Alumni Spotlight

The HKUST MSBA program was truly an amazing experience for me. What stood out most was its hands-on approach to learning. Working directly with real clients on their everyday challenges was not just eye-opening but incredibly valuable. Whether collaborating with major Hong Kong conglomerates, innovative start-ups, or impactful NGOs, making a lasting impact and a tangible difference for these companies was truly rewarding.

Moreover, the numerous networking events provided us students with an excellent platform to connect with successful professionals in Hong Kong and worldwide, enriching my network significantly. The support from professors and friendships formed with my cohort have been invaluable.

Furthermore, the skills I gained in machine learning, statistics, and data analysis are now integral to my daily work. This program uniquely positioned me to blend technical expertise with business problems, making a significant impact on my career. The program's emphasis on innovation and real-world applications has been key to my professional growth. It's been a rewarding journey of learning and evolution that continues to inspire me in my current position at HSBC and will continue to inspire me during my career. 

My one-year MSBA journey has been truly rewarding, allowing me to develop both technical expertise and practical skills. As one of the first programs to encourage students to embrace generative AI tools, I gained a deep understanding of AI’s capabilities and limitations, while honing essential skills including the ability to develop actionable solutions from the data-driven insights, etc.

The privacy law course served as a strong foundation for my studies while the big data analytics course, structured as seminars instead of lectures, challenged me to think critically and appreciate diverse perspectives. Professor Carlos’ emphasis on the importance of business understanding over data understanding resonated with me, especially when I applied those insights to my projects and my work. The capstone corporate project was particularly valuable, offering hands-on experience where I consolidated my knowledge to devise real-world solutions for a client.

Overall, the program’s well-rounded curriculum has been instrumental in preparing me for a successful career ahead. 

My journey through the MSBA program has been truly transformative, not merely equipped me with analytical skills, but fundamentally reshaped my approach to business challenges.

The curriculum's broad spectrum, spanning from time-tested data analysis techniques to cutting-edge neural networks and AI applications, was deeply rooted in real-world business applications. This practical focus was instrumental in enabling me, as a director of a major grocery chain, to introduce innovative data solutions within our business context. Inspired by the program, I explored the potential of various analytical models, created prototypes to test new ideas in our retail environment. The program's workshops and projects also proved invaluable, keeping me abreast of the latest technologies, while also expanding my professional network and connecting me with industry leaders and like-minded professionals.

After graduation, I continue to spearhead digital transformation in our retail chain. The MSBA program has empowered me to drive our organization into a new era of data-driven strategy. Every decision we make is now backed by robust analysis and actionable insights, positioning us at the forefront of our industry. This program has been instrumental not only in my personal growth but also in propelling our company's progression in the increasingly data-driven business landscape.

The MSBA program offers an impressive breadth of knowledge across various facets of both Business and Data Analytics. Covering essential topics such as marketing, consulting, finance, with the layer of statistics, data visualization, and analytics - this program provides a comprehensive perspective that is invaluable for any aspiring and existing professional. Whether you come from a business or a computer science background, you’ll find innovative challenges and fresh insights that will expand your skill set.

One of the program's standout features is its focus on bridging critical gaps—between sales and engineering, theory and practice, as well as design and implementation. This holistic approach ensures that students are well-prepared to tackle real-world challenges.

Additionally, the program director, professors, and staff are deeply committed to keeping the curriculum relevant to current academic and industry trends. They actively seek and incorporate student feedback, making sure that everyone’s voice is heard. This responsiveness greatly enhances the learning experience and fosters a supportive community.

This program has not only inspired me in applying my undergraduate statistics knowledge to practical decision making but also deepened my understanding of contemporary industry, helping me figure out on which career path my passion resides. The capstone consulting project and courses in privacy management and big data enlightened me on the significance and charm of digital transformation, motivating me to pursue a career in technology consulting. Outside of curriculum, a series of data immersion workshops provided me with lots of insights into the cutting-edge technology adopted by corporations.

I met very kind and supportive professors during the program, gaining invaluable academic and career guidance. Furthermore, many from the cohort now become my precious friends. We have stayed in touch, attending local machine learning workshop together, going for hiking or dinner after work, and supporting each other on professional and personal growth.

