Terrence Hui

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Alumni Experience

I had a fantastic experience studying at HKU Business School; it was the best journey of my life by far. I met a lot of people from different industries, backgrounds and cultures and I learnt a lot from all of them.
Batch Year
2017
Nationality
Hong Kong

Student Story

Around 10 years ago I decided I wanted to enroll in the HKU MBA programme, however, I was too busy at that time to consider applying. Around 5 years ago (2015), after I had seen some of my close friends graduate with their MBAs, I was finally able to make time for the programme. My main reason for applying was to enrich my financial knowledge, as my background is in manufacturing and engineering and my first degree was in computer science. I run a family business manufacturing toys and I felt that the MBA programme would help me with my business acumen. I wanted to refresh my knowledge and broaden my network through HKU Business School. I did look at other business schools, but HKU was very conveniently located for me and I could enjoy the weekend part-time study mode.

I had a fantastic experience studying at HKU Business School; it was the best journey of my life by far. I met a lot of people from different industries, backgrounds and cultures and I learnt a lot from all of them. The bond you make with your classmates throughout the journey is strong and I am still in touch with many of my fellow cohorts today. I found both the course curriculum and the networking events very useful for my family business. In terms of the course, I believe I benefited greatly from the guest speakers that were invited to talk. They were inspirational and informative. In terms of networking, I learnt a lot about other markets and sectors. When you are focused on one industry for so long, you lose touch with what is happening elsewhere, so it was great to meet other people who could share their insights. It allowed me to deepen my understanding of different industries and I learnt a lot of new information useful for my business.

Time management is of the utmost importance on this programme, especially when juggling your studies with a full-time job and having a family. I would recommend teaming up with classmates on projects to share the workload. If you have 3-5 people in a group then you are only having to do 2-4 hours of work a week for the project, rather than the 8+ if you worked alone. In total, I would say I dedicated around 20 hours a week to group work and individual assignments. I tried to finish everything on Saturday so that I could spend time with my family on Sunday. Monday – Friday was busy with work, so it was harder to find time to study, but on Saturday I would allocate 3-4 hours of time to finishing assignments.

The first 5 modules are tough, as you are still adjusting to MBA life and trying to find a work-life balance, but you will find your own rhythm quickly. You will find a group of people you enjoy working with and work out how many hours of your time you must dedicate to studying a week, etc. Teamwork is very important and when you find the right team, you will work and collaborate well together.

For future MBA aspirants I offer the following advice: it’s not about where you are now, it’s about where you want to go. One of the perks of studying at HKU is the amazing alumni network and the lifelong learning programme. It allows you to enroll in an elective every academic year, which allows alumni such as myself to continue learning and stay up-to-date with current market trends.

Industry: Manufacturing
Company: Yick Shun Toys Manufactory Limited
Job Title: CEO