Contents SECTION ONE
SECTION TWO
5 BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
35 HUMANITIES, SOCIAL SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY
6 EMBA & DBA
36 Arts & Humanities
Staying at the apex of change
16 MBA
Finding that special X factor
32 Executive & Business Business education lite
Learning to be human
40 Education
Training the teachers
44 Law
The evolution of laws
50 Computing
Programming the cyber engineers
SECTION THREE
54 CAREER TIPS 56 Connecting top talent 58 Dressing new entrants for success in apparel trade
60 Slam dunking a new career through MBA studies
62 Mum who builds bridges to women in construction
DATA FACTSHEETS 11 13 15 23 25 27 29 31 39 43 47 49 53
EMBA-Global Asia Kellogg-HKUST EMBA PolyU DBA CUHK MBA CityU MBA MGSM MBA HKUST Executive Education LN MSC HRM CUHK M.A. in Anthropology HKIEd PGDE CityU Faculty of Law CUHK Faculty of Law HKUST MSc
64 INDEX 4 Professional Education
Cover: Shutterstock
PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION 路 THE ANNUAL POSTGRADUATE GUIDE 2015
EDITORIAL Editor Ginn Fung Project Editor Rex Aguado Community Editor Daisy Fung Feature Editor Samuel Lai Freelance Sub-editors Paul Wenham, John Cremer Designers Kevin Ho, Gary Ip, Candy Lai Editorial Assistant Wendy Lau ADVERTISING Account Manager Stella Chung (852) 2680 8377 stella.chung@scmp.com Account Manager Venus Ng (852) 2680 8682 venus.ng@scmp.com Account Manager Jacko Man (852) 2680 8702 jacko.man@scmp.com CONTACT US Editorial editor@educationpost.com.hk Advertising advertising@scmp.com Reprint reprint@scmp.com Professional Education is published by South China Morning Post Publishers Limited, Morning Post Centre, 22 Dai Fat Street, Tai Po Industrial Estate, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong, Tel: 2680 8888. Printed by Magnum (Offset) Printing Co. Ltd., 11B, E Tat Factory Building, 4 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong, Tel: 2555 2438. It is copyright SCMPPL and published on December 18, 2015.
SECTION ONE
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
The Annual Postgraduate Guide 路 December 2015 5
EMBA & DBA
Staying at the apex of change
Photo: Shutterstock
Institutions offering elite DBA and EMBA programmes know they cannot rest on their laurels, but must ceaselessly adapt to a changing business world if they are to thrive
E
ven at the top of the professional business education pyramid, the Hong Kong-based institutions offering Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) and Executive MBA (EMBA) programmes will be the first to say they are not running their courses from an ivory tower. Like the rest of the professional education sector, they are also buffeted by the same
6 Professional Education
social, economic, demographic and technological shifts that are rocking the rest of the non-academic world. As a result, DBA and EMBA programme directors and faculty are constantly busy tweaking their curricula and making sure they offer that extra something for their students and alumni. “The key trend is that top executives need more breadth. The growth of multinationals and Asian regional champions means that
executives need the breadth to understand and build teams across cultures such as Japan, India, China and Singapore,” says Christopher Doran, academic director of the Kellogg-HKUST EMBA Program. “They also need cross-functional breadth as innovation increasingly grows at the intersection of traditional functions. The increasing importance of data analytics to marketing is one example,” Doran
“
Executives need the breadth to understand and build teams across cultures
”
- Christopher Doran
adds. “Finally, breadth is needed across industries. Ideas migrate across industries faster and faster. New competitors emerge from unexpected places – who would have predicted five years ago that Alibaba would be a major competitor in financial services, and Apple in watches?” Collaboration and cross-cultural linkages are also critical for Dave Evers, director of admissions and marketing for EMBA-Global Asia. “Being able to manage across borders is a key challenge for our graduates. Global partnerships, EMBA programmes and joint ventures between schools in different countries, with forays into Asia, are key to developing these skills,” he says. “The EMBA-Global Asia programme – between Columbia Business School, London Business School and the University of Hong Kong (HKU) – is one of many such cross-cultural partnerships that draws upon the strengths and communities of three top schools in three global hubs and helps students to develop as global leaders.” Over at Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), cross-professional learning is a particular focus. “Our DBA graduates and students come from very diverse backgrounds in terms of industry and sector. In recent years, we have noted a rising trend of students coming from the professional fields and the financial sector locally and overseas. So we try to balance
students from different disciplines with a wider spectrum of expertise for knowledgesharing and exchange,” says Petrus Choy, deputy programme director of PolyU’s DBA programme. He adds that China is a big presence in their programming, with the PolyU faculty of business running two doctoral degree programmes – the DBA in Hong Kong and the Doctor of Management on the mainland – that act as a bridge between the mainland and the rest of the world, with English as the main mode of exchange. “Our two programmes emphasise the importance of students communicating at least bilingually in English and in Putonghua,” Choy says. “A high proficiency in English is definitely needed for academic purposes in doctoral programmes and the multinational business environments. Our programmes are delivered in close collaboration with the IMD Business School in Switzerland and the London School of Economics and Political Science, which means that our students should be able to comprehend English at a high standard.” For HKU’s EMBA-Global Asia, Evers also identifies demographic and technological changes as key trigger-points for updating their modules to satisfy the needs of their in-demand and demanding students. “The changing workforce is a key challenge for
professionals and people they manage,” he says. “As retirement stretches beyond the age of 70, EMBA programmes are well-positioned to provide learning and development opportunities for people who need a more sophisticated and practical qualification that leverages decades of work experience, and to upgrade their knowledge and keep abreast of trends in the constantly developing IT and social media spheres.” Innovation is, of course, a constant in the cited spheres and in other business areas as well, so Doran at the Kellogg-HKUST EMBA Program is making sure their courses are as cutting-edge as possible. “The most important challenge ahead for professionals is to accelerate innovation,” he says. “The business environment is changing faster than ever before, and nowhere in the world is it changing faster than here in Asia. Professionals do not have to be familiar with the world of start-ups, but they need to be able to innovate like a start-up. For example, e-commerce in China is innovating faster than anywhere else in the retail world, and companies that cannot innovate at the pace of Tencent, Alibaba and Jingdong will become less and less competitive.” For Choy, at PolyU’s DBA programme, one constant has remained as far as his business-oriented students are concerned: to keep the customer happy. “There’s no doubt we are now operating in an ever-
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 7
EMBA & DBA
changing and extremely dynamic business environment, where one needs to satisfy the needs of a sophisticated, technologically advanced, globalised, demanding and yet very individually unique customers,” he says. “Nowadays, business leaders should be well equipped with cutting-edge knowledge to deliver optimal and strategic decisions to ensure business survival.” According to Choy, this is the reason why their DBA programme goes beyond research to factor in the importance of real-life situations. “We provide a holistic approach emphasising both taught subjects for knowledge applications with critical thinking, while focusing on academic research for knowledge creation with applications of research findings,” he says. “Our academic studies and scholarly research have real benefits for commercial practices. A doctoral degree provides a clear link between comprehensive research and cutting-edge knowledge with findings for real-world applications to help business leaders cope with dynamic business problems, including strategic management, IT, social responsibility, corporate governance, and
social media in risk and crisis management.” Choy highlights the interdisciplinary structure of their DBA programme, where a rigorous learning framework is blended with practical applications through elective taught subjects and hands-on research knowledge. “Our programme keeps abreast of commercial needs to adjust our modules on a regular basis by offering specialised elective subjects to students who would like to focus on their areas of interest, such as business strategy, leadership research, strategic management of information and organisation in the digital economy,” he says. “Our modules are tailored to inspire new knowledge, develop creative ideas, impart techniques and skills to help our students arrive at solutions to business management problems and come up with innovative thinking for sustainable business development.” To achieve this, PolyU’s DBA programme has embraced collaboration, such as this academic year’s partnership with a professional body to offer a new and professionally recognised subject that enables students to explore research areas
and interests and, at the same time, obtain a professional title. “We encourage our students to attend the executive training programmes held in collaboration with IMD Business School in Switzerland and London School of Economics,” Choy says. “About 60-70 per cent of our students have attended these two training programmes, which are conducted by two of the world’s most renowned business schools, attracting senior executives around the world to share and discuss contemporary business issues and management practices with reputable researchers and specialised practitioners, with whom our students are able to interact.” Such a stellar lineup of resources and people is not confined to PolyU DBA’s executive training programmes. According to Choy, this philosophy of excellence also governs their faculty selection. “Our DBA is a facultybased flagship programme. Lecturers, thesis supervisors and academic-support staff are drawn from a wide pool of more than 200 academic staff from the university’s faculty of business. They come from developed
“
EMBA programmes are in tune with economic globalisation by delivering courses in more than one country - Dave Evers
Petrus Choy
8 Professional Education
”
“
Our graduates ... look at [their DBA] as a new chapter of connection to our unique circles
”
- Petrus Choy
and emerging countries with multicultural backgrounds. This is ideal for us, as more and more of our DBA students are coming from overseas, particularly other Asian and European countries,” he adds. Needless to say, other leading institutions such as the Kellogg-HKUST EMBA Program and HKU’s EMBA-Global Asia deservedly have bragging rights for top-notch faculty as well. “The Kellogg-HKUST EMBA Program has the most senior executives of any EMBA in the world, and senior people have little patience with just theory,” Doran says. “Hence, we strive to bring in faculty who are not just strong academically, but are also focused on practical business applications. Our professors continuously update their courses to accommodate the latest thinking, but we also update our curriculum to bring in new focus areas. Two courses have been launched as a response to new challenges – Digital Marketing, by professor Mohanbir Sawhney, and Leading a Global Company, by professor Harry Kraemer.” Doran says Sawhney is a globally recognised scholar and speaker in business innovation, technology marketing and new media. He also advises and speaks to Global 2000 firms and governments worldwide. Meanwhile, Kraemer is the former chairman and CEO of Baxter International, and is the author of a bestselling leadership book, From Values to Action: The Four Principles of Values-Based Leadership. Aside from tapping thought leaders from
around the globe, HKU’s EMBA-Global Asia actually crosses borders to expose its students to the best the world can offer. “The trend towards global partnerships shows that EMBA programmes are in tune with economic globalisation by delivering courses in more than one country, taught by faculty who are cross-border experts, to students with deep knowledge of international markets and challenges,” Evers says. “At HKU, we use our EMBA programmes to tap into global issues both in developed and growing markets – from London to New York, from Hong Kong and Shanghai to Dubai. This gives us a superb opportunity to assess the impact of the changing world economy on other global hubs besides our home city of Hong Kong.” The same is true for the Kellogg-HKUST EMBA Program. “There is an increasing number of participants prepared to travel long distance for the right transformational learning experience,” Doran notes. “For example, in our upcoming class, we have students flying in from as far away as Sydney, Moscow and San Francisco. This is also reflected in higher proportions of KelloggHKUST participants taking advantage of electives at our partner schools in Israel, Germany, China, Canada and the US.” Doran says that the ability to interact faceto-face with other executives and faculty is still invaluable despite the advent of online education. At HKU’s EMBA-Global Asia, Evers says online learning platforms provide virtual learning laboratories to prepare students for even more meaningful in-class discussions.
