The Heart to Heart Talk was jointly organized by the Undergraduate Office, Faculty of Business Administration and the Shaw College of CUHK. Nearly 200 students and alumni of CUBA attended the talk, in which Mrs Margaret Leung shared her wisdom about how to make the most out of challenges.

From left: Prof. T.J. Wong, Dean of Faculty of Business Administration; Mrs Margaret Leung, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Designate of Hang Seng Bank; Prof. Joseph Sung, Head of Shaw College

Margaret Fung, Global Business Studies Year 3 student, represents UGO to present our gift "CU BBA Management Series: Book 1" to Mrs Margaret Leung, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Designate of Hang Seng Bank

From first sitting row: Prof. Gordon Cheung, Global Business Studies Programme Director and Dean of Students of Shaw College; Mr Clement Fung, 2^nd Vice-Chairman, Board of Trustees, Shaw College; Prof. Joseph Sung, Head of Shaw College; Mrs Margaret Leung, Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Designate of Hang Seng Bank; Prof. T.J. Wong, Dean of Faculty of Business Administration; Prof. CK Low, Associate Professor, School of Accountancy

Astin Yu, Professional Accountancy Year 3 student, wishes to share his reflections with us:
"Mrs Leung offered a light and humorous run-through of her ascent to the top management position of the HSBC Group. Rather than talking about her career achievements, she focused on how swiftly she turned challenges into opportunities on various occasions. In an industry that used to be dominated by men, she was able to identify gaps that she could fill and opportunities where she could change people’s perceptions. She was in a league of her own. Her secret is to think globally and act strategically. As a graduate who will soon start a career in the banking industry during this time of change, I believe Mrs Leung’s words will be a great reminder as I face the challenges ahead."

On the last day of March, Dr Li Wei-bo shared his theories regarding the essences of business practices and entrepreneurship. He used his various business corporations as concrete demonstrations of his theories being applied. The student participants included Chan Siu Kuen (Global Business Studies Year 3), Leung Ka Yan (Global Business Studies Year 3), Ngan Ka Ming Dick (Integrated BBA Year 2) and Lo Yuk Wa (Professional Accountancy Year 3).

Leung Ka Yan gave her feedback after the sharing session:
"Dr Li is a highly motivated entrepreneur who had a very clear goal of becoming a part of the business elite. He shared with us how he struck yielding deals and made turnaround investments in China. I was very impressed by Dr Li’s effective use of management systems and his unique insights into the Chinese economic setting. Such wisdom cannot be acquired without continuously learning from experience and persistently pursuing greater achievements. We were fortunate enough to receive personal advice from Dr Li regarding our individual career plans. We were all inspired to take part in worthwhile pursuits, with courage, passion and determination."

Dr Li Wei-bo, Chairman of Glory Harvest Group Holding Ltd (3^rd left); Mr CK Chau, guest facilitator of the sharing session (1^st right) and business undergraduate students

Professor Andrew C.F. Chan, Associate Dean (Undergraduate Studies), was invited by the Social Welfare Department of the Hong Kong Government to speak at a public forum entitled "新世紀　新挑戰－向社區出發". The other speaker was Mr Dick Lee, GBS, Former Commissioner of Police and current Advisory Board Member of Undergraduate Studies in Business. The student participants Lai Kam Hei Bonnie (Integrated BBA Year 3) and Tse Hak Tik Dicky (Integrated BBA Year 4) reflect:

Bonnie:
"I was quite enchanted by Professor Chan’s lively speech and simple illustrations. Professor Chan’s ‘Left-Right Circle’ theory inspired me to evaluate how I can more effectively tackle different problems with its application. School lectures teach us that we have to provide the right things to stakeholders to truly satisfy their needs. But most of the time, I would have ignored the dynamics of the stakeholder relationship, let alone the various competitors and complex environment in which we are situated. Professor Chan’s speech brought the entire audience to this focus and pinpointed the importance of such elements. Moreover, I was happy to gain insights from Mr Dick Lee's sharing of his experience of encountering challenges in the workplace, while he was serving on the Police Force.