The HKUST Business Analytics master's program significantly influenced my career development. It equipped me with the skills and knowledge to interpret data and use these insights for strategic decision-making. More than just providing tools and knowledge, the program fostered a data-driven mindset, which I believe is invaluable for my future career.

The program's structure effectively transitioned me from a beginner to an advanced level in the business analytics field. Besides its rigorous curriculum, the program offered interactive workshops, company visits, and seminars on various topics, helping me understand business analytics' real-world applications. The strategic project allowed me to apply the knowledge to actual business cases, enhancing my confidence in handling business analytics-related jobs.

The data mindset and data skills are not only relevant but also crucial in the world we live in today. I would like to express my strong recommendation for this program to anyone who is interested in enhancing their knowledge and experience within the data field.

The MSBA program proved invaluable in launching my career in business analytics. Through challenging yet hands-on project work, I gained practical skills in areas like data modelling, machine learning, and presenting analytics insights to stakeholders. Just as importantly, the program equipped me with a solid foundation in business fundamentals and the ability to apply an analytical and data-driven lens to any business problem.

These skills have served me well in my current role. Being fresh out of undergraduate study without professional experience, the MSBA program prepared me to hit the ground running. I am able to leverage both technical skills and business acumen to derive value from data and make recommendations. The program also exposed me to emerging areas like generative AI that are increasingly crucial in industry. I am proud to be an alumnus of such an impactful program and credit much of my early career success to the real-world training it provided.

The HKUST MSBA programme is an incredible learning experience, having an excellent blend of both technical and pragmatic experiential learning with real-world application. My two-year part-time journey under the guidance of an elite roaster of lecturers was both eye-opening and inspiring which has helped me further elevate my career and even challenge my own perspective of today’s business world.

In a professional capacity as the General Manager of a multi-national consulting firm, this programme has encouraged me to challenge the more traditional methods adopted by my peers and adopt a more data-scientific approach towards the industry. The courses were well crafted towards key questions that business professionals faced on a day-to-day basis, making the theoretical and technical elements highly relatable and applicable. Aside from a well-designed curriculum, this programme also brought together a lot of seasoned professionals and peers of the same calibre and mindsets, all seeking to be radical game-changers within their own industries.

It was a pleasure to watch and witness how the programme has adapted and evolved over the two-years programme. The level of openness to constructive feedback and to take action quickly has shown how this programme has become a best-in-class analytics programme.

The MSBA program has been a transformative journey for me. It not only opened the doors to the world of data analytics but also set me firmly on my current career path. It provided me with clarity about my professional goals and the necessary steps to achieve them.

Coming from an undergraduate background in Finance, I found the program to be an invaluable bridge to the realm of data. The program equipped me with a robust understanding of essential tools such as Python, R, Tableau, etc., and a variety of business analysis methods. What truly sets this program apart is its emphasis on analytical thinking. The opportunity to participate in two consulting-oriented courses significantly enhanced my thought processes, aligning them more closely with those of a data analyst or a business consultant. This shift continues to be a key advantage in my professional life.

The MSBA programme was an amazing experience that provided lasting benefits to my career development. It uniquely positioned me to bridge management and technical perspectives, a key asset in my private equity career. Moreover, it fostered innovative thinking by teaching the latest data-driven business models, which enhanced my ability to develop innovative ideas for repositioning portfolio companies.

Before I joined the HKUST MSBA program, I had been working in the commercial real estate investment and financing industry for six years and formed an inspiration to equip myself with the new data analytics weapon to get advantages in this “old-school” battlefield. I must say the curriculum meets my needs in every way – it is neither too theoretical nor too focusing on programming techniques, but more like a delicate balance and offers different options to make it tailored to each student’s specific needs.

Besides the curriculum, I am lucky enough to meet some very good friends which makes this great adventure even better. As a part-time student, I am thrilled to meet other part-time students who have very diverse backgrounds – they work as management consultants, investment bankers, land surveyors, risk management specialists, and even lawyers in different industries; but they all share one very strong passion for analytics. They all have an in-depth understanding of their field and how analytics connects with their domain knowledge. The diverse working background provides us with different perspectives of seeing and solving problems and a perfect opportunity to learn from each other.

Instead of being an ending, the graduation from the program is more like a starting point of a new era. I can see the industry I work in with some branding new perspectives, and I believe that I have the right toolkit and also the capability of continuous learning to connect the dots and bring about exciting changes, such as conducting real estate market research and REITs equity research with data-driven analytics. Last but not least, I must say joining the MSBA has been one of the wisest decisions I’ve ever made so far and I will always be grateful for all the professors and classmates who make this journey happen.

