The MBA in Hong Kong: CUHK Business School in Profile

This year, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) marks 50 years as a provider of MBA programs. A full-time, two-year MBA in Hong Kong was first offered by the university in 1966. Since then, much has changed. For one, the full-time CUHK MBA is now taken over the course of 12 to 16 months. In addition, dual degree MBA programs are now available in conjunction with HEC Paris and Rotterdam School of Management (RSM) in Europe, and with the University of Texas at Austin’s McCombs School of Business in the US.

To date, 2016’s anniversary celebrations at CUHK Business School have included decking out some of Hong Kong’s renowned public tramcars with wrap-round advertising, while still to come is September’s signature event – a conference on the subject of business in China and its surrounding regions. Alongside these activities, the school has also found time to appoint a new MBA programs director and associate dean of graduate studies. Stephanie Villemagne comes to CUHK Business School after a decade at INSEAD and, most recently, its campus in Singapore, where she served as global director of its MBA. While there, she also undertook and graduated from the school’s executive MBA program.

In this interview, Villemagne tells TopMBA.com about her plans to push for an increase in the number of students coming to CUHK Business School’s MBA programs from outside of Asia, the impending launch of a pre-experience master’s in management and some of the differences she has observed between MBA study in Hong Kong and Singapore.  

Having joined CUHK Business School from INSEAD (and most recently its campus in Singapore) how do you feel the two territories compare in what they have to offer as a destination for MBA study?

CUHK Business School and INSEAD are very different but similar at the same time. INSEAD is very international so very few locals and some regional students came to study an MBA there, but I would think that the job market is quite similar in a way (with a stronger finance element in Hong Kong). I would say that Hong Kong is clearly more dynamic and is a real bridge between the East and the West. If you want to understand China and the region, then you need to come here.

How many MBA students at CUHK currently hail from outside of Asia and is this figure something you would like to see change in the years ahead?

We have approximately 20% of our students coming from outside of Asia. In general, we would like to see more cultural diversity in our programs, and yes, I am going to push that number so that we see more students from further afield. Diversity is not only about cultures, it's also about gender, work experience, etc. I do want to see more diversity in the classrooms in general.

Why might an applicant from outside of Asia choose to study an MBA in Hong Kong ahead of programs available in, say, North America and Europe?

The prevailing reason would be the speed of economic growth, investment and development by both western MNCs (multinational corporations) as well as key local corporations in the region which lead to job opportunities. For applicants from North America and those from Europe, they seek a different kind of cultural exposure, an understanding of the Asian economic environment, yet a globally recognized program. Hong Kong leads the way in efficiency and what you will not get exposed to in more traditional business schools in the West is the Asian perspective that is so crucial to the world economy’s growth today.

With CUHK Business School now in its 50th year as an MBA provider, are there any plans to develop new programs or to build on certain aspects within a specific program? What can we expect in the near future?

Certainly, we are continuously improving our programs and making sure we are keeping our curriculum relevant to the market. Big data, for example, is one area we are closely monitoring and we hope to offer courses in that field very soon. Our part-time program students need a lot of flexibility in their studies so we are also looking at doing more online. As far as new program development is concerned, we are looking at launching a pre-experience master’s in management in the very near future.

I understand that students of CUHK Business School’s full-time MBA can currently complete their studies in either 12 or 16 months for those who opt to take further electives or an exchange/dual degree program. Is this element of flexibility something you consider to be important? Roughly how many students currently opt for each study length?

This flexibility is highly welcomed by our students. They don't have to make a decision or commitment at the beginning of the program. After spending about six months in their studies, when they have more knowledge about the MBA and their career plans, then they can make a decision based on whether they would opt for exchange programs (which extends the program to 16 months of study).

Some students who are going for internships may actually have a permanent job offer after the internship and would therefore prefer to complete in 12 months, and then go back to the job market. Many of our students already possess study abroad experience or have earned their first degree outside of their home country, so they would normally not opt for the exchange programs and complete in 12 months. However, this flexibility provides students with more options and choices during their studies. About 60% complete their degrees in less than 12 months.

As an executive MBA alumna of INSEAD, what single piece of advice would you offer to those who are interested in pursuing this format of the degree?

Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize... It's a life-transformative journey and it's worth spending as much time as you can afford on it. We all have work to do and responsibilities; some have kids at home and sometimes it feels like too much of a stretch, but the more time and energy  you are able to spend on this wonderful journey the more rewarding it will be! I recommend it 100%.