Finally, there is the nurturing and constant tapping of alumni networks to improve DBA and EMBA programmes, and to ensure top global ranking and a sterling academic reputation. “Our graduates do not regard their DBA as the terminal point of their academic pursuits,” says Choy. “They look at it as a new chapter of connection to our unique circles to further enhance their knowledge and sharing of practical experience through our extensive alumni network of more than 400 ‘scholarleaders’, with over 200 in leadership positions in Hong Kong, mainland China and Asian countries.” Evers says that the professional rewards of their programme can be in the form of promotions and exciting career moves or bold entrepreneurial ventures. “Personal satisfaction is harder to quantify, but is generally proven through alumni engagement and commitment to the school. People pursue EMBA degrees – especially the exotic and demanding partnerships – because they want them, not because they need them,” he explains. “This means that EMBA providers must constantly refine their programmes and customise the experience for discerning customers. Partnerships such as EMBAGlobal Asia function like the quintessential EMBA study group: three schools that work together to apply their individual strengths into a union that is greater than the sum of its parts.”
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 9
Columbia Business School, London Business School and The University of Hong Kong
DATA FACTSHEETS
EMBA-GLOBAL ASIA
Contact: EMBA-Global Asia Programme Office HKU Business School The University of Hong Kong Room 104, Block B, Cyberport 4, 100 Cyberport Road, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3962 1262 Email: asia@emba-global.com www.emba-global.com/asia
Programme Summary The programme was designed specifically for globally-focused executives and managers who seek to deepen their understanding of both Western and Eastern business perspectives and who are passionate about the opportunities offered by Asia’s rapid economic development. EMBA-Global Asia provides a collaborative learning environment in which a diverse group of executives debate theories, discuss cases and share experiences. The curriculum is comprehensive and demanding. The timetable enables highly-focused learning, minimising time spent away from the office and ensuring optimum learning impact. EMBA-Global Asia is internationally recognized as one of the world’s top Executive MBA programmes. Organised into five modules, where students take courses one week per month, the programme can be completed in 16-20 months. The first three modules build core business skills and the final two modules are completed with electives that students may choose to take at any of the three partner schools. Renowned faculty from three of the world’s top business schools combine to operate at the intersection between theory and practice, conducting cutting-edge research that has a real-world impact on the understanding and practice of international business today. Faculty members travel with the students to teach in London, New York, Hong Kong and Shanghai. Frequent guest speakers, case studies and corporate visits enhance classroom learning. Accreditation AACSB, EQUIS, AMBA
Language of Instruction English
Programme Schedule Core courses are taught in intensive four to six-day blocks primarily delivered in Hong Kong. There are two class weeks in London, two in New York, and one in Shanghai.
Programme Fee HK$ 1,251,432 / US$ 160,440
Mode of Delivery Part-time Duration of Programme 16 - 20 months
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 11
DATA FACTSHEETS
Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA Program
Contact: Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA Program Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2358 4180 Email: emba@ust.hk www.emba.ust.hk
Programme Summary Ranked No. 1 in the world 6 times in the past 9 years by the Financial Times, the Kellogg-HKUST Executive Master in Business Administration Program capitalizes on the strengths of the Kellogg School of Management and the HKUST Business School. Participants not only learn from top-notch faculty but also from a student body with extremely diverse backgrounds, industries, and nationalities. The program creates a unique and truly exceptional environment, in which top-notch professors from the world’s leading business schools share their insights with an elite group of executive participants. Each year, our seven strategic global locations become home to students who have already proven themselves in their chosen fields of business endeavors. Typically, these participants are looking to be challenged further, and to interact with like-minded individuals from around the globe who share their business ambitions and their appetite for success.
Ranking No. 1 in the world 6 times in the past 9 years No. 2 EMBA program in the world (2015) (Source: 2007 – 2015 EMBA Survey by the Financial Times) Programme Schedule The program starts with one live-in week at HKUST, followed by 10 monthly modules. Each module has 2 consecutive weekends (from Friday afternoons to Sundays). In the course, participants have to take 2 consecutive live-in weeks at the Kellogg campus and a oneweek global elective at one of our sister campuses.
Mode of Delivery Part-time Duration of Programme 18 months Language of Instruction English Programme Fee HK$ 1,250,000/ US$ 161,200 for 2016 intake
Program Commencement January 2016
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 13
DATA FACTSHEETS
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Faculty of Business DOCTOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (DBA)
Contact: Research and Postgraduate Studies Section Faculty of Business R802 Shirley Chan Building The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3400 3234 / (852) 2766 7889 Fax: (852) 2365 7415 Email: fbdban@polyu.edu.hk www.polyu.edu.hk/fb/rpss/dba
Programme Summary A major aim of the PolyU DBA is to educate senior executives to be the “scholar-leaders”, who are able to apply research findings in solving real-world management problems. The PolyU DBA has been designed to integrate academic study and management practice in a way which will form a significant part of an individual’s business career. The educational objectives that frame the programme are: • Broadening, updating, and deepening students’ knowledge of business administration in general; • Acquiring an in-depth knowledge of specialized areas; and • Sharpening students’ ability to conduct original applied research in business administration. To enhance the international dimension and academic vigour of PolyU DBA, collaborations have been established with the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) in Switzerland and the Summer School and Executive Programmes Unit of The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in London, U.K.
Accreditation – AACSB – EQUIS Programme Schedule PolyU DBA is a credit-based programme. Students are required to complete 51 credits including 8 taught subjects (24 credits), 2 DBA Residentials (3 credits) and a DBA Thesis (24 credits). Mode of Delivery Part-time Duration of Programme The normal duration of DBA study is 3 years with a maximum duration of 6 years.
Rankings PolyU is ranked No.6 in the field of commerce, management, tourism and service of 2014-15 University Ranking by Academic Performance (URAP). The Faculty is ranked No. 59 by the University of Texas at Dallas Top 100 Business School Worldwide Rankings based on research published in 24 top business journals from 2010 to 2014. Language of Instruction English Programme Fee HK$707,400 (51 credits) (excluding travelling and hotel accommodation costs of two DBA Residentials)
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 15
MBA
Finding that special X factor
Photo: MGSM
To stand out, MBAs like those from MGSM and CUHK constantly need new differentiators, from flexible delivery to topical content, and from cohort diversity to top-quality faculty
T
he Master of Business Administration (MBA) segment is one of the most competitive areas in the professional education market. To get the attention of busy and very demanding prospective students – various C-suite executives, managers, entrepreneurs, professionals and public sector leaders – MBA institutions must offer distinct
16 Professional Education
advantages and key differentiators for their graduates. In a developed market such as Hong Kong, the cost of an MBA education is rarely an issue. Instead, the key deciding factors for most prospective MBA students can cover a myriad of metrics, such as how the programme is delivered to suit busy schedules, the reputation of the faculty,
global rankings, and the subsequent reallife performance of its graduates, whether in terms of improvements in salaries or appointment to leadership roles. “CUHK business school is the only school in Hong Kong offering an entrepreneurship concentration at the MBA level,” says Lawrence Chan, director of marketing and student recruiting for MBA Programs at
“
It is essential that our students be exposed to cutting-edge theories and techniques from leading minds
”
- Alex Frino
Chinese University of Hong Kong business school. “We equip our students with knowledge and understanding of start-ups. We introduced courses on banking and corporate risk management a few years ago. We co-operated with IBM to establish our marketing engineering laboratory about two years ago to provide data analytics and e-marketing training to students at various levels. We have also launched a new master of science in business analytics in response to the need for professionals with the required skills.”
MBA programme since 1994 with the administrative assistance of the Hong Kong Management Association (HKMA), the core mission is also inter-continental, yet very individual. “We develop leaders with a global mindset who create sustainable value and are good citizens,” says Alex Frino, dean of MGSM and professor of management (finance), summarising the so-called four pillars of the school mantra. “The challenge is to keep evolving to meet changing needs and prepare students to successfully navigate the realities of global business.”
The list of differentiators goes on for CUHK’s MBA Programs, but the core mission is to produce talent for the 21st century. “Employers are looking for a new generation of MBA graduates,” Chan says. “They are looking beyond traditional knowledge in finance and marketing. An ability to adapt in the fast-moving Asian environment, for example, is also crucial for non-Asian students.”