Working in the data analytics field, I found it very useful to learn various topics offered by the MSBA program. The knowledge of machine learning models, high-dimensional statistics, and the practice in Excel, Python & R are skills that I apply every day. Not only this, but the program also helped develop business analysis skills to understand data in a business mindset.

It was a fantastic learning experience in the HKUST MSBA program for me. The program combines a high level of teaching and diversified backgrounds. The analytical skills learnt from the program are applied in business case preparations and assessments.

Studying at a renowned university of HKUST was an advantage when interviewing for jobs. During my study, I took part in different career activities organized by the MSc Career Team that were very helpful with my preparation for job interviews.

It has been a transformative experience that has had a significant impact on both my career and personal aspirations.

In terms of my career, since enrolling in the program, I have had the opportunity to pursue two new roles, including a promotion within my firm. While factors such as luck, networking, persistence, and ambition have played a part, studying in the MSBA program has been a key factor in my career progression. By transforming myself from a financial specialist into a data analyst with a strong business acumen, I was able to seize these opportunities and secure the position as the head of digital and innovation.

On a personal level, my belief in the power of data and information extraction to drive the future of business has only grown stronger through my MSBA journey. From the moment I chose the program, my interest and enthusiasm for the field have intensified. The courses have equipped me with the theoretical knowledge, technological skills, and analytical methodologies needed to navigate the world of data. Even two years after graduation, I continue to engage with my classmates, discussing analytics and getting excited about intriguing data beyond the confines of work. MSBA has provided a solid foundation of knowledge and guided us into the fascinating world of data.

I must emphasize the exceptional quality of our faculty, who are truly world-class educators. Not only are they experts in their fields, but they also prioritize the needs of their students. Even after graduating, I have maintained connections with faculty members, engaging in fruitful discussions and sharing ideas on how to further enhance the program. As an alumnus, I have been offered numerous opportunities to continue my learning journey, as long as I express my interest. Just like the dynamic field of business analytics itself, the MSBA program evolves over time, ensuring that our students remain at the forefront of industry trends and are well-suited to meet market demands.

I'm Lea Helen Mishra and was part of the Master of Business Analytics (MSc) program at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology between 2018-2019.

This was a life-changing experience for me, during which I grew and learned significantly. The program provided a solid academic foundation along with enriching international exposure, which was invaluable.

It is also impressive that now, 6 years later, as the Co-Founder and CMO of POHA House, a startup creating cospaces in Germany, I still utilise many of the analytical skill sets I acquired during my studies in Hong Kong in my day-to-day work.

It was an enriching, fun, and memorable experience that I truly appreciate and fondly remember.

I’ve got the best ROI out of the comprehensive HKUST MSBA program after several years of working in the Hospitality industry. It helped me break into the Information Technology and Consulting field by providing systematic knowledge and excellent foundation of Data and Analytics Frameworks. As of today, I’m still able to apply the analytical thinking that I learnt during the program into my current role as a Consultant and I’m extremely grateful for the wonderful study journey!

Enrolling in the MSBA program at HKUST in 2018 was a pivotal step in my professional journey. The curriculum's blend of theory and engaging final projects, not only deepened my academic knowledge, but also fostered lasting friendships. Furthermore, the program's career job board played a pivotal role in enabling me to seize a valuable career opportunity. The skillset honed through this program has undoubtedly empowered me to deliver distinctive value to my organization in the age of digitalization and big data.

I must express my admiration for the program director's recent endeavors to stay abreast of industry trends and equipping students with the skills and knowledge to excel in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

Though a fast-paced 12 months with the MSBA program, it was one of the most fruitful periods that I have spent among its enriched curriculum, job hunting process, capstone project, and university events. I appreciated the career service provided by the program, where I received valuable advice and prepared for the job market.

I have acquired several hardcore skills in data analytics and modeling. Most importantly, I learned how to break down and synthesize problems in different scenarios which has benefitted me in my career journey in management consulting.

I would be proud to say that the days and nights staying at HKUST library with my teammates in debugging hypotheses and testing model suitability has trained my persistence to get the toughest parts down during my engagement with clients.