DIGITAL MBA
Asia’s First Virtual MBA Classroom
In an exciting move in line with the HKUST MBA’s front-running approach, we have become the first in Asia to launch a custom-designed MBA virtual classroom. The state-of-the-art facility will provide our Digital MBA for Global Leaders (DiMBA), set to start classes in February 2022, with cutting-edge online teaching and learning opportunities for lecturers and students to fully interact with each other.
The innovative virtual classroom adopts a directional sound system and a high-definition curved video wall which hosts up to 72 participants. Students log in remotely from their own computers for a lecture or seminar, requiring only a device equipped with camera and speaker. They will then appear on one of the screens in HKUST’s virtual classroom and be able to engage in live face-to-face conversations with their lecturer and other class participants.
To vary what students see and retain their attention during a class, multiple cameras in the virtual classroom enable different shots of the lecturer. An interactive digital whiteboard makes it possible for students to collaborate simultaneously, despite not physically being present, delivering the all-important MBA element of peer learning and interaction. Shared exercises and group discussions conducted in virtual breakout rooms can also take place.
The flexible virtual classroom is a fitting demonstration of the DiMBA’s outlook, with the two-year part-time program also being the first of its kind to be offered by a top-ranked school in Asia. Carefully devised for executives and senior professionals looking to keep ahead in the digital age but facing time and geographical constraints on attending a conventional program, the DiMBA offers a blended learning program split between self-paced online study and live participatory sessions via virtual classes.
Given the fast-evolving business landscape, leaders of tomorrow need interdisciplinary knowledge to integrate technology into daily operations and learn how to best leverage digital teamwork, Prof. Tai-Yuan Chen, Associate Dean of HKUST Business School and MBA Program Director, noted.
Core DiMBA courses include corporate finance, accounting, and marketing strategy. However, the curriculum also covers big data, blockchain, artificial intelligence (AI), and Python programming while cross-disciplinary knowledge is emphasized through courses on sustainability, green finance, and the arts, Prof. Chen said.
An inaugural cohort of 40 to 50 DiMBA students is being recruited.
If you have any questions about the DiMBA or want to refer a candidate to us, please reach out to our team at
dimba@ust.hk. Candidates referred by an HKUST MBA alumnus are eligible for an application fee waiver and tuition fee reduction of HK$30,000.
