Chicago Booth Dean Affirms Integrity of New HK Campus: MBA News

By QS Contributor Updated Sep 17, 2019

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Introduction
Sunil Kumar not worried at prospect of attracting quality students to Chicago Booth Hong Kong

Chicago Booth Dean Affirms Integrity of New HK Campus: MBA News main image

Following July’s announcement that Chicago Booth School of Business was to shift its Asia Executive MBA program from Singapore to Hong Kong, the school’s dean, Sunil Kumar, has now felt the need to emphasize the level of ability, dedication and professionalism required to successfully enroll on the course.

“Our program is not intended for elites. It's for people who want to be future leaders of businesses. But that doesn't mean, especially in Hong Kong, that you need to come only from certain families”, said the Chicago Booth dean in the South China Morning Post.

Sunil Kumar went on to say that the two-year EMBA program was hugely demanding of its students and certainly not something that could be embarked upon lightly. When Chicago Booth Hong Kong opens its doors for its first intake next June, Kumar said he expected only a maximum of 100 of the “right students” to be in attendance.

Sunil Kumar not worried at prospect of attracting quality students to Chicago Booth Hong Kong

"The first few years are critical in making sure we attract the right students," Kumar said. However, he did not envisage there being a problem. From the most recent Asia Executive MBA class profile available, Hong Kong residents made up the fifth largest body of students. The top three represented countries were also Asian, namely; Singapore, India and China. In addition, Kumar said that many alumni of Chicago Booth’s Singapore campus were now based in HK, something that could only benefit the development of the school’s reputation there.

One of key reasons behind the relocation was Chicago Booth’s desire to strengthen its ties amongst the Asian business world. Hong Kong’s proximity to mainland China, the world’s second largest economy, became the decisive attraction.

It was at the turn of the century that Chicago Booth first began offering the Asia EMBA program in Singapore, now some 13 years ago. In that time, approximately 1,000 students have graduated from the program. All current students on the Asia Executive MBA program will complete their studies in Singapore and the school is looking at options for retaining a presence there after the relocation is complete.

Speaking at the announcement of Chicago Booth Hong Kong in July, Kumar said, “Thanks to the success of our Asia program, Chicago Booth has built great momentum in Southeast Asia and developed a strong alumni base in the region. Expanding into Hong Kong allows us to have impact on future leaders in business and build new corporate relationships in North Asia as well, complementing our activities."

Chicago Booth’s Asia Executive MBAs have always enjoyed a strong degree of interaction with their equivalents in Chicago and London, UK. This looks set to continue with students enrolled at all three locations spending three weeks together in Chicago and one week apiece in London and Hong Kong.

The new campus in Hong Kong will initially open at an interim location in 2014 with Chicago Booth needing to secure a further US$14M to complete a US$35m project for a permanent home, which is intended to be ready for business in 2016.