Frino adds: “We give our students the edge because we operate at the very forefront of business. Our teaching is grounded in the reality of what it means to work in business, not only in Australia but around the world. It is essential that our students be exposed to cutting-edge theories and techniques from leading minds, whether they are in Australia or elsewhere. We must provide our students with opportunities to learn about and experience different cultures, and we must expose their minds to different ways of solving problems or adapting to change. We must also provide them with
Over at the Sydney-based Macquarie University Graduate School of Management (MGSM), which has been offering an
the opportunities to work on real projects in partnership with leading domestic and global organisations.” To achieve these goals, especially the last one, the school’s MGSM careers service can guide students on obtaining great roles, and even explore potential jobs with global players such as Microsoft, Pfizer, Optus, Siemens, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Woolworths or Rio Tinto – not to mention the business community plugged into the HKMA. MGSM also has close links with Australianlisted recruitment firm Ambition, which helps graduates polish their résumés, plug into career-development trends, and secure juicy jobs. “Around 98 per cent of our students get jobs within three months of leaving or finishing our MBA programme. Our connectivity with business means that our graduates are getting not just jobs, but quality jobs,” Frino says. He adds that according to a survey by The Economist, the salaries of MGSM’s MBA graduates rose by at least 70 per cent three years after graduation – the second-highest
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 17
MBA rate in the world. No wonder then that MGSM has been ranked second globally for “post-MBA salary” in the 2015 edition of The Economist Which MBA?” rankings. This year, MGSM was also ranked the number one MBA in Australia by the Financial Times, and among the Top 30 Global MBAs, and the top three in Asia, in The Economist rankings. The high ratings can be attributed to MGSM’s efforts to increase its staff-to-student ratio, implement a strong alumni programme, and relaunch its careers advisory service linking graduates with various professional opportunities. These are all part of MGSM’s five-year plan to promote diversity, internationalisation of its programmes, curriculum development, research-led teaching and corporate connectivity, Frino says. Another radical initiative by MGSM is a corporate challenge programme on
Australian TV – similar to reality shows such as Dragon’s Den, but on a corporate level. MGSM has created an MBA programme course around the show, focusing on the psychology of leadership and teams in a TV setting, receiving 70 applications for the 15 places offered. Frino says they plan to introduce a similar programme in Hong Kong, but involving the achieving of nonrisky physical challenges and goals by participating teams of students. Amid the developing world’s greying demographics, there are also plans to introduce in Hong Kong and beyond a very timely MBA in healthcare leadership programmes, which will be introduced in Australia first in conjunction with the medical school of Macquarie University. “We’re not just following trends – we’re creating them,” Frino says. Over the next 12 months, MGSM will
Richard Petty Alex Frino
18 Professional Education
“
We’re the first to do experiential and case-based teaching, not just in Hong Kong or Australia
”
- Richard Petty
expand its Distinguished Speakers series, which enlists leading minds in business and economics, including Nobel Prize Laureates, to share their thoughts and expertise with MGSM students and alumni. Aside from such learning forums, MGSM also offers blended learning in which some face-to-face classes are supplemented with high-production, online activities and recorded video. Its experiential learning unit – “Leadership and Team in Action” – is a showcase of innovation, in which students attend a leadership programme over an action-packed weekend, participating in a series of practical and mental challenges focusing on leadership philosophy, teamwork, group decisionmaking, marketing, operations and personal development. This is followed by post-event video and debriefing sessions delivered fully online. “We’re the first to do experiential and casebased teaching, not just in Hong Kong or Australia, but also beyond,” says Richard Petty, executive director international of MGSM and a professor in management (accounting and finance). Who delivers that “teaching” is obviously crucial. “At MGSM, you will be taught by world-class faculty – many of whom have extensive experience in business at a
senior level, in addition to possessing stellar academic credentials,” Petty says. “The faculty is well-placed to guide students, and to help them in practical problem-solving during their time in the programme, and after they graduate and join MGSM’s large alumni body.” Frino cites the case of Maroš Servátka, a professor from the University of Arizona, who has been hired by Macquarie University to run the new Vernon L. Smith Laboratory focusing on the new field of experimental economics and the rarefied world of behavioural theory of economics. “In Hong Kong, all our programmes are taught face-to-face with senior faculty flying in from Australia,” Petty says. “This ensures consistency and quality in teaching delivery and supervision that other schools find hard to emulate.” In effect, this approach makes MGSM “the poster child of Australia for Asian engagement, where we’re helping make the Asian century into the Australasian century,” Petty adds. CUHK business school is also very rigorous in hiring, training and monitoring faculty members. “Many of our teachers are also industry practitioners from management consulting, venture capital and private equity firms, and the creative industries, among other disciplines,” Chan says. “Indeed, we
are seeing more graduates being placed into emerging markets, with some now working in Africa, Brazil, Thailand and other Asean countries. Some of our new courses are focusing on new areas, such as reforming family businesses and innovation.” Meanwhile, MGSM has added consumer behaviour, leadership and motivation, management of innovation, doing business in and with China, raising capital in global markets, and managing with a global mindset. For instance, its “Living Case Study” allows students in Sydney to participate in management consulting projects for major organisations such as Siemens Healthcare, British Telecom, Pfizer Oncology and Virgin Australia. “Through close ties with industry, we can determine current and anticipated workplace needs and develop programmes to help students address them,” Petty says. Among these is the need to keep MGSM students abreast of new developments, such as the current crop of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, new products in financial technology, big data analytics, and innovations in financial services. Frino says they are actually on the cutting edge of developing new applications for big data analytics, such as using it for market fraud detection and new capital market technology. “One of our professors at Macquarie University has demonstrated the
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 19
MBA
“
It is crucial ... to be tech-savvy, familiar with data analytics, able to formulate strong digital strategies - Lawrence Chan
use of big data for hospital and healthcare management. So we are creating knowledge, not just disseminating it,” Frino says. MGSM has also been running an annual two-week China study tour that allows students to learn about the key challenges and best practices in both local and foreign companies operating in China, through faceto-face meetings with senior executives and managers. “Classes seek to deliver a global experience, not one which is western- or Asian-focused, but with the China market providing plenty of burgeoning prospects, the programme is acutely attuned to current and regional business needs,” Petty says. As far as business needs are concerned, Chan of CUHK business school says graduates adept at digital marketing, compliance and financial technology are in demand. “In the technology sector, they are looking for people who can drive globalisation, new strategy and product development, as well as managing investments, and mergers and acquisitions,” he says. “In terms of hard skills, it is crucial for professionals to be tech-savvy, familiar with data analytics, and able to formulate strong digital strategies,” Chan continues. “On the soft skills side, employers are always looking for people with strong communication
20 Professional Education
”
skills, who can work across cultures, and are highly adaptable to fast-changing environments. Familiarity with start-ups, or a strong entrepreneurial spirit, is crucial, even if our graduates are joining a large corporate. Even big traditional companies are looking for people with a roll-up-the-sleeves style to break into new markets, develop new products, or hunt for mergers and acquisitions targets in emerging markets.”
Lawrence Chan
CUHK MBA
Open House cum Sample Class JAN 9, 2016 (SAT) Prof. Tom Bain: My Latest Insights About The Financial Market
CUHK Business School Cheng Yu Tung Building, 12 Chak Cheung St, Hong Kong
RESERVE A SEAT NOW! http://mba.cuhk.edu.hk/upcoming_events_post/open-house-cum-sample-class/
DATA FACTSHEETS
CUHK Business School The Chinese University of Hong Kong CUHK MBA PROGRAMS
Contact: Lawrence CHAN Administrative Director (Marketing and Student Recruiting) MBA Programs, CUHK Business School 14/F Cheng Yu Tung Building 12 Chak Cheung Street Shatin, NT, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3943 7782 Fax: (852) 2603 6289 Email: cumba@cuhk.edu.hk www.mba.cuhk.edu.hk
Join the Leaders of Tomorrow A pioneer in business education, the Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School MBA develops socially responsible leaders who are equally comfortable working in the East and the West. Our courses take you to the cutting edge of development and arm you with the most up-to-date hard and soft skills to take up a leadership position. With us, you can focus on your career growth by developing your executive skills and management essentials, networking and getting career counseling from our Career Management Center. Our 30,000 alumni in important leadership positions around the region and the globe will serve you as a advisors and mentors, helping you to reach new heights. Why CUHK MBA? - High Reputation – 50 Years’ Distinguished History - Cutting-edge Curriculum - Responsible Leadership
- Powerful Career Support - Truly Diverse Class Profile - Life-changing Experience
Accreditation AACSB
Language of Instruction English
Programme Schedule One intake per year starting in September. Each academic year is divided into 4 terms. Students spend the first half of program duration on core courses, followed by a wide range of elective courses in the second half.
Programme Fee Full-time: HKD 510,300 Part-time: HKD 356,400
Mode of Delivery Full-time or Part-time Duration of Programme Full-time: 12 or 16 months Part-time: 24 months
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 23
DATA FACTSHEETS
College of Business City University of Hong Kong CITYU MBA
Contact: Stephanie Ng MBA Office, College of Business, 12-200 Academic 3, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3442 5909 Fax: (852) 3442 0151 Email: mba@cityu.edu.hk http://www.cb.cityu.edu.hk/mba
Programme Summary The CityU MBA programme is an elite and high profile programme offered by the College of Business at the City University of Hong Kong. CityU MBA is committed to providing students with practical, cutting-edge managerial practice with the leadership skills needed to succeed in the ever-changing business world. Students choose from three options: General MBA (40 credits); One Concentration MBA (49 credits); or Double Concentration MBA (58 credits). General Curriculum: Students are required to take 19 credits of compulsory courses, a minimum of 9 credits of experience learning courses and a minimum of 9 credits of elective courses. One Concentration Curriculum: Students are required to take 19 credits of compulsory courses, a minimum of 9 credits of experience learning courses, a minimum of 6 credits of elective courses and 15 credits of courses from one concentration area. Double Concentration Curriculum: Students are required to take 19 credits of compulsory courses, a minimum of 9 credits of experience learning courses and 30 credits of courses from two concentration areas.
Accreditation AACSB and EQUIS Programme Schedule Full-time: weekdays, weekday evenings and Saturday afternoons Part-time: weekday evenings and Saturday afternoons Mode of Delivery Full-time and Part-time Duration of Programme Full-time: 12 - 18 months Part-time: 24 - 36 months Programme Fee Local: HK$6,410 per credit Non-local: HK$7,430 per credit
Ranking • CityU is ranked 2nd in Asia as the Best Global Universities for Economics and Business by the ‘U.S. News’ in 2015. • The College of Business at CityU is ranked 2nd in Asia in the UT Dallas Rankings, based on our research contributions from 20102014. • CityU is ranked 5th under the QS Top 50 under 50 Rankings and 9th in the QS University Rankings: Asia 2015. Language of Instruction English Class Size 40 to 50
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 25
DATA FACTSHEETS
HKUST Business School Executive Education Office
HKUST BUSINESS SCHOOL EXECUTIVE EDUCATION PROGRAMS
Contact: Christine Chan / Garrie Pang Executive Education Office School of Business & Management Room 3011 Lee Shau Kee Business Building The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2358 7541 / (852) 2358 8013 Fax: (852) 2335 5836 Email: ExecEd@ust.hk www.bm.ust.hk/ExecEd
Programme Summary HKUST Business School Executive Education Office offers non-degree company-specific and open-enrolment programs which provide executives and managerial talents in corporations, local and overseas platform to sharpen skill sets and acquire the cutting-edge insights that help companies prosper and better prepare for the new challenges and responsibilities found in today’s workplace. Every year a packed timetable includes programs ranging from 2 days in duration to the comprehensive Leading for Success series which spreads 10 days of high-quality teaching over 4 months. They are designed for senior executives and business leaders who look for intensive learning mode programs with minimal disturbance to their busy schedule and for those would like to apply what they learnt in the workplace immediately.
