How a degree from Hong Kong hone your business skills

Did you know that Hong Kong is one of the safest cities to live? Several global reports have hailed the country for its world-class digital infrastructure as well as health security system. Coupled with these are the universities and institutes of the region, most of which have been ranked within the top 100 by both QS and Times Higher Education (THE) in the world.


Varsities such as the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Chinese University Hong Kong (CUHK) have acquired 25, 32 and 46 spots, respectively, in the QS Rankings 2020. The institutions have attained 35, 47 and 57 ranks, respectively, in THE World University Rankings 2020.

Language can be a massive hindrance while opting to study overseas. Various European countries that have emerged as preferred destinations among international aspirants for higher education, require some level of proficiency in their local language.

However, Hong Kong universities do not have any such mandate. A majority of institutions use English as a medium of instruction and candidates can easily learn Chinese (one of the official languages besides English) and Cantonese (spoken by 90% of the citizens) by hanging out with local students.

Aimed at internationalising the campus and offering an interdisciplinary education, Hong Kong universities revamped their higher education curriculum in 2012 and expanded the undergraduate degree from three years to four. This step was taken to ensure that degrees by Hong Kong varsities are globally recognised, facilitate international exchanges and are in sync with industry demands.

There are 21 varsities and institutions in the colony that focus on rendering high-quality research opportunities and inter-institutional programmes to students. The Executive Business Management (EMBA) programme, offered jointly by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Kellogg School of Management of Northwestern University, USA, was ranked first in 2016 and 2017 by the Financial Times.

Business, finance and management are the most sought after areas of study in Hong Kong with the colony's universities offering varied choices in them such as Global Business, Business Analysis, Surveying, International Business and Global Management, to name a few. Science and Arts courses in the areas of Radiology, Intensive Care, Gender Studies, Music, Chinese Language and Literature, etc are also available for foreign students.

To augment the cultural diversity in college campuses and the research ecosystem, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government launched the Research Endowment Fund in 2009. With an overall value of HK$23 billion, the fund provides stable financial support to research activities. The HKSAR government also introduced the Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme that aims at fuelling the influx of foreign PhD aspirants in the colony.

The scheme offers each awardee a stipend of HK$20,000 (nearly US$2,500) and a conference and research-related travel allowance of HK$10,000 (approximately US$1,300) each year for up to three years. Candidates who require over three years to complete their doctoral studies get additional support from their chosen institutes.

An academic year in Hong Kong universities typically consists of two semesters – spring semester (mid-January to May) and fall semester (early September to late December). It is best that international students check the important dates and deadlines with their chosen universities well in advance in order to ensure they do not miss out on any details.

Source: Study in Hong Kong