CityU MBA experiential-based learning initiatives enrich students MBA journey with real-world experiences

[Sponsored article]

Designed to prepare students to take on business  leadership roles that span disciplines, industries and regions, tailor-made experiential learning initiatives — a core part of the CityU MBA programme — enable students to gain first-hand experience of how to navigate real-world business challenges against a backdrop of increasing uncertainties.

Given the complex nature of the global business environment and the needs of today's businesses practices, experiential learning or "learning by doing" enable students to gain practical experience they can apply in real-world situations, says Prof Kevin Chiang, director of the CityU MBA programme and professor of management sciences at the College of Business, City University of Hong Kong (CityU). "Experiential learning adds breadth to the depth of our MBA programme by helping our students to develop the skills that will set them apart throughout their careers," says Chiang who explains that a well-designed experiential learning programme should empower students to draw on the experience of working with the partnering organisations while applying the various skills acquired during the classroom sessions.

While case studies have well-defined problems and challenges and measurable factors, Chiang explains that in experiential learning situations, students are exposed to real-life, real-time decision making. As business challenges become increasingly multifaceted, for example, experiential learning allows students to work directly with partnering companies to solve problems being faced in their specific company or industry.  In addition to problem solving skills, students are able to practice their soft skills, which include communicating with senior managers, executives, department heads and clients.  Importantly, says Chiang, no matter which career they choose, experiential learning experiences can help students to increase their business acumen and develop the cross-functional decision-making skills that are crucial for any profession. The experiential-based learning initiatives offered by the CityU MBA include an Entrepreneurship Workshop in the US, a Global Brand Management Workshop in the UK and an Enterprise Diagnostic Residential Trip in Asia.

Widely recognised for inspiring innovative thinking, during the Entrepreneurship Workshop visit to the US, MBA students join UC Berkeley Entrepreneurship and Business Plan Development classes. Students also make a series of visits to Silicon Valley venture capital firms and network with start-up entrepreneurs who impart their insights and real-world experiences. Working in groups, students put what they have learned into practice by developing a comprehensive business plan, which they present to venture capitalists for evaluation. Chiang says through the process, students learn the important lesson of how to formulate an idea and communicate the proposal in a succinct way that makes it a viable project for potential investors.

For Jason Chen, a part-time Year 2 student who was formerly an engineer manager with a leading semiconductor company, the Entrepreneurship Workshop provided him with the motivation to change his career path and become the CEO of his own start-up enterprise. “The trip provided me with an opportunity to get immersed in Silicon Valley’s entrepreneurship culture," Chen says. "When I kick-started my start-up business, I found that the skills learnt during the trip, including customer discovery, business plan development and pitching,  are particularly applicable to my entrepreneurship journey," he adds.