarts, and the practical experiences provided by startups at Cyberport, students have gained valuable insights, enhancing their readiness for the ongoing exploration of their career paths.

On October 10, 2024, the opening ceremony for the Venture into Future Career Programme 2024-25 took place at the HKU Rayson Huang Theatre, marking the commencement of its fifth cohort and celebrating this significant milestone alongside our esteemed programme partners. This new cohort comprises 45 students from 10 programmes who are eagerly anticipating the journey ahead, which includes receiving mentorship, training, and engaging with seasoned business professionals from diverse sectors.

Group picture with guests and VFC 2024-25 students

(Left to Right)

Mr. King LAI, Founder and CEO, Pubrio Limited
Mr. Paulus Chau, Director, Hong Kong and Emerging Markets, AICPA&CIMA
Ir. Eric Chan, Chief Public Mission Officer, Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited
Prof. Derek Chan, Associate Dean (Undergraduate), HKU Business School
Prof. Winnie Leung, Assistant Dean (Undergraduate), HKU Business School
Mr. Charles WHITTAKER, Head of Sales and Distribution for Swire Hotels
Dr Albert Lam, Chief Technology Officer and the Chief Scientist of Fano Labs

Student sharing by past participants

(Left to Right)

Ms. Bella Liu, BBA, Year 2
Mr. Carlos Or, BBA(IBGM), Year 2
Ms. Hazel Hu, BBA(Acc&Fin), Year 2

Global challenges have become increasingly acute. We have accomplished much, but more to be done. The year of 2024 marks a milestone in HKU Business School’s sustainability journey, as we proudly launch our first-ever Sustainability Report, which makes us the first business school in Hong Kong to publish a standalone sustainability report. We hope to share the progress we’ve made and envision goals we aim to achieve together in the future.

The Report communicates the School’s ongoing efforts and achievements in sustainability from July 2023 to June 2024, which have been demonstrated from the perspectives of Education, Alumni, Research, Knowledge Exchange & Partnership, and Sustainable Campus.

“The School recognises the importance of balancing short-term benefits and long-term sustainability efforts, and we are striving to contribute to a lasting impact on sustainability.”

— Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean and Chair of Economics of HKU Business School

At a Glance of the Report:

• 30+ ESG-related teaching courses across our UG, TPG and executive programmes
• Launched the brand-new programme named Master of Climate Governance and Risk Management
• Our Alumni Association has grown to 3,000 members, across Asia-Pacific, North America, the Middle East, and beyond
• Nurtured alumni start-up stars to develop creative solutions addressing environmental and social issues
• 50+ ESG-related international top journal publications in the past 3 years
• Asia No. 1 on UTD Top Business School Research Rankings based on publications in the past five years
• Established the HKU Jockey Club Enterprise Sustainability Global Research Institute in June 2024
• Throughout the year, our students from the Impact Lab have dedicated over 149,000 hours of work to support more than 50 social impact organisations
• 58.4% female students and 28.7% female faculty members
• During the reporting period, HKU Business School carbon emissions totalled 3,806 tonnes CO2e for scope 1 and 2, and started to assess scope 3 emissions

We invite you to read our Full Report for more details and welcome your comments, feedback, and all your enthusiasm for sustainability!

On October 1, HKU Business School celebrated a significant milestone with the successful establishment of its first-ever school-wide overseas alumni network in Singapore. The event saw an impressive turnout, bringing together over 50 alumni from Singapore and more than 20 alumni from the HKU-Fudan IMBA program in Shanghai, fostering international ties and reinforcing the global community spirit.

In her Welcome Remarks, Alice Hui (Head of Development & Alumni) shared the school’s latest exciting achievements in growing its global alumni networks, while also promoting two of the School’s newest dynamic programmes, which are the EMBA International Stream and the Master of Climate Governance and Risk Management.

The gathering featured insightful keynote speeches from distinguished speakers, including HKU Business School’s Associate Dean of External Relations, Professor Heiwai Tang, and Professor Paul Cheung from the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. Their addresses provided a captivating and enlightening analysis of the global economy’s influence on Hong Kong and Singapore.

A special congratulations to Chris Leo, who was appointed as the inaugural President of this informal alumni community, alongside fellow alumni volunteer team members, Nishant Kumar, Vibhav Varshney, Mona Lai, Rajbir Talwar, and Carole Yang. We have full trust in their stewardship to ensure the success of this new alumni network in Singapore.

This landmark event signals a new chapter for the HKU Business School alumni community, promoting closer connections and collaboration on an international scale.

Group photo of all participating company representatives

Prof. Pingyang GAO, Associate Dean (Taught Postgraduate) delivered a welcoming speech to all participating employers.

Prof. Pingyang GAO, Associate Dean (Taught Postgraduate) and Prof. Derek CHAN, Associate Dean (Undergraduate), joined the fair on behalf of the HKU Business School and presented souvenirs to show appreciation for the support from all employer representatives.