Accreditation HKUST Business School is accredited by Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). Programme Schedule Year-round Mode of Delivery Part Time
Language of Instruction Most in English & one in Mandarin Class Size 20-40 Programme Fee Refer to website for details.
Duration of Programme 2-10 days Ranking • Kellogg-HKUST EMBA No. 2 in the World (2015), No.1 in the World for six years (2007,2009-2013), Financial Times • MBA Program No.14 in the World in 2015, Financial Times
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 27
DATA FACTSHEETS
Macquarie University Graduate School of Management, Sydney MBA, MGSM, SYDNEY
Contact: Carol Wong / Mani Ng 16/F, Tower B, Southmark 11 Yip Hing Street Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2774 8585 (Carol Wong) / (852) 2774 8534 (Mani Ng) Fax: (852) 2365 1000 Email: carolwong@hkma.org.hk / maning@hkma.org.hk www.hkma.org.hk/mgsm
Programme Summary MGSM has been a leading provider of postgraduate education for more than 40 years and has been in Hong Kong continuously since 1994. It has an international reputation for excellence in management education and is consistently ranked in the top tier of business schools worldwide. The MGSM MBA transforms managers and professionals to leaders with a global mindset. MGSM’s students, originating from 135 different countries, are mature professionals who bring with them a wealth of experience, knowledge and diversity. Flexible Format and World Class Faculty MGSM offers students a highly interactive, flexible and rigorous learning experience. The building block aspect of MGSM’s postgraduate programs allows students to select the point at which to commence study that best suits their individual needs, and the flexibility helps them manage their work/life balance. The programs are offered in Hong Kong and Sydney, and are taught in person by MGSM world class faculty, many of whom have extensive experience in business at a senior level in addition to possessing stellar academic credentials. Powerful Networking MGSM hosts regular business networking events in Hong Kong. They allow students and alumni to meet outside the classroom and share ideas and experiences that are relevant to both their learning and professional environments. In addition, it introduced the Dean’s Awards in 2006 to recognize outstanding students. Students become eligible for a Dean’s award by scoring the highest grade in a particular subject unit. The awards are usually conferred on students during networking functions. Accreditation AACSB Accredited – fewer than 5% of business schools have earned this distinguished hallmark of excellence in management education Programme Schedule The content is delivered in block format with 40 contact hours for each module. The classes are scheduled on Friday nights (6pm to 10pm), Saturdays (2pm to 10pm) and Sundays (9am to 5pm). Mode of Delivery Part-time
Rankings • #1 MBA in Australia (Financial Times, 2015) • Top 30 Global MBA (The Economist Which MBA?, 2015) • #2 globally for ‘post MBA salary’ (The Economist Which MBA?, 2015) Language of Instruction English Programme Fee Fee per module in 2016 is HK$20,420, a total of 16 modules
Duration of Programme 2.5 years
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 29
DATA FACTSHEETS
Lingnan University
MASTER OF SCIENCE IN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND ORGANISATIONAL BEHAVIOUR
Contact: Ms. Belinda LI MSc in HRMOB Programme Office Department of Management Room 102/3, Simon and Eleanor Kwok Building, Lingnan University, Tuen Mun, N.T. Hong Kong SAR Tel: (852) 2616 8309 / (852) 2616 8303 Fax: (852) 2467 0982 Email: hrmob@LN.edu.hk www.ln.edu.hk/mgt/prog/
Programme Summary The MSc in Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour (HRMOB) Programme is offered and managed by the Department of Management, Lingnan University. This full-time programme began in September 2010. The normal duration for the Programme is one year full time. The Programme provides students with an internationalised and highly interactive learning environment. It aims to equip students, entering either with business degrees or non-business degrees, with the necessary management competencies to pursue careers in human resource management and leadership. Lingnan University was named as one of the “Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges in Asia” by Forbes in early 2015. Core courses Management of Organisations and People Managing Ethically Teams for Learning Contemporary Human Resource Management Performance Management
Elective courses Managing Conflict in Organisations Leadership in Organisations Comparative and Cross-cultural Management Strategic Management Managing Quality for People and Organisations Organisational Analysis and Change
Accreditation The Faculty of Business is accredited by AACSB International.
Language of Instruction English
Programme Schedule All Programme courses carry 3 credits. Students must obtain 30 credits, which consist of 5 required courses (15 credits), 4 elective courses (12 credits) and the year course of Action Learning Projects (3 credits) to graduate.
Class Size Around 60
Mode of Delivery Full-time
Programme Fee HK$100,000 for local students; HK$152,000 for non-local students
Duration of Programme One year
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 31
EXECUTIVE & BUSINESS
Business education lite
Photo: Reuters
Today’s business executives and entrepreneurs, who function almost everywhere and all the time, need a constant but flexible feed of knowledge and skills in a complex world
I
n the hectic, interconnected corporate world, executives and entrepreneurs who want to stay in the game must constantly tune in to the latest business practice trends, management innovations and technological shifts that affect their respective industries. Educational institutions around the world have recognised this need and have been serving it with flexible and creatively delivered degree and non-degree programmes. Among the leading local players in this area is the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) which, through its highly rated business school, has come up with a menu of more than 10 open, nondegree programmes for busy but knowledge-
32 Professional Education
hungry executives and entrepreneurs. The programmes range from a few days in duration to the comprehensive “Leading for Success” series offering 10 days of highquality teaching spread over a number of months. “We offer non-degree executive programmes for senior executives from around the world,” says Della Wong, head of HKUST business school’s Executive Education Office. “Our service specialises in delivering company and open-enrolment programmes that educate and inspire, change mindsets through fresh perspectives, suggest new strategies and point to solutions, promote leadership and talent development, staff retention and succession planning.”
According to Wong, the average work experience of their participants is 18 years, with about 60 per cent holding a master’s or doctoral degree, and about 30 per cent having finished a university degree. The school has welcomed participants from more than 50 locations across six continents – everyone from chief executives to presidents and chairmen, managing directors to financial controllers, regional heads to typical professionals. Wong highlights three of their programmes that specifically cater for the needs of professionals in the business and finance sectors – Wealth and Asset Management, Strategic Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers, and Big Data
Applications in Business. Fees for these twoday programmes range from HK$10,000 to HK$20,000. Wong points out that the Wealth and Asset Management programme zeroes in on practice instead of being weighed down by theory. “All the tools and techniques presented during the programme have been applied in real-life investing situations and are based on sound concepts. Also, unlike most other programmes, this is unique in offering an unbiased clear perspective without any hidden agendas,” she adds. The programme, which was launched in 2005 and has had 11 class intakes as of this year, is intended for those with little or no background in managing and creating wealth using liquid assets. Its next intake is for June 24-25 2016. “If you have some savings and wish to manage and create wealth by investing in liquid assets but do not know how, then you should take this programme,” Wong says. According to Wong, participants can expect to learn the importance of asset allocation, the different liquid asset classes, how to define investment objectives clearly, how to use different assets to achieve those objectives, how to design a portfolio for long-term wealth creation and wealth management, and the nature of mutual funds and how to evaluate them as investment vehicles. The second programme, Strategic Financial Management for Non-Financial Managers, covers tools and concepts for analysing financial and investment decisions. Its next intake will also be for June 24-25 2016. “This programme provides a comprehensive understanding of valuation and the valuecreation process,” Wong says. “You will learn methods that will help you assess the financial health of your firm, measure your financing needs, determine what investments you should make, and how you should finance them. You will develop a deeper understanding of how your investment and financing decisions affect your firm’s value.”
for executives with little or no finance background but who are responsible for making strategic, operating, or investment decisions with significant financial implications. The programme, launched in 2007, has so far successfully staged nine classes. Wong says they have been giving their “graduates” the confidence to deal with financial data and decisions, the ability to assess the financial health of their company, forecast financial performance and estimate funding needs, the necessary knowledge to evaluate investment opportunities and the financial effects of their managerial decisions, plus the skills to create value in their organisations. Launched in 2014, HKUST business school’s Big Data Applications in Business programme is a pioneer in helping executives and entrepreneurs appreciate the potential business value of the flood of information gathered today through increasingly sophisticated methods and modes. For next year, it will have sessions on June 24-25.
with an immense potential to better understand their customers and to formulate actionable strategies to maximise business opportunities.” Wong believes that big data analytics can help executives boost their bottom line by enabling them to systematically acquire, analyse, and experiment with data collected from internal and external sources. “As competition intensifies on a global scale, data analytics will become a core competence for executives who aim to identify and exploit business opportunities at different stages of the value chain,” she adds. “The programme, which is not very technical, is particularly useful for executives who are leading or exploring data analytics projects and can apply the skills learned in the programme in implementing their projects,” Wong says.
“Corporations are increasingly flooded with data collected from different touch points with customers. These can be sales transactions, inquiries, surveys, click streams, and comments collected from a wide spectrum of social media platforms,” Wong says. “They provide corporate executives
“
Data analytics will become a core competence ... to identify and exploit opportunities
”
- Della Wong
Wong recommends this programme
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 33
SECTION TWO
HUMANITIES, SOCIAL SCIENCES & TECHNOLOGY
The Annual Postgraduate Guide 路 December 2015 35
ARTS & HUMANITIES
Learning to be human
Photo: HKU SPACE
Students on two Hong Kong campuses are taught to think more deeply about the human experience and the impact that it has on both society and the wider global economy
H
ow do you teach the whole gamut of what it means to be human? What skills does one need to be an ambassador of goodwill for mankind? And how can learning about art, human history and the evolution of life itself be socially beneficial and financially rewarding at the same time? Perhaps more than any other academic programme, the humanities and the various artistic disciplines – from traditional art practice to social media development – carry within them the power to change human culture and shape civilisation itself. This is probably the reason why institutions offering those courses strive not only for individual enlightenment but also for cross-disciplinary collaboration and global outreach.
