Two students from Indonesia were captivated by Hong Kong as Asia’s world city, with its unique East-West positioning and great diversity. They are both pursuing studies in the BBA Global Business (GBU) programme at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK).

“Ever since high school, Hong Kong stood out as the destination I wanted to be,” said Wibisono Verena Andrea, a fourth-year student in the GBU programme. “The career plan that I want to pursue is aligned with the major that CityUHK provides, which will be very helpful for me in the work industry later on. Being one of the most diverse universities in Hong Kong makes my choice clearer,” said Periatna Kevin Frans, a second-year student in the same programme.

In Verena’s eyes, the flexibility that GBU provided is like studying as a well-rounded “generalist specialist”. Through case studies, simulations, and real-world projects, the curriculum helps develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills relevant to global business challenges. She can tailor-make her studies to her specific interests.

Taking GBU as her major, she is also double minoring in Information Management and Sustainability. She is active in Global Business Civitas, a student-led internal organisation for GBU students where they get access to networking events and a career repository.

This summer, Verena worked at AIA Group in the Hong Kong headquarters as a strategy intern, where her team focused on healthcare strategy. Her day-to-day role involved working on upcoming AIA healthcare projects across Asia, which was quite aligned with her previous background in consulting and strategy. “I really enjoyed this role. I got to learn a lot, especially being in a big corporation,” she said.

Being relatively new in the programme, Kevin is still struggling between UK and Asian countries when thinking about the compulsory semester-based overseas exchange opportunities. Looking back to his freshman year, he was once worried about adapting as in international student. “When I first arrived in Hong Kong, the GBU programme held an event where we and all cohorts were invited for a dinner. This allowed us to know our cohort better, and also create a new bond as a GBU student with alumni and our seniors,” he shared with joy.

He also learned a lot in his first year as he participated in the Executive Mentoring Programme (EMP). The EMP provides students with professional training through workshops and offers them the chance to gain meaningful industry insights, which help them build personal development goals and expand their professional networks.

Kevin has completed his internship at Garuda Indonesia Hong Kong, one of the leading airlines in the world. He helped propose projects to increase the Breakeven Load Factor and assisted the team with updated data every day.

The two students from Indonesia are both enthusiastic about their experiences at CityUHK, with Verena planning to pursue her career in Hong Kong after graduation, and Kevin eager to continue exploring new opportunities and honing his hard and soft skills.

As the Most International University in the World according to the 2024 Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, CityUHK has seen rapid growth in regional cooperation. The University continues to expand its connections with countries and regions along the Belt and Road Initiative. In recent months, CityUHK has established new partnerships with three renowned institutions in Indonesia, aiming to attract more outstanding students to study at the University, and contribute to making Hong Kong an international hub for post-secondary education.

CityUHK has introduced a series of Flagship Programmes with an enticing scholarship scheme for the 2024/25 academic year to empower students with vital knowledge and skills, cultivate their global leadership abilities, and connect them with leading professionals. The four Flagship Programmes are: Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine, BBA Global Business, Global Research Enrichment and Technopreneurship, and Pathway for Research, Innovation, and Multinational Engineering.

Starting from the 2025/26 academic year, the Flagship Programmes will be expanded to nine programmes, adding: BSocSc in Psychology (Stream: Wellbeing Enhancement and Care Management (WE-CARE) Programme), Creative Arts and Technology Excellence, Data Empowerment: Learn, Transform and Achieve, International Sustainability Programme for Innovation, Research and Entrepreneurship, and Bachelor of Laws.

For more information of the Flagship Programmes and Flagship Scholarships, please visit the following website.