HKUST 2011-2012 - Calling All Applicants

It's too bad there's no CEIBS link on GMATCLUB and that I usually read about that school's admissions updates via postings from Indian candidates on a South Asian MBA website! LOL!

I think that a rep from the HKUST admissions office would have contacted me if I was shortlisted for an interview and I don't feel much good would arise from contacting the Admissions Office again. However, it is interesting to note that the CEIBS rep told me that the school had unsuccessfully tried to send me two interview invitations via e-mail the previous week and that both had bounced back, so they called me to invite me to an interview. I assume that HKUST would have done the same. In fact, I even had to open a new e-mail account to receive correspondence from CEIBS. Is anyone participating in the CEIBS online forum with current students, which is today/tomorrow, based on where you're located. I'm registered for it via the CEIBS applicant center but haven't received any further instructions on how to log in.

I'm happy my previous message sparked discussion on CEIBS vs. HKUST vs. other schools in Asia. Here are my thoughts:

Although HKUST is ranked #9 by FT and CEIBS has fallen from #8 (in 2008) to #14 (in 2009) to #22 (in 2010), I think the future is much brighter for CEIBS than for HKUST, although they are both going to rise relative to the competition. For starters, CEIBS just completed its awesome new Beijing campus in Nov. I won't provide a link here but you can go online and view the amazing photos of this facility. HKUST has no Beijing facility (but it does have its second largest alumni group based there)...CEIBS 1, HKUST 0.

In Nov., CEIBS commenced Phase 3 construction to double the size of its Shanghai campus. HKUST is also building a new building; this is a push...CEIBS 2, HKUST 1.

Although HKUST promotes itself as being Asia-focused/China-centric but globally focused, I feel the school doesn't do enough to take advantage of its China location via compulsory langauge training in Chinese for non-Chinese speaking foreign students. In fact, one can attain a China Business focus at HKUST w/o even having to speak any Chinese! Furthermore, the 2 weeks of Putonghua training provided in the pre-term doesn't do much to make a non-Chinese person professionally viable in China. I've met several alums from HKUST who couldn't speak a lick of Chinese and had no interest to even work in Asia. That's fine but I felt they weren't getting the full value of attending school in China. HKUST will organize some low-cost Mandarin classes for interested students but only about 10-15% actually participate in this program. I thus think of HKUST as being "ChinaLite." In contrast, CEIBS requires all foreign students to take Chinese classes during the first year. The pre-term Chinese program for non-Chinese speakers is a full month long. Plus, all students can also participate in Spanish and French classes during the first year. All of these classes are free (but I'm not sure if one can take them the 2nd year...but it's probably very likely)...CEIBS 3, HKUST 1.

HKUST has a very good administration and a strong dean but CEIBS announced just last week that the marketing professor and a current dean from HBS, who was also a dean at LBS before that, will assume the leadership position at CEIBS. This gives CEIBS increasing momentum and stronger links to HBS, which is also opening a facility (which will supposedly house students) in Shanghai...CEIBS 4, HKUST 1.

HKUST's business school is largely made up of undergrad students, which will provide a larger network down the line. There is a good part-time MBA program that is taught in both HK and Shenzhen. It also boasts the world's #1 joit EMBA program w/ Kellogg. However, not many of the EMBA students are Asia- or China-based. In contrast, CEIBS has the largest EMBA program in the world, with most students based in China or the rest of Asia. This provides a further networking advantage. This is a push...CEIBS 5, HKUST 2.

Average GMAT scores...HKUST is at about 660 (or 665) and CEIBS is at 701. CEIBS was 691 last year but the number is expected to rise this year as well. It's hard to find exact infoRMATION on HKUST GMAT scores but the best research I've done leads me to conclue that HKUST's average GMAT scores are about 30 to 35 points lower than those at CEIBS Although GMAT scores certainly do not make a school great, the elite global schools all have much higher GMAT scores that HKUST. Even a new, rising school like ISB is at 711. I'm sure HKUST's will also rise but the school seems to be "punching above its weight class" at this point in time...CEIBS 6, HKUST 2.

HK is a bad place to learn or use Mandarin. Everyone speaks Cantonese in daily life and prefers to not speak Mandarin even with foreigners who know Mandarin. It is very easy to fall into the normal pattern of just speaking English all the time. In contrast, Shanghai is a great place to learn and speak Mandarin with the locals as well as the non-English speaking CEIBS blue collar staff...CEIBS 7, HKUST 2.

And finally (am I missing any other criteria?), CEIBS and HKUST both promote themselves as being very international yet China/Asia-focused. I mentioned above how I felt CEIBS was more deeply China and Asia rooted than HKUST due to the language requirements, the required coursework on China and Asia that CEIBS mandates, and the various facilities that CEIBS has throughout China. But let's not forget that CEIBS is truly global because in 2009 it established the EMBA program in Accra, Ghana to train African in business management. African-Chinese engagement is one of the largest stories of the 21st century and it continues to go largely un-noticed by the Western press. How many Western b-schools have ever setup campuses in Africa? Except for INSEAD's Fonty campus and a few other European schools, how many b-schools even pay attention to African business despite the un-ending psalms they sing to globalisation? CEIBS' first African cohort just recently graduated and these students do spend time at the Shanghai campus during their matriculation. As for HKUST, well...it claims its international but the only satellite campus it has is the one in Shenzhen for training Mainland EMBAs. CEIBS has a similar facility in Shenzhen for the same purpose as well. So when it comes to Ghana vs. Shenzhen, CEIBS definitely wins out on this criteria. One truly has to applaud CEIBS and the Chinese in general for not fearing to tred in these new locales that would scare off the more conservative, risk-averse types...CEIBS 8, HKUST 2.

So there you have it, CEIBS takes it in a landslide. HKUST does have some really good facilities and some outstanding faculty but CEIBS is the better horse to bet on in the upcoming race. I think we'll see both schools expand their intakes over the coming years but CEIBS should remain the larger school and should have brighter future ahead. If I missed something or if you disagree then please chime in. I really look forward to all your comments - I'm merely trying to start a good discussion on the merits of HKUST now that some of you have been accepted!

Cheers!