36 Professional Education
“Our master of arts (MA) in anthropology offers a unique opportunity for students to cultivate a holistic understanding of the human experience, and engage with a range of ethical and moral deliberations on what it means to be human,” says Joseph Bosco, associate professor, head of the graduate division and MA programme director at the department of anthropology of the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Bosco says their enrollees have included students from other disciplines, teachers, social workers, civil servants, administrators, artists, journalists, documentary film makers, and medical doctors. “Students have also come from a variety of age groups and national backgrounds, which adds to the instruction because they can share their
different experiences and perspectives to add to everyone’s understanding,” he adds. It is this opening up of a new panorama of opportunities that drives the arts, business and media culture programmes at HKU SPACE International College, says its head and principal lecturer, Ken Wong. “Working with colleagues from a wide range of academic areas and partnering with 11 overseas institutions, the college has so far educated over 7,000 Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Examination (HKDSE) and sub-degree graduates and 500 senior executives,” he says. “Our collaborative programmes aim to enrich the international outlook of executives and deepen their academic connections with top-
Joseph Bosco
notch academic staff and practitioners who fly in to teach,” Wong explains. “We encourage student mobility, both physical and virtual, through increasing opportunities for online co-op projects, overseas internships and volunteering experience. Cross-city interaction, discourse and shared experiences are not only great learning opportunities, but also excellent tools that can bridge cultural differences,” he says. Such a unifying mission has become urgent in a world of increasing interdependencies, from the environment to human talent, from conflict-driven migration to demographic shifts. “Students in our MA programme will develop their abilities in critical, independent and creative thinking, in analysing contemporary social, cultural and political issues, and their understanding of cultural and social diversity,” Bosco explains. Over at HKU SPACE International College, academic programmes and the teaching staff needed to deliver them are also constantly reviewed and tweaked to respond to social and economic demands, in close collaboration with professional associations, industry leaders, corporate clients and local stakeholders, says Wong. “We have an established mechanism to continuously review the key talent and skills trends to ensure that our master’s and executive programmes will provide students with a solid grounding in their
chosen subject discipline, even as we nurture their entrepreneurial and leadership skills,” he says, citing the recent launch of joint activities, forums, and study tours to London, Shanghai, Edinburgh, and Shenzhen-Qianhai “to maximise global-local synergy”. Another example of HKU SPACE International College’s responsive approach is the recent adjustments in its business, cultural studies and Asian studies programmes to include such topics as China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative and the various business opportunities offered by the unifying markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). “One example is the request from a number of mainland China-listed companies for performance-delivery techniques to its senior executives who need to frequently conduct public presentations in English in international forums and conferences with their recent ‘going global’ business strategy,” Wong says. In a way, this push by mainland Chinese executives to embrace international business practices – along with the challenge posed by Singapore and other key cities in the region and the emergence of prestigious academic institutions in these locations – should send a signal to Hong Kong that it must continually work to keep its edge. “While the journey ahead for Hong Kong has tremendous promise, local senior executives will need to face market challenges arising from our neighbouring cities that are reshaping the regional and global business
Ken Wong
environment. Thus, there is a constant need for local senior executives – and our programme leaders – to upgrade their knowledge and skill sets,” Wong says. In response to these regional and global challenges, and to sustain its “internationalisation strategies”, HKU SPACE International College has been collaborating with Central Saint Martins college and Royal Central School in Britain on an executive series focusing on new areas such as cultural enterprise, creative entrepreneurship, art collecting and investment, retail branding and leadership style and presentation. Despite the growing complexity of their programmes, both CUHK’s department of anthropology and HKU SPACE International College strive to make the course delivery as flexible as possible to suit the busy schedules of their students. Wong at HKU SPACE cites their two new master’s programmes – arts and cultural enterprise, and media, communications and critical practice – as examples of industry collaboration and reflexive practice, in partnership with the University of the Arts London. We provide access to resources and materials supported by our partner institution in Britain. These tools will provide students with the insights to address many issues in a world of uncertainty informed by changes in the digital, geopolitical and socio-economic environment,” Wong adds.
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 37
DATA FACTSHEETS
Department of Anthropology The Chinese University of Hong Kong M.A. IN ANTHROPOLOGY
Contact: Room 407 Humanities Building, New Asia College, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T. Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3943 7670 / 3943 7677 Fax: (852) 2603 5218 Email: anthropology@cuhk.edu.hk www.cuhk.edu.hk/ant/ma.htm
Programme Summary The Programme is designed for people who have not majored in anthropology but wish to receive a formal education in the discipline. The goal of the programme is to teach students the basic theories and methods of social and cultural anthropology and to give them a broad understanding of anthropology’s different topics. Students will learn to develop their abilities of critical, independent and creative thinking in analyzing contemporary social and political issues, and understanding the diversity of human cultures and societies. A key feature and major advantage of the Programme is that students are able to take courses that fit their background and interest. For example, foreign students can concentrate on Chinese society and culture, while students working in museums can concentrate on the anthropology of tourism, museums, archaeology, and other areas relevant to their work.
Programme Schedule Students have to complete 8 courses. The contact time of each course is 3 hours (13 – 14 weeks) Deadline for application: 15 January 2016 (1st round) 29 February 2016 (2nd round)
Language of Instruction English
Mode of Delivery Full-time / Part-time
Programme Fee HK$95,000 per year (Full-time) HK$47,500 per year (Part-time)
Duration of Programme One year for Full-time Two years for Part-time
Class Size Varies from 12 in some electives to 50 in required courses.
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 39
EDUCATION
Training the teachers
Photo: AFP
As the big data phenomenon hits both real and virtual classrooms, education-related courses are undergoing a paradigm shift, powered by digitalisation and collaboration
A
s in other academic fields, the science of learning and teaching is being redefined and reinvented amid the changes and challenges wrought by information technology, particularly social media and big data. “With the development of digital technology and the emergence of new culture, education is confronted with increasing challenges globally, requiring interdisciplinary problemsolving, knowledge construction, and collaboration,” says Daricks Chan Wai-hong, acting head and associate professor at the department of mathematics and information technology of the Hong Kong Institute of Education (HKIEd).
40 Professional Education
“To cope with the challenges, the relevant experts from different walks of life such as teachers, researchers, trainers, and other educational professionals must better understand how people learn in complex settings, and how to improve the design of innovative learning environments to maximise learning outcomes,” Chan adds. One of the biggest challenges for teachers and educators, Chan believes, is how to design innovative learning programmes in response to the emergence of various learning management systems and social network platforms that deliver knowledge old and new. “Parallel to this is a gigantic amount of
accessible learning data that is produced and captured in the learning management systems and social network platforms in formal and informal learning settings,” Chan says. “These student-generated data footprints document what is actually happening in the learning process, providing opportunities for educators with different expertise to examine and analyse the big data through the lens of learning and data sciences.” As the leading teaching-training institute in Hong Kong, the HKIEd is designing programmes to meet the rising need for skilled education professionals who can make effective use of the increasing amount of educational data to support teaching and
“
Learning and data sciences is increasingly recognised as a key interdisciplinary field
”
- Daricks Chan
learning, and strategic planning and decisionmaking in education-related environments such as institutions, industries, schools and online communities, says Chan. “The rigorous, interdisciplinary programme combines learning sciences, high-level statistical theory, and information technology with practical knowledge to explore innovative learning environment designs in different spaces, capture educational data sets, gather paedagogical insights, and visualise and communicate meaningful findings for educational purposes,” he adds.
by conducting projects and participating in innovative investigations of educationrelated phenomena in communities such as workplaces, external organisations, schools, and other settings,” Chan says.
four classes per week in the daytime or evening on weekdays or Saturdays at HKIEd’s Tai Po Campus, Tseung Kwan O Study Centre or its Kowloon Tong Satellite Study Centre.
“Learning and data sciences is increasingly recognised as a key interdisciplinary field in which to study learning as it happens in realworld situations, and how better to facilitate learning in designed environments with or without technologies,” Chan says.
The first four core courses, delivered in the first semester, cover an introduction to learning sciences, the design of innovative learning environments, the foundations of data science, and educational data mining. The second semester covers the final four core courses – educational assessment with technology, techniques of data analysis, practical machine learning for education, and a project in learning and data sciences.
The master of arts in learning and data sciences, set for implementation at the HKIEd in 2016-2017, focuses on interdisciplinary studies that expose students to three themes – instruction, data science and design of innovative learning environments associated with technology – that permeate theory and practice through learning and data sciences.
However, he notes that in the digital age, learning may happen anywhere, anytime. As a result, students leave a massive number of digital prints in their learning processes, making it even more challenging to understand the learning and data they generate. The HKIEd believes that its new degree programme is timely in helping education professionals delve into learning and teaching leveraged by technologies.