The HKU Business School Career Fair was successfully conducted on September 26, 2024, a Thursday. This exclusive event tailored for Business School Students featured participation from 69 distinguished companies, along with over 200 HR executives and industry experts. Held under the theme “Investing in HKU Business School’s Global Talent – Aspire & Connect!”, the fair was designed to offer HKUBS students unparalleled opportunities to network, engage, and aspire towards their future careers.

The event commenced with an inspiring opening address to corporate guests by Professor Pingyang Gao, the Associate Dean of Taught Postgraduate. Throughout the day, more than 1,400 current students from Undergraduate, Master, and MBA Programmes actively participated in the fair, interacting with employer representatives across various sectors such as banking and finance, consulting, FMCGs, luxury retail, and technology. The enthusiasm displayed by both students and corporate partners at this annual event was truly gratifying.

We express our deepest appreciation to each of the corporate partners who supported the Career Fair, sharing valuable industry insights with our students. Their presence and active engagement elevated the event, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented atmosphere.

Stay tuned for upcoming events and initiatives aimed at further empowering our students and nurturing the business leaders of tomorrow!

Students seized the opportunity to interact with recruiters and industry professionals from various renowned firms.

港大經管學院非常榮幸邀請到物美集團創始人、多點Dmall創始人張文中博士，於2024年9月25日參與學院舉辦的「港大經管學院領袖企業家講壇系列」第一講，並擔任主題演講嘉賓。在這場講座中，張博士深入解讀了傳統企業數字化改造與創新的關鍵路徑，並與港大經管學院經濟學實務教授毛振華教授進行了深入交流，為與會者帶來寶貴的經驗和思考。

首先，張博士回顧自己創立物美集團和多點Dmall的歷程，深刻闡述了企業家作為時代英雄的價值。他指出，企業家除了要勇於迎接挑戰、持續超越和提升自我外，還要謹記「創新、創業、創造」是人類進步的動力。

在第二部分，張博士重點分享了物美和多點Dmall的「數智化」轉型實踐過程。他表示，傳統企業需要建立一套底層操作系統+SaaS應用的新型解決方案，並運用數智化的思維和技術全面重構業務場景，才能實現以科技驅動產業發展的美好未來。張博士以物美和多點Dmall為例，生動地展示傳統零售企業如何透過「數智化」從根本改善業務流程，並借助大數據和算法等技術提升營運效率和用戶體驗。

最後，張博士分享了自己平反冤案的心路歷程。這段經歷不僅充分體現了他堅韌不拔的個人品格，也成為中國依法平等保護民營企業家合法權益的典型案例。他特別提及他早前寫下的信：《丹心鑒歲月 情義滿人間》，藉此寄語學生：即使面臨逆境，也不要選擇躺平，其實「躺也躺不平」；而且要相信公平正義、相信改革開放，只要「心中有春天」，人生就一定會充滿希望和光明。

本次講座涵蓋了企業家精神、數字化轉型實踐及個人奮鬥歷程等多個維度，為與會者帶來了豐富的思想洞見和實戰經驗。我們相信張博士的分享必能激勵更多企業家擁抱數字化時代，開創輝煌的未來。

9月20日，由香港大學經管學院主辦的領航論壇在香港大學陸佑堂隆重舉行。香港大學經管學院院長蔡洪濱致歡迎辭。

蔡洪濱稱，目前民營企業受到考驗和挑戰，在這一背景下，香港大學經管學院舉行領航論壇有著特別的意義。在過去的一百多年發展過程中，即使香港面臨各種各樣的困難，它總是能够從不同的危機中走出來。同樣，香港一代一代的企業家讓人佩服的地方在于，他們在任何情况都非常的堅韌、頑强、永不言敗。

蔡洪濱表示，這是香港獅子山精神的體現和凝練。企業家需要以這種精神力量爲支撑，不斷地在逆境中前行、尋找新的機會和發展。

對于中資企業面臨著開拓國際市場的問題。蔡洪濱認爲，出海幷不容易，需要深入瞭解國際市場，尋找到優秀國際人才，深入洞察國際體制和文化。而香港這座國際大都市恰恰就有這方面最好的資源和積累，是中國企業家出海最好的橋頭堡。

在蔡洪濱看來，出海幷不一定是所有行業、所有企業、每一個人的選擇。出海有著更廣泛的定義：思維出海。中國經濟社會經歷著深刻的變化，過去成功的經驗很難複製。企業家最重要的是走出原來的固有模式、舒服區，看不同的世界，學習最新的技術。

蔡洪濱進一步稱，企業家需要打開自己的思維，通過香港積極的觀察世界，提升思維深度、擴展眼界寬度、擴大視野遠度，再回過頭看國內的市場、行業，可能就有新的體會。哪怕是跨界之間的交流，也可能對大家都有啓發。這樣的一種體驗和經歷，會成爲企業家自身提升重要的路徑，進而演化成企業未來發展的核心競爭力。

有關港大經管學院領航論壇，請按此。

On September 1, the HKU Business School held the distinguished Beijing Forum at the HKU Beijing Centre. The event drew over 200 esteemed guests, professors, students, and alumni, culminating with the inaugural dinner of the HKU Business School North China Alumni Network.

