My name is Connie Van, and I currently work for a multinational company in the luxury industry in Shenzhen, China. I feel strongly that the HKU MBA has given me a life-changing experience and helped me to take another step forward in my career.

The programme has not only enhanced my soft skills, but also helped me to greatly improve my English and Chinese. The HKU MBA has also helped me to better understand myself. The time spent in and outside the classroom during the programme has helped me to build up a network, which will prove a priceless asset in the future.

With assistance from the Career Development Office, I explored new opportunities during the year and secured a new job at the end of my studies. Working with my MBA classmates of different backgrounds taught me that cultural differences really do matter, and I learned a lot from them. I also learned to be more flexible and to accept that there are many right ways to get things done.

Although my current work is very different from what I have done before, I am still able to use my previous experience in retail and people management. It is very important to stretch oneself and to move out of one’s comfort zone to achieve more. The capability to work in teams is also key to standing out as an individual.

I spent my three-month exchange semester in Shanghai studying together with the MBA students at Fudan University. Living and experiencing China for months helped me to better understand the Chinese market. The Shanghai stay also encouraged me to move to China to obtain more career opportunities. I think HKU has provided me with a great way to access the Asian market and to understand what doing business in China really means.