“As part of our programme, students are provided with invaluable opportunities to bridge theory and method with practice
The English-language programme consists of 24 credit points covering eight core courses. Full-time studies will take one year, requiring
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 41
DATA FACTSHEETS
The Hong Kong Institute of Education POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN EDUCATION PROGRAMMES
Contact: Admissions and Registrations Section, Registry Information Centre, Room A-G/F-11 Administration Building The Hong Kong Institute of Education 10 Lo Ping Road, Tai Po New Territories, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2948 6886 Fax: (852) 2948 6162 Email: admission@ied.edu.hk www.ied.edu.hk/acadprog/pgde
Programme Summary Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programmes (PGDE) aim to prepare university graduates to become competent and confident teachers in schools in Hong Kong. If you are holding a recognised bachelor’s degree and wish to receive teacher training, PGDE would be a good choice for you. The Hong Kong Institute of Education offers the following PGDE programmes in 2016-2017: • PGDE (Primary) Programme • PGDE (Secondary) Programme • PGDE (Early Childhood Education) Programme • PGDE (Professional & Vocational Education) Programme
Mode of Delivery Full-time / Part-time
Language of Instruction Chinese and/or English
Duration of Programme One year for Full-time Two years for Part-time
Programme Fee Full-time PGDE Programmes Local students: HK$42,100 per annum Non-local students: HK$110,000 per annum Part-time PGDE Programmes Local students: HK$21,050 per annum Non-local students: HK$55,000 per annum
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 43
LAW
The evolution of laws
Photo: Sam Tsang
Law students at two Hong Kong universities are constantly urged to raise their game to meet rapidly evolving business realities and game-changing technological innovations “Laws and institutions, like clocks, must occasionally be cleaned, wound up, and set to true time.” So said Henry Ward Beecher, an American politician from the 1880s. As it was in the 19th century, so it is in the early decades of the new millennium: the art of teaching law and training legal experts must evolve with the demands of society, new geopolitical realities, and the dynamics of the global economy. And as with the
44 Professional Education
theory of evolution, only those who can adapt well will survive and thrive. For Paul Mitchard, administrative director for career planning and professionalism at the faculty of law at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), this “setting to true time” has been triggered by several factors, including the rise of the political and economic behemoth that is China, technological shifts such as social media,
tougher regulations in the wake of global financial crises, the globalisation of business, and a reassessment of the behavioural and professional skills of would-be legal practitioners. Over at City University of Hong Kong (CityU) school of law, adjunct professor David R. Tully has roughly the same list of factors that have triggered changes in the legal academic and professional fields. “The law
is always changing and it is a professional duty of the practising lawyer to keep up to date with developments which relate to their practice area,” Tully says. “This would certainly include areas such as information technology and cross-border legal issues. We also work closely with our growing alumni body, who practise in the profession, to organise seminars on new and important legal developments.” Like Mitchard, Tully notes that China’s rise has meant lawyers are now expected to talk the talk. “Chinese language skills are important to employers, in addition to being able to communicate fluently in English,” Tully says. Mitchard concurs: “For those graduating in Hong Kong and wishing to work in the international law firms in the region, it is very difficult to find a position without fluency in both English and Putonghua – even if they may wish eventually to specialise in areas where [Putonghua] may seem less important such as international arbitration, tax or insolvency.” According to Mitchard, a CUHK faculty of law survey of its 2014 and 2015 Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) graduates
indicates that fluency in Putonghua is critical, as most law firms – which hire a majority of PCLL graduates – have cross-border dealings with mainland entities. This burgeoning demand has become so significant that CityU has been tweaking its courses in response. “We are reforming the curriculum of the Chinese and comparative law stream to equip LLM [Master of Laws] students with sufficient knowledge and abilities to solve cross-border legal issues,” says Dr Ding Chunyan, assistant professor and LLM programme leader at CityU. Aside from the need to cope with China’s linguistic demands, technology has also become both a challenge to and opportunity for Hong Kong’s law schools. “Law firms have benefited greatly from technology. While having had little effect on employment prospects – law is still a very labour-intensive discipline – technological advances in online research, knowledge management and other resources, such as computer-assisted drafting, have increased cost-saving, speed of delivery, efficiency of working and, hence, productivity and ultimately profitability,” says Mitchard. In CUHK’s law classrooms, technology has
been embraced in the form of new teaching delivery platforms such as podcasting, online access to the syllabus and other class materials, and interaction with students via social media. “Through these digitallyenabled learning processes, students are taught how to receive and distribute information in an efficient and effective way and learn appropriate network etiquette, which is important for their professional career,” Mitchard says. Increasingly, lessons about etiquette and good behaviour are playing a major role in preparing students, as most law firms now also scrutinise the “non-legal” skills of interns or job applicants, according to Mitchard. “Such attributes as personability, effective communication and teamworking, and the ability to handle such challenges as conflicts or ethical questions, as well as the more traditional ability to demonstrate initiative and leadership, are tested at the application stage,” he says, adding that most firms zero in on the job application, the résumé and the interview. At CityU’s school of law, “ethics are one of the cornerstones to the legal profession and our students are taught the importance of integrity and professionalism”, says Tully.
“
Students are taught how to receive and distribute information in an effective way - Paul Mitchard
”
Ding Chunyan
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 45
LAW
“
We are introducing seminars on topics such as ‘entrepreneurship and the law’ so that our students gain a better understanding of the issues facing start-ups and young entrepreneurs - David R. Tully
“In the legal profession, employers of our graduates look for bright, talented individuals who not only have good academic standards but who also have excellent interpersonal and social skills.” Mitchard believes this fixation on ethics has been brought about by various factors, such as bigger governments, the banking crisis, concerns over money-laundering and corruption, and tougher market regulations. These trends have, at the same time, generated new opportunities in quasi-legal fields such as compliance and corporate investigations, Mitchard says. “The increasing globalisation of business has meant that those working in transnational practice areas need to have some familiarity with the principles of private international law, particularly comparative law and conflicts of laws,” he adds. In response to these challenges, CUHK’s faculty of law has adopted a “globalisation strategy” to widen the faculty’s international outlook and to make students more competitive in the global legal services market. This has also involved identifying suitable courses in the bachelor of laws and juris doctor programmes to incorporate global law elements into the curriculum. A global professors programme and a global fellows programme have been set up to co-ordinate visits by senior legal scholars and prominent legal practitioners and officials from around the world. A new course, “global issues in law”, has been introduced to help
46 Professional Education
”
underpin these visits, Mitchard says. Finally, CUHK’s faculty of law has rolled out new teaching approaches associated with the online environment, and created a department for career development and professionalism to assist students in finding suitable positions in law firms, chambers and other agencies, and to meet the standards for professionalism and personal skills sought by potential employers.
entrepreneurs,” Tully explains. In another nod to the commercial world, CityU’s Ding says they have introduced a maritime and transportation law stream and an intellectual property and technology law stream. “We also provide LLM students with opportunities for overseas study at partner universities in mainland China, Europe and North America, to widen their vision and diversify their knowledge base,” she adds.
Tully notes that an understanding of startups, entrepreneurs and the bottom line is increasingly relevant to a young lawyer’s skill set – a gauge of “commercial” awareness. “We are introducing seminars on topics such as ‘entrepreneurship and the law’ so that our students gain a better understanding of the issues facing start-ups and young
To complement these efforts, Ding says they have recruited academic staff specialising in corporate and financial law, international economic law, IP and technology law. “We are also proposing to introduce a new stream of corporate and commercial law to the LLM programme, subject to the approval of the university,” she adds.
Immediate employment of CUHK PCLL graduates 2014-2015
Source: CUHK
DATA FACTSHEETS
City University of Hong Kong School of Law
Contact: School of Law City University of Hong Kong 83 Tat Chee Avenue Kowloon Tong, Kowloon Tel: (852) 3442 8008 Fax: (852) 3442 0190 Email: lwgo@cityu.edu.hk www.cityu.edu.hk/slw
Programme Summary CityU School of Law offers the following postgraduate law programmes: • JD • JSD • LLM
• LLMArbDR • MPhil & PhD • PCLL
The School of Law aspires to be an internationally-renowned centre for research and teaching in law in the Asia-Pacific region. Our School is staffed by a stellar international faculty with a multicultural profile, bringing with them a diversity of quality. With joint efforts of staff and students, our School has established expertise in a wide range of fields including Chinese law, comparative law, Hong Kong Basic Law, commercial law, environmental law, constitutional law, human rights, criminal justice, WTO law, international trade and investment law, international economic law, arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution.
Accreditation • JD: a law degree recognized to apply for admission to PCLL. • LLMArbDR: upon completion of the programme and subject to fulfilling certain requirements, graduates are eligible to apply for professional recognition both within and outside of Hong Kong. • PCLL: a skill-based training programme required for admission to the legal profession in Hong Kong under the Legal Practitioners Ordinance. Duration of Programme (Normal Study Period) JD: 2 years JSD: 3 years LLM: 1 year (FT)/ 2 years (PT) LLMArbDR: 1 year (FT)/ 2.5 years (PT) MPhil: 2 years (FT)/ 4 years (PT) PhD: 3-4 years (FT)/ 6-8 years (PT) PCLL: 1 year (FT)
Mode of Delivery Full-time: JD, MPhil, PCLL & PhD Part-time: MPhil & PhD Combined mode: JSD, LLM & LLMArbDR Language of Instruction English Programme Fee Please refer to the Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies (SGS) website: http://www.sgs.cityu.edu.hk/
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 47
DATA FACTSHEETS
The Chinese University of Hong Kong TAUGHT POSTGRADUATE LAW PROGRAMMES • POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN LAWS (PCLL) • JURIS DOCTOR (JD) • MASTER OF LAWS (LLM)
Contact: Faculty of Law 6/F., Lee Shau Kee Building The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 3943 4310 Fax: (852) 2994 2505 Email: lawpgadm@cuhk.edu.hk www.law.cuhk.edu.hk
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Faculty of Law offers the following taught postgraduate law programmes in 2016-17: • PCLL • JD • LLM in Chinese Business Law • LLM in Common Law • LLM in International Economic Law All programmes are taught by a highly international academic faculty with professors from nearly twenty jurisdictions. An uncompromising dedication to teaching, research and international exchange implemented through an innovative and student-centred approach ensures worldclass legal education. Classes are delivered at the CUHK Graduate Law Centre in Central with state-of-the-art teaching facilities creating an ideal teaching and research environment. Scholarships are available for academically outstanding students. Please visit the Faculty’s website for details.
Accreditation The JD is a recognized law degree for admission to the PCLL. The PCLL is a skill-based training programme required for admission to the legal profession in Hong Kong under the Legal Practitioners Ordinance. Mode of Delivery PCLL: Full-time JD & LLM: Full-time & Part-time Duration of Programme PCLL: 1 year JD: 24 months (Full-time) / 42 months (Part-time) LLM: 1 year (Full-time) / 2 years (Part-time)
Language of Instruction English Programme Fee Tuition Fee for 2016-17 *: • PCLL: HK$42,100 for local UGC-funded places and Distinguished Scholarship places. HK$120,000 for non-local UGC-funded places and Distinguished Scholarship places. HK$152,800 for Self-financed places. • JD&LLM: HK$4,630 per unit within the normative study period. *Subject to approval.
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 49
COMPUTING
Programming the cyber engineers
Photo: AFP
Leading centres of learning worldwide are racing to teach big data technology - a 21st century discipline whose time has well and truly arrived and which is vital to our future
T
here’s engineering, and then there is engineering. Beyond the built, awesome world of traditional civil engineering and its allied disciplines, there’s the virtual, arguably even more awesome, universe of data engineering. It has no physical monuments attesting to its expertise and achievements, but the mining, collating, analysing and dissemination of big data – the very engineering of information – promises to shape the global workforce itself. A recent survey by Hays, a British company providing recruitment and human resources services across the globe, indicates that big data in the workplace is the emerging third
50 Professional Education
most important talent trend in Hong Kong, if not globally. “Experts agree that big data, alongside the right data mining technology, can provide unprecedented new insights and predictive patterns into employees and not just customers, leading to improved recruitment and retention strategies,” Dean Stallard, regional director of Hays in Hong Kong, says in the report. “We will see human resources experts interpret data relating to talent attraction, engagement, retention, performance and satisfaction, and use it to make strategic talent acquisition decisions.” The growing importance of big data in the
workplace mirrors the emergence of other information technology-related trends that Hays has identified. For example, because of “mobile optimisation” – seventh in the Hays ranking of top 10 trends – there will be a significant increase in demand for digital marketing professionals across the board. Meanwhile, the ninth-ranked trend – “convergence of IT and marketing” – is expected to transform organisational structures and narrow the gap between IT and marketing teams. “Digital marketing will be a big area of job growth. As the technology and marketing worlds integrate, mobile optimisation will continue to be a significant priority
“
Big data will change our lives ... it can only help us through [those who know] how to collect, compute and mine it
”
- Chen Lei
for businesses,” Stallard adds. “Mobile strategies will move beyond simply having a responsive site or mobile app, and focus on mobile-optimised content and social media marketing as well, which will fuel job growth for suitably qualified and experienced candidates.” Given the expected huge demand for training and educating this workforce of tomorrow, the academic world’s leading institutions have been busy reviewing and tweaking their relevant curricula. “We’ve noticed a large demand for expertise in big data in different sectors worldwide, such as scientific and technical services, IT, retail trade, sustainability, waste management and remediation services,” notes Chen Lei, associate professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology’s (HKUST) department of computer science and engineering (CSE), and programme director of a new master’s programme in big data. “The key challenges for IT or IT-related professionals are still big data, which will bring us benefits and opportunities to make life easier,” Chen says. “However, big data also brings a lot of challenges, such as how to collect data from different sources. Is all the collected data useful? How does one identify data from different sources referring to the same thing, which could be an event or an object? How does one find useful knowledge from these huge volumes of heterogeneous data? IT, or IT-related, professionals should regularly upgrade their knowledge to address these challenges.”
