Enquire to study in the UK 
How safe is it to pursue a postgraduate business degree abroad amid a pandemic? Very, if you choose Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) School of Business.
Hong Kong’s success in containing the pandemic has meant that most of the international students in the 2020 intake have already arrived at “Asia’s World City” safely. HKBU’s campus is open for face-to-face teaching, with various measures in place to ensure the safety of staff and students, including frequent and thorough disinfection on campus. HKBU School of Business ensures students are given 360° support, something that their September 2020 cohort can attest to.
Michael Platis, MScFTFA – Source: Hong Kong Baptist University, School of Business
“Every necessary precaution was taken,” says American national Michael Platis. From the recruitment process to finals week, the Master of Science in Finance (FinTech and Financial Analytics) (MScFTFA) student said HKBU’s team helped ensure his smooth transition into the programme.
Rahma Facil from Morocco says, “2020 was a hard year, and moving countries was definitely a tough choice to make, but HKBU School of Business was there for me through the whole process.” The School provided the Master of Science in Business Management (MScBM) student with everything she needed — the Associate Dean and department heads even conducted several online meetings to answer questions and address international issues students are concerned with. “Receiving the welcome package back home before even reaching Hong Kong made me feel appreciated, the School prepared quarantine hotels for all the international scholarship recipients, and gave us the details on how to go through immigration, sample collection, get to our hotels and so on,” she shares.
Rahma Facil, MScBM – Source: Hong Kong Baptist University, School of Business
Business programmes that increase your competitiveness in the job market
In our tech-driven world, data is now central to how corporate decisions are made, fuelling the need for talent skilled in analytics and business economics knowledge. Statistical and programming know-how are among the arsenal of skills that can help professionals develop business insights to respond to changes — from small to seismic — happening in the industry. In 2019, HKBU School of Business launched two taught postgraduate programmes that achieve this.
The first is the Master of Science in Data Analytics and Business Economics (MScDABE) programme. It is designed to serve the increasing demand for talent who can provide insight on changes related to intellectual property policy, and competition and regulatory policies. Students will undertake solid training in business economic analysis and data analytics in this one-year full-time or two-year part-time programme. Students will also learn technical skills, including training in statistical models and programming skills. Plus, non-Hong Kong graduates of all the taught postgraduate programmes can apply to stay and work in Hong Kong for 12 months after graduation, no matter whether they have secured an offer of employment or not.
If you want to seize opportunities in FinTech, the School offers a Master of Science in Finance (FinTech and Financial Analytics) (MScFTFA) programme. The FinTech industry has remained resilient in spite of COVID-19, with FinTech firms flexing their potential in emerging markets and developing economies, according to pundits. For those who want to ready themselves for today’s data-driven economy, this programme will widen and deepen your understanding of the rapidly changing landscape and the impact of new technologies on traditional finance models. The curriculum is interdisciplinary, merging courses taught by both Finance and Management Information Systems faculty, as well as industry practitioners with finance, business, and computer science backgrounds. Students of this MScFTFA programme can undertake internships to gain some work experience.
Source: Hong Kong Baptist University, School of Business
Seamless teaching and learning at HKBU despite a pandemic on hand
While COVID-19 has upended life as we know it, HKBU has arrangements in place to ensure a seamless learning experience without jeopardising the safety of its community. Their dual-mode approach — from Sept. 28, 2020, all classes at HKBU have been conducted both online and in person — enables students to complete their course requirements as far as practicable. Admission and scholarship applications and interviews are also being held online. Both staff and students are required to submit an online health declaration to return to campus.
The University is also keeping close tabs on the pandemic, ready to issue prompt updates to both staff and students. There are informal and formal channels of communication on the latest health control measures on campus as well as self-care tips to promote mental wellbeing. Students can get in touch with counsellors for professional support too.
360° of international student support from HKBU School of Business
Bella Sanusi, MHRM – Source: Hong Kong Baptist University, School of Business
There is a litany of concerns surrounding travel these days. HKBU School of Business addresses them holistically. Whether it’s related to quarantine or test requirements, it attends to and offers support to students both before their departure and upon their arrival in Hong Kong.
Master of Human Resources Management (MHRM) student Bella Sanusi from Indonesia concurs. HKBU School of Business has made the entire experience “seamless”, she says. “Students are continuously updated with information on Hong Kong before departing and even during our studies. The School also assisted us with regards to travel requirements to enter Hong Kong and information for us to settle. Traveling to Hong Kong and going through 14 days of quarantine might sound like a daunting experience, but it turned out to be fun and enjoyable with support from the School.”
Master of Science in Applied Accounting and Finance (MScAAF) student Rico Birkmann from Germany said he was “well taken care of” by HKBU School of Business, who provided timely information crucial to international students throughout his whole application process, adding that he never once felt “lost”. “Also, the quarantine process in Hong Kong would certainly have been much more disorganised and complicated without the help from the School. We were provided with phone numbers that we could call or text 24 hours a day, which made me feel relaxed and safe,” he shares.
Rico Birkmann, MScAAF – Source: Hong Kong Baptist University, School of Business
Birkmann has a contact person whom he can WhatsApp for quick advice. There were also Zoom meetings and a group WhatsApp with other international students for everyone to get to know each other. “This is just a short summary; however, it shows that there is strong interaction between students and staff, which shows the support international students are getting and that HKBU School of Business is taking its mission statement seriously.”
Application for HKBU School of Business postgraduate programmes for the September 2021 intake is now open, with deadlines ranging from February 2021 to April 2021. Applications are considered on a rolling basis. For enquiries, click here. For more information, tune into their webinar on Feb. 25, 2021 from 12:00 to 13:00 (GMT) / 20:00 to 21:00 (GMT +08:00 HKT).
Follow HKBU School of Business on Facebook, WeChat, Instagram and LinkedIn