This significant occasion marked the official establishment of the HKU Business School North China Alumni Network, representing a significant milestone for the Faculty’s alumni body in mainland China. During the opening remarks, Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean of the HKU Business School, Chair of Economics, and Director of the Institute of China Economy, underscored the paramount importance of this newly established network. As the first regional alumni network for the Faculty in mainland China, it serves not only as a bridge linking alumni with the school, but more importantly, it establishes a platform for lifelong learning, intellectual exchange, and mutual development among all alumni and faculty.

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all speakers, panelists, guests, and attendees who contributed to making this forum and dinner a platform for engaging discussion and meaningful networking. We would like to offer our special thanks to our distinguished guests, including:

Mr. Li Hui, Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the Beijing Municipal Government;
Professor Hongbin Cai, Dean of HKU Business School;
Professor Chen Lin, Associate Vice-President of HKU;
Professor Haipeng Shen, Associate Dean (Executive Education) of HKU Business School;
Professor Wei Zhang, Assistant Dean of HKU Business School;
Dr. Grace Xie, Principal Lecturer at HKU Business School and Associate Director of HKU EMBA and IMBA programs;
Ms. Alison Wang, Director of the HKU Beijing Center;
Ms. Alice Hui, Head of Development and Alumni at HKU Business School;
Professor Xu Li, Director of the HKU EMBA Program;
Ms. Monica Wong, Director of Alumni Affairs at the Development and Alumni Affairs Office of HKU; Dr. Aam Yan, Director of Strategic Partnerships at HKU Business School;
Ms. Floria Xu, Executive Director of the DBA Program at HKU Business School;
Ms. Janice Tsang, Executive Director of the EMBA Program at HKU Business School;
Dr. Norman Shi, President of the HKU Beijing Alumni Association;
Ms. Beatrice Chan, President of the HKU Shanghai Alumni Association along with more than 200 distinguished guests and alumni.

As we celebrate this achievement, we would like to emphasize the vital role of our alumni network. It is through these bonds that we fortify our community, cultivate opportunities for advancement, and uphold our shared values. We encourage all alumni to participate actively in the alumni network, contributing to its ongoing success and the prosperity of our HKU Business School. The strength of our school lies within the strength of our alumni – united, we empower the future.

Let’s revisit the highlights of this momentous day!

In celebration of the commencement of the new academic year, HKU Business School is fully prepared to greet the undergraduate freshmen of the 2024-25 intake and incoming exchange students with a diverse range of engaging and informative orientation activities commencing in mid-August 2024.

• August 19 | Faculty Academic Induction Talk: Serving as the official welcome to all undergraduate freshmen of the 2024-25 intake, the Academic Induction Talk offers an overview of studies and university life for each student. It acknowledges the valuable support from senior students who share their enriching experiences, various experiential learning opportunities, insights from Student Associations, as well as contributions from the University Equal Opportunity Unit and CEDARS. These interactions signify the University’s dedication to nurturing and unlocking the potential of each freshman throughout their four-year academic journey.

• August 22 – September 3 | 8 Sessions of Programme Induction Sessions for Freshmen across 11 Undergraduate Programmes: With the generous support of all Programme Directors and Deputy Programme Directors, freshmen have the opportunity to connect with their peers, gain deeper insights into their respective majors, and receive practical advice and tips from senior students and alumni.

• August 28 | Career Orientation for Undergraduate Freshmen: This session, a novel and customized initiative, aims to introduce freshmen to the resources and support provided by our Undergraduate Career Development & Training (CDT) Team. It equips them with a foundational understanding of how to initiate their career exploration during their tenure at HKU Business School. Through interactive engagement, over 100 freshmen actively seek advice, engage in discussions and network with our Professional Career coach.

• August 29 | Incoming Exchange Students Orientation: We are delighted to welcome 260 exchange students from 24 countries and over 100 partner institutions as they commence their journey at HKU Business School. These students will spend one or two semesters immersing themselves in our dynamic and empowering HKU community.

• September 7 | Non-Local Freshmen Orientation 2024: Over 100 of non-local full-time freshmen participated in this distinctive orientation session hosted by the HKUBS International Student Society. The session facilitated connections within the non-local student community, provided insights into the school and Hong Kong, and offered networking opportunities.

We are excited to welcome the incoming freshmen of the 2024-25 academic year and eagerly anticipate supporting them as they embark on their academic journey at HKU Business School.

恭喜何國俊教授榮獲2023-24年度「學院傑出研究學者獎」！?何教授是主要從事環境與發展經濟學方面的研究的經濟學家。現任香港大學經濟學教授，亦同時擔任香港大學賽馬會環球企業可持續發展研究所所長和香港大學中國經濟研究所副所長。過去五年，何國俊教授已有四篇高水準研究獲刊登於國際頂尖學術期刊，成就備受肯定。