Chen Lei
Big data is poised to change the way enterprises function and a society operates, and is changing the way science and engineering is conducted, Chen adds. “Because of these factors, HKUST will launch a master of science programme in big data technology in September next year. It will be the first MSc programme in big data to be launched in Hong Kong. We believe this programme, which will be jointly offered by HKUST’s CSE and mathematics departments, will meet the needs of various industries. Indeed, the demand for talent with comprehensive knowledge of and skills in big data has been growing significantly.”
source of big data research, with specialised studies in data extraction, data integration, big data computing, data management, data mining and visualisation.
According to Chen, aside from the new MSc programme in big data technology, a minor programme on the same topic will be offered by HKUST’s CSE department, to provide opportunities for undergraduate students to learn relevant state-of-the-art techniques.
The new MSc programme in big data technology also complements and expands on the university’s existing MSc in information systems management, whose interdisciplinary curriculum addresses the needs of both technical and non-technical professionals. Its core, required and elective courses cover e-commerce, database management, intellectual property law, consumer privacy, and big data analytics.
Although Chen and his academic team are still refining the details, it is understood that the programme duration will be one year full-time or two years part-time for a total of 30 credits. For its launch next year – with the first intake expected to start in September – the tuition fee is expected to be around HK$150,000. In a way, HKUST has been priming itself for the launch of the MSc in big data programme, given its well-established academic platform and culture supportive of the study of information systems. The university’s CSE department has been a rich
These pioneering moves have produced a virtual school of big data, with faculty members, research staff, and postgraduate students working in more than 30 research groups, from fundamental research in big data to real-world applications, such as online shopping, smart cities, health, genetic farming, finance and risk management – all aimed at improving the way people learn, work, play and live in future.
“As I mentioned before, big data will change our lives. However, data itself will not help us,” Chen adds. “It can only help us through the people who have the comprehensive knowledge about how to collect, extract, integrate, store, compute and mine big data. Therefore, HKUST’s MSc programme in big data technology is the right programme for people to acquire this knowledge.”
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 51
DATA FACTSHEETS
The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology MASTER OF SCIENCE PROGRAM IN BIG DATA TECHNOLOGY
Contact: Ms. Vince Chow / Ms. Fenny Wong MSc Program Office (Room 5603, 5/F/ Lifts 29-30) School of Engineering The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong Tel: (852) 2358 5773 / 2358 5772 Fax: (852) 2719 3027 Email: mscbdt@ust.hk http://www.seng.ust.hk/msc/bdt
Programme Summary Big data is poised to change the way enterprises function and a society operates, and is changing the way science and engineering is conducted. The MSc program in Big Data Technology, jointly offered by the Departments of Computer Science and Engineering and Mathematics, is the very first MSc program on big data to be launched in Hong Kong. It integrates different disciplines together to allow students to know all the important aspects of big data and how it is used in the real world. The program is aimed at educating students about big data and issues related to big data. The students are expected to be familiar with the workflow of big data systems and social and societal implications of big data systems. The program helps to integrate different disciplines together and students in this program will learn about eight major components of big data: • big data infrastructure • big data integration • big data storage • big data modeling and management
• big data computing systems • big data analytic and mining systems • big data security, policy and social implications, human factors • big data applications in various fields (data science)
Programme Schedule September every year. February intake may be available.
Language of Instruction English
Mode of Delivery Full-time & Part-time
Programme Fee The nominal program fee for 2016/17 is HK$150,000.
Duration of Programme Approximately 1 year for full-time and 2 years for part-time study. Postgraduate courses are normally scheduled on weekday evenings or Saturday afternoons.
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 53
SECTION THREE
CAREER TIPS
54 Professional Education
CAREER TIPS
Connecting top talent
A balance of cognitive ability and a high emotional quotient does wonders for a career, says an HR expert at Telstra, a major nurturer of sought-after Australian human capital
A
s one of Australia’s blue-chip companies, Telstra Corporation has been a nursery for the country’s business and professional leaders now working both at home and abroad. With more than 16 years of experience in the HR sector – most of them spent at Telstra – it can be said that Rebecca Lucas has been helping shape a generation of Australia’s top talent, particularly in the telecoms and information technology sector. Prior to her current global role as general manager for HR mergers and acquisitions at Telstra, Lucas led a transformational change project in Australia for the telecoms giant’s retail business, covering more than 100 outlets and support units. As part of the project, she helped redefine leadership roles, recruitment practices, metrics, organisational design, and learning and development practices. Hence, Lucas is probably one of the leading minds around when it comes to HR issues such as organisational and cultural change, capability and leadership development, talent management, employee engagement and building highly effective teams. So what’s her take on a career in human resources or telecoms? “I suggest anyone interested in a career in HR should complete a bachelor of business
degree with a major in HR or a similar discipline, and gain work experience through an internship while studying,” she says. “Strong written and verbal communication skills are required along with confidence to engage senior leaders. Interpersonal skills, commercial acumen and empathy are also a must.”
strong results and strategic leadership, customer focus and personal leadership. We also want to understand the candidate’s cognitive ability, their critical thinking and reasoning along with numerical proficiency. The combination of these assessment tools determine if the candidate is a good fit for a career with Telstra,” she explains.
Lucas recommends that, after at least five years of work experience, young professionals can pursue a postgraduate qualification such as an MBA or a master’s programme, to gain a broader perspective in strategic thinking and access to best practice.
Lucas believes there is no magic bullet for gaining the requisite skills to thrive in bestpractice organisations such as Telstra, but certain rules of thumb can help. “Whatever someone may choose to do in their career, if they want to move to the next level, they must have high performance, be motivated and have aspiration to be successful. All employees at Telstra have access to a wide range of development tools depending on their career ambitions, either through faceto-face leadership programmes, mentoring, secondment opportunities or self-paced learning.”
Having taken a master’s degree in general management herself, Lucas credits the programme for improving her strategic thinking, learning agility, knowledge of different businesses and industries, and professional network. “Postgraduate studies aren’t mandatory, as I know many successful leaders who haven’t completed them, but I think they help,” she says. Lucas has been with Telstra in Hong Kong for almost three years now, leading strategic HR operations from initial due diligence through integration and implementation. “At Telstra, we assess leadership candidates in interviews based on their past experience and against our leadership competency framework. These competencies include
“
They must have high performance, be motivated and have aspiration
”
- Rebecca Lucas
56 Professional Education
CAREER TIPS
Dressing new entrants for success in apparel trade
A software engineer by training, Edgar Tung cuts a dash in the fashion industry, where passion, ability and a desire to create change never go out of style in making an impact
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As the cliché goes, it is the attitude, not the aptitude, that determines one’s altitude - Edgar Tung
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B
eing a multifaceted talent himself, Edgar Tung knows how to assess and value human capital. A Harvard Business School MBA alumnus, and a chartered financial analyst, Tung is managing director of group human resources, organisation development and communications at Esquel Group, one of the world’s biggest shirt makers, with operations across the globe.
we bring about sustainable development, how we improve productivity and create quality employment for our 57,000-strong workforce, and how we leverage technology and modern management to transform the industry from a labour-intensive to a knowledge-based one. We often ask young job applicants: ‘Why do you want to be one of us?’ We look for passion, ability and the sparkle in their eyes in wanting to change the world to a better one.”
A software engineer by training, Tung is a product of the University of London’s Imperial College of Science and Technology. Aside from founding an internet start-up, he has also worked in government, structured equity derivatives products for wealthy clients, and notched up stints with an apparel technology service provider, a quality assurance and laboratory testing company, and a listed F&B retailer. Named one of China’s Most Innovative Leaders by Innovation China in 2009, Tung is also chairman of Youth Arch Foundation, a non-profit group that helps nurture young leaders.
When it comes to hiring at Esquel, Tung says the right attitude can sometimes trump professional qualifications or experience. “As the cliché goes, it is the attitude, not the aptitude, that determines one’s altitude. We prefer recruiting people without prior exposure in the industry so that we can groom them afresh from within the company, based on our best practices,” he explains.
Tung would be the first to concede that the fashion and apparel industry is not one that pays the highest, nor is it typically associated with advanced technology. It is also full of extremes, from haute couture and fancy high street labels, to sweatshops in blighted communities. Still, it encompasses some of the world’s most valuable luxury brands and companies that are as innovative as bluechip firms in cultivating human capital. “To me, it is the company more than the industry that matters,” Tung says. “Esquel’s vision is ‘making a difference’. While we are in a traditional industry, we like to think in a non-traditional way, in terms of how
For key management or leadership positions, Esquel prescribes three defining traits. “First, leaders do not command excellence; they build excellence. A good leader is not necessarily the brightest person in the team, but has the ability to attract and inspire and bring out the best in them. Second, a good leader is a visionary, with the ability to analyse complicated situations and come up with simple solutions. Finally, a leader always possesses a positive and courageous mind to enable the team to sail through rough waters with calmness and confidence,” Tung says. So how can one attain these defining traits? Tung cites the 70-20-10 model of learning and development: 70 per cent of our knowledge is acquired from job-related experiences, 20 per cent from interaction with others, and 10 per cent from educational
events. “It is also important to look for good role models at work, to read more, to talk to people more and to be exposed as much as possible to different ways of thinking,” he says. To help its staff advancement, Esquel offers structured talent development programmes, including three graduate traineeships for management, operations and production trainees. Its GOAL programme – Growth Opportunities for Accelerated Leaders – helps to build the talent pipeline by rotating trainees among different functions globally, involving them in cross-functional projects, and providing them with mentorship by senior management. Tung believes that postgraduate qualifications are helpful but may not be essential for career success. “It largely depends on the specific needs of individuals. In my case, the two years I invested in a full-time MBA course in the US was transformational. Not only did it provide the necessary business training I needed, it also broadened my exposure and led me to my current career through the alumni network,” he says. Tung advises prospective candidates eyeing key leadership roles to candidly assess their career goals and development needs. “If these are skills that can be acquired through on-the-job training or other means, there is no need to chase fancy degrees. However, if they see genuine needs to boost up specific skills through formal training, or are not sure of the next steps in their career, then a relevant postgraduate degree may be a sensible option,” he adds.