The sharing was very interesting and eye-opening, and made me understand the importance of mastering changes in setting strategies and tactics in work. In the midst of our global financial crisis, it is perhaps the first time that many in my generation are experiencing dramatic life changes. The talk was very fruitful for us youngsters, and I look forward to joining in on similar activities in the future.

Last but not least, I truly appreciate the Faculty for organizing more CEO talks and the like which also benefit undergraduates. I am confident that participants learned a lot through the sharing of real-life experiences and were able to experience the charisma of speakers."

Dicky:
"Before attending the function, I was skeptical as to whether social work had anything to do with business. However, Professor Andrew C.F. Chan illustrated how marketing theories can be applied in both cases. He mentioned that we can satisfy our clients only if our strengths meet their needs. While it's easy to consider just their current needs, change is forcing us to step into their shoes and make continuous adjustments. This doesn't necessarily mean we have to chase our clients' needs all the time. There are also other effective strategies. I think the most impressive (and perhaps the most difficult) one is to target your clients' clients.

What I learned is not only applicable to social work. As a final year student, I have to begin job searching. Besides just considering my own interests and strengths, I have to also think about what the companies need. It might not be so necessary in a bullish market, where jobs are easier to come by, but the financial tsunami has helped me to rethink my attitude, and Professor Chan has provided me a foundation for change."

1994 Rhodes Scholar (Hong Kong) Mr William Wong joined other Rhodes Scholars to share their academic pursuit and experiences in studies overseas with our students and alumni. Mr William Wong, alumnus of Integrated BBA Programme, received this prestigious international fellowship in 1994 and is currently a Barrister-at-Law. This sharing session was jointly organized by the Office of Student Affairs and the Alumni Affairs Office.

The University’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid arranged a seminar on the New Senior Secondary (NSS) curriculum to familiarize university members with the transition into the new curriculum and the accommodation to be made by the University in response to the implementation of the NSS. Programme Directors, teaching staff and administrative staff in Departments, External Office and Undergraduate Office attended the seminar.

The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology hosted a symposium entitled “Admission to Universities under the 334 Transition” to facilitate university members on the admission criteria and procedures following the implementation of the new senior secondary curriculum. Mr Chan Chi Ho and Ms Chau Kei Man Betty of UGO were in attendance.

Each year, students joining the study abroad programmes visit designated cities outside of Hong Kong and go on company visits. They are expected to understand the management strategies and wisdom behind multinational corporations and local companies, as well as gain a deeper understanding of the culture of the cities through experiential and cultural activities and direct interaction with citizens.

Three CUBA teams will represent CUHK in participating in three international case competitions, namely the McKinsey/HSBC Case Competition (in early June), the NUS-DBS International Case Competition (in early June) and the Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge 2009 (in late August). Participation in case competitions is an important experiential learning activity for students, stimulating them intellectually and significantly enhancing their skills. It also provides the students with an opportunity to put theories into practice and to develop networking beyond boundaries. Please join us in encouraging the three CUHK teams.

CUHK Team for McKinsey/HSBC Case Competition
Arnold Chan Kwan Yeung, Wendy Leung Wing Man, Helen Mak Hoi Ling and Polly Wong Shuk Yan (all from Global Business Studies)

CUHK Team for NUS-DBS International Case Competition
Fong Ho Leung, Lester Hui Hung Shek, Lee Chin Yiu and Leung Hoi Yan Claudia (all from Global Business Studies)

CUHK Team for Thammasat Undergraduate Business Challenge 2009
Ho Yue Yeung, Leung Lap Kiu, Man Tze Kong and Yip Ping Heng (all from Quantitative Finance Programme)

In addition, we would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt appreciations to the following faculty members who served as internal judges to select students for competitions:

On 12 May 2009, two CUBA teams will represent CUHK in the L'Oreal Brandstorm 2009 National Finals. L'Oreal Brandstorm is one of the most popular and exciting marketing competitions around the world. Each year, L'Oreal nominates one of its brands and identifies a product line for which students will create a completely new product and marketing campaign. The CUHK teams will compete with six other teams from the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The winning team will be invited to participate in the International Finals in Paris in June/July 2009.

Three symposia will be held in May and June to familiarize the university academic staff and administration with the new "3+3+4 curriculum" structure. Faculty members are invited to attend these symposia.