BUS News
HKBU School of Business Celebrates Alumni Connections at Inaugural Forum and Event Launch Ceremony Dinner in Shenzhen
25 Oct, 2024
The HKBU School of Business, in collaboration with the HKBU Alumni Association (HKBUAA), hosted the inaugural Alumni Forum and the 2024-2025 Event Launch Ceremony Dinner in Shenzhen on 19th October 2024. The event attracted over 400 alumni, with more than 80% being School of Business graduates. Alumni travelled from as far as Shanghai and Beijing, and Alumni Association representatives from top universities in China also joined the event.
The event commenced with a welcome speech by Dr. Monique Shui-Ki WAN, Associate Dean (Taught Postgraduate Studies) of School of Business, who emphasised that while the School of Business has achieved remarkable success in various aspects, the alumni are the School’s greatest assets. She encouraged alumni to return often to share their experiences and uphold the School’s tradition of excellence. HKBU demonstrated strong support for the event. Ms. Christine CHOW, Vice President (Administration) and Secretary of HKBU, passionately shared recent achievements of the university, and highlighted the importance of building and maintaining a strong alumni network.
At the forum, Dr. WAN delivered a keynote address titled “The Power of Breaking Boundaries: Nurturing Social Innovation with AI”, discussing the societal impacts of AI and climate change. She stressed the urgency of addressing these challenges and urged business leaders to embrace social responsibility. “Both individuals and organisations should have a mission. Together, we can create sustainable solutions for society and businesses, which is the best gift for our next generation,” she concluded.
Two distinguished School of Business alumni also served as guest speakers and gave inspiring talks, uplifting the audience. Mr. Jianming ZHANG (MBA-SZ, 2005), General Manager of Red Bull Shenzhen, spoke on “Consumption and Cognitive Upgrades”, and Dr. Guoxiong LI (MBA-GZ, 2004), Director of Luban Construction, discussed “The Wisdom of Enterprises to Survive in Adversity”. They combined their own leadership experiences with their views on business challenges in ever-changing business environments.
An engaging panel discussion followed, moderated by Mr. Martin WONG, Adjunct Professor of School of Business, where Dr. Jacinto TONG, President of the HKBU Alumni Association, shared insights on integrating Hong Kong and Mainland China’s economies. Dr. WAN outlined the School's future direction to align with Hong Kong’s talent recruitment strategy and highlighted the need for interdisciplinary talent to tackle global challenges. In the Q&A session, Mr. Jianming ZHANG and Dr. Guoxiong LI further addressed questions from young alumni and shared tips on how to seek change when encountering career bottlenecks. They encouraged alumni to keep learning, upgrading their skills, and embrace challenges.
Prof. Alexander Ping-Kong WAI, JP, President of HKBU, led the second part of the event. In his welcome speech, he expressed his delight at the alumni’s affection for HKBU and shared the university’s impressive achievements. He highlighted new developments, including the UGC Teaching Award, the grand openings of CHRYSALIS, the Art Incubation Hub, and the new student hostels, Village CARE.
This session was followed by a Thanksgiving segment. Various alumni groups presented gifts to the President, expressing their gratitude to HKBU for providing a great learning environment and ongoing alumni support over the years. The atmosphere was electric as alumni reconnected and forged new relationships, celebrating their vibrant alma mater. Originally scheduled to conclude at 9 PM, the event extended to 10 PM due to their enthusiastic participation.