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 59
CAREER TIPS
Slam dunking a new career through MBA studies After scoring a triumph with the National Basketball Association’s CSR programme, Phebe Loo realised that going back to school was the next logical step on the ladder of success
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I have had the good fortune to work with great business leaders and learn from selfless teachers - Phebe Loo
60 Professional Education
”
H
aving helped to establish the National Basketball Association (NBA) corporate social responsibility programme “NBA Cares” in Greater China, which involved field trips to rural areas to select suitable sites for libraries, computer centres, basketball courts and Learn-and-Play spaces, Phebe Loo decided her career journey needed a boost, which required studying for an MBA. “Between 2006 and 2010 in my NBA Cares communication role, all year round I was able to meet NBA players, many of whom were legends. It was the best job anyone in their early 20s could ask for,” says Loo, who led multiple teams in communications and community outreach initiatives, including US basketball preOlympic and NBA pre-season games. At the first NBA China Games, Loo serviced the Disney account, leading a project team that comprised staff from multiple NBA regional offices to host community outreach events in Shanghai and Beijing. But something was missing. “As a liberal arts major, I didn’t think that I had enough business skills to take my career to the next level,” Loo says, adding that she felt she wanted to do more. “I wanted to scale up, leverage and have an impact,” she adds. Having enrolled on the full-time MBA programme offered by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), during her first year, Loo says, she was constantly challenged to push harder to break boundaries. “The MBA was a new world for me where interests
were shared and opportunities were abundant,” she recalls. Keen to pursue a new opportunity, on completion of her MBA, Loo joined IBM’s Global Business Services programme as a lead strategy and transformation consultant. “I wanted to continue learning after my MBA, which helped me transition from sports marketing to the tech space, which is something that I had not previously thought of doing,” says Loo, who quickly discovered that the tech sector, like the sports industry, is fast-moving. Sports activities, especially playing badminton, are an important part of Loo’s work-life balance strategies. As a lead consultant on a variety of projects Loo’s responsibilities were focused on operating processes, customer-centricity, systems improvement and re-engineering. The industry project areas she covered included food and beverage, real estate development, and public utilities. She also supported multiple bid projects in the airline industry, real estate and university systems development. “My MBA taught me how to frame business issues and understand the different perspectives of executives and senior stakeholders,” explains Loo, adding that the experience allowed her to put her communication and negotiating skills to good use. Seeking a fresh challenge, and a chance to utilise her MBA skills in a new way, Loo moved to business-orientated networking site LinkedIn, where she was given a mandate to build Customer Success teams in mainland China and Hong Kong.
“My role at LinkedIn brought together two of my favourite things – China topics and human capital consulting,” says Loo, who from the outset of her career wanted the China business and growth story to be part of her career journey. “I was fortunate enough to partner with a multitude of clients who wanted to adopt a social media recruitment strategy by integrating LinkedIn into their talent acquisition and branding efforts,” she says. “My vision was to influence a generation of young talent management professionals to understand the value of powering their companies with the best talent available,” Loo says. However, after two-and-a-half years and faced with a hectic monthly travel schedule that took her to Australia, the mainland, Taiwan and Singapore, Loo decided that she wanted a challenging job that didn’t involve as much travel. Four years after graduating from the HKUST MBA programme, and recently married, three months ago Loo returned to the university campus as the business school’s MBA programme assistant director of marketing and admissions. “This is the perfect culmination of my journey over the past 10 years,” stresses Loo, reflecting on her career journey so far. “Over the past decade I have had the good fortune to work with great business leaders and learn from selfless teachers who taught me lessons in leadership, humility and hard work,” Loo says. “My hope is the students I find in the future create an impact that will benefit businesses and communities where they live and work,” she says.
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 61
CAREER TIPS
Mum who builds bridges to women in construction Having enjoyed a successful career in an overwhelmingly male-dominated profession, Helen Leung is anxious to see more women enter the field where she has blazed a trail
T
o many visitors and Hong Kong people alike, the Tsing Ma Bridge, part of the vital link between Lantau Island and the rest of the territory, is nothing short of an engineering marvel. However, to the teenage son and daughter of Helen Leung, executive director, transport with consultancy firm Aecom, the world’s largest suspension bridge of its type carrying both motor vehicles and a railway is always referred to as “Mum’s” bridge. The Tsing Ma Bridge also holds a special place in Leung’s career satisfaction portfolio. Over the years she has been closely involved with a number of Hong Kong’s iconic infrastructure projects. “It was the first project I worked on after finishing my studies in the UK and returning to Hong Kong to join Mott MacDonald’s bridges and highways department in the late 1980s,” Leung recalls. Having earned her MSc in construction management from Britain’s Birmingham University, Leung joined a team of international civil engineering and construction experts to work on the HK$7.2 billion Tsing Ma Bridge project, one of nine large-scale infrastructure projects with Hong Kong International Airport as the centrepiece. “It was a fantastic way to begin my career. I learned so much and was able to do so many different things during the decade the Airport Core Programme was taking place,” says Leung, who at the time was one of a handful of women in the construction industry.
62 Professional Education
These days, as a senior civil engineer, Leung is herself a mentor, motivator and source of inspiration to a team of professionals that includes a growing number of women. “I try to pass on my enthusiasm and passion,” she says, pointing out that the talent shortage in the construction industry has led to firms stepping up their efforts to redress the gender imbalance, with many making a concerted effort to attract, recruit and retain women in their organisations. “I would encourage anybody who has an interest in any construction industryrelated career to pursue that interest,” Leung says. Initially keen to become a chemical engineer, Leung was drawn to the civil engineering profession after listening to the father of a school friend make a careers presentation at her school. “He said working on large construction projects was like watching a child grow up,” remembers Leung. “You conceptualise, nurture and see the finished project in front of your eyes. The sense of great satisfaction never changes,” she says, adding that no two projects are ever the same. In the same way that infrastructure projects have similarities with raising a family, as far as possible Leung ensures that she balances her busy schedule with family time. “I don’t recall ever having missed a school event,” she says. Alongside her other professional engineering qualifications, Leung says that in her MSc in construction management, known in the industry
as an engineering MBA owing to its similarity to a general MBA programme, modules focus on finance, tax principles, arbitration and contract law. This has provided her with a solid platform for a multifaceted career in consultancy and project management. Following the frenetic implementation of airport-related projects in the 1990s, the Hong Kong construction industry experienced a downturn in the early years of the new millennium, the effects of which were magnified by the impact of the Sars outbreak. During this time, with young children to look after, Leung decided to take a break from engineering in order to be a full-time mum. At the same time, juggling the joys of motherhood with academic studies, she completed her postgraduate diploma in education from the University of Hong Kong. “I spent about two years doing supply teaching and really enjoyed it,” Leung says. “There was no rote learning in the classes I taught,” she adds. Soon, however, the lure of engineering enticed her back to the profession she knew best, this time as project development director for infrastructure at Ocean Park, supervising its master redevelopment plan. Leung’s responsibilities included supervising the removal of more than a million cubic metres of soil from the mountain headland, and the construction of the “Ocean Express” funicular tunnel. Ironically, because of a long-held belief in the construction industry that females entering tunnels while they are being
excavated brings bad luck, Leung was not able to “walk through” her project until both ends of the tunnel were joined. With the Ocean Park project completed, six years ago Leung joined Aecom, the biggest engineering consultancy firm in Hong Kong, where she immediately became involved in the Sha Tin-Central rail link. More recently, she has been working on the proposed Hong Kong Airport third runway project. “Having worked on underground, overground and various transport projects, my colleagues joke that I need to find a space project to work on,” Leung says, adding that her career success has been possible because of the support of her husband and children.
“
You conceptualise, nurture and see the finished project in front of your eyes. The sense of great satisfaction never changes
”
- Helen Leung
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 63
INDEX
EMBA & DBA Institution
Programme Name
Page number
Columbia Business School
EMBA-Global Asia
11
Kellogg-HKUST Executive MBA Program
13
PolyU DBA
15
Institution
Programme Name
Page number
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
CUHK MBA Programs
23
CityU MBA
25
MBA, MGSM, SYDNEY
27
MSc in Human Resource Management & Organisational Behaviour Program
31
Institution
Programme Name
Page number
The Hong Kong University of Science
Executive Education Programs
29
London Business School The University of Hong Kong The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
MBA
CUHK Business School City University of Hong Kong College of Business Macquarie University Macquarie University Graduate School of Management, Sydney Lingnan University
EXECUTIVE EDUCATION and Technology HKUST Business School
64 Professional Education
ARTS & HUMANITIES Institution
Programme Name
Page number
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
M.A. in Anthropology
39
Department of Anthropology
EDUCATION Institution
Programme Name
Page number
The Hong Kong Institute of Education
Postgraduate Diploma In Education Programmes
43
• Early Childhood Education Programme • Primary/Secondary Programme • Professional & Vocational Education Programme
LAW
Institution
Programme Name
Page number
City University of Hong Kong
Taught Postgraduate Law Programmes
47
Faculty of Law
• Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) • Juris Doctor (JD)
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Taught Postgraduate Law Programmes
Faculty of Law
• Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL)
49
• Juris Doctor (JD) • JD/MBA Double Degree • Master of Laws (LLM)
ENGINEERING Institution
Programme Name
Page number
The Hong Kong University of Science and
Master of Science Degree
53
Technology
The Annual Postgraduate Guide · December 2015 65
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