Striding with us into the future

HKU Institute for China Business (HKU ICB) will turn a new page in 2023 as our world begins to reopen and reconnect in full. 

Twelve years have flown past, yet each small step we take has come to demonstrate the unique ethos of ICB: innovative management in reflection of humanistic sentiment and professional education that permeates cross-border thinking.  The essence of management is people, and at the core of education lies the heart.  We at HKU ICB are proponents of active learning and the collision of ideas, inclusion of all and introspection into ourselves.  Innovation, Independence, International, Integrity, and Impact are what we strive for and our core values.

In light of the "new global landscape" in the post-COVID era, the globalisation that dominated the post-Cold War era is gradually giving way to a new world landscape shaped by geopolitics.  Competition, indeed vicious competition, is inevitable in the future; innovation is always the best breakout strategy in uncertain times.  Come what may, what remains unchanged is your and my non-stop curiosity, thinking and learning about the world.  Only through this can we find opportunities for national and personal development.  In an era of change, "Think Global" (global thinking) and "Act Local" (Chinese wisdom) are indispensable to our ability to tackle unprecedented challenges.

Twelve years after the establishment, we have finally embarked on a "new journey".  Twelve is a number that connotes a "cycle" in Chinese culture, a conclusion and the beginning of a new era.  As the first twelve years come to an end, rather than just a simple number, taking stock of what has been achieved is crucial.  We have 20+ part-time professional and senior executive postgraduate diploma programmes, with over 18,000 alumni spreading over various industries.  Their strategic thinking, expertise and international perspective are indispensable in China's efforts to reshape the global economy and order.  It is always our goal and spur to cultivate more talents with professional perspectives and knowledge horizons to scale greater heights in the future. 

We have taken a unique approach to promoting interdisciplinary professional education with the characteristics of being "Professional, Prospective, Practical and Problem-solving".  We do not start on something new and different but offer programmes and courses zeroing in on the trends and needs of China's development.  And with this as our starting point, we have thereby become the leader of many interdisciplinary professional programmes and courses.  Nowadays, the integration of different disciplines is a trend and something that all lifelong learners cannot ignore in their journey to update their knowledge.  The road to new heights may be difficult and rugged, but together we shall pave it, as we come to identify a "new vision" and a new start.

"New landscape", "new journey", and "new vision" shall lead us to a "new page".  Standing at the precipice of change, we take on a new mission.  Based in China but with a global perspective, HKU ICB, inheriting the spirit of the University of Hong Kong and continuing the vision of its founding, is in the pipeline to offer PPES (Philosophy, Politics, Economics and Science) global fellowship programmes on top of the current part-time professional and senior executive postgraduate diploma programmes.  We have stuck to our core principles yet elevated them to new heights.  We will continue upholding the tradition of openness, breaking the barriers of thought, overcoming bottlenecks in innovation, bringing together renowned teachers and industry elites, and striving to become the pioneer and innovator of interdisciplinary professional education.

Let's work together to find a window to the future through learning in an uncertain era and to become real leaders to China and the world of tomorrow.