Digital MBA Program | HKUST MBA | Learn. Innovate. Lead.

At HKUST MBA, we equip professionals to advance their careers across borders through a curriculum that integrates business, technology and innovation. Our program prepares managers to lead regional teams, create cross-border business opportunities and navigate complex negotiations across Asia Pacific markets. By joining a diverse and high achieving cohort from Asia-Pacific to the Middle East, students are encouraged to challenge perspectives, build lasting connections, and shape their future from Asia to the World.

Class Profile

Who you will study with

Your MBA journey is shaped by who you learn with. Here, you'll collaborate with ambitious professionals from diverse industries and cultures, creating a powerful network that extends far beyond the classroom.

Our 2024 cohort comprises accomplished professionals averaging 12 years of work experience across diverse industries - from technology and finance to consulting, manufacturing, and healthcare. With 63% of students from outside Hong Kong and from as far away as Kazakhstan or Africa, our internationally diverse classroom creates a rich cross-cultural learning environment that enhances your global business perspective.

5 20

5 - 20 yrs

of working exp range

24 43

32 - 37

majority age range

0 100

54%

female

0 100

63%

non-Hong Kong

Companies Represented

– LG Display Taiwan Co. Ltd.

– China CITIC Bank International Limited

– Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Macau) Limited

– Venchi SPA limited

– Nike China HK Holding Limited

– Mastercard

– Tencent

– Value Partners

– MITSUI FUDOSAN CO., LTD.

– JPMorgan

Mode & Schedule

How you will study

While the Digital MBA for Global Leaders study mode covers the same rigorous curriculum as our other MBA programs, it's thoughtfully designed for busy professionals aspiring for international business roles. It's perfect for those who don't have time to travel but still want to study with a globally recognized university and a multinational cohort. The program offers a flexible learning journey that blends structured online study (through 'live' classes) with opportunities for in-person engagement in Hong Kong. Through our dedicated e-learning platform, students can take control of their schedules, while optional face-to-face electives provide valuable interaction and networking. The program requires in-person attendance for an immersion week in Hong Kong at the start of the program and a study week during the 2nd year.

The Curriculum

Develop a "C-level view of business" through our curated core courses and customize the MBA journey with our emphasis on electives.

Accelerators and Immersion Program

The program begins with online accelerators in Feb 2026, building your foundation in essential business skills including accounting, data analysis, and Python programming. During the immersion week, you'll forge lasting connections with your cohort, engage in intensive leadership development workshops, and strengthen your teamwork and communication skills through dynamic group activities. This invaluable in-person experience sets the foundation for your MBA journey and creates a powerful professional network that extends well beyond graduation.

Core & Elective Courses

The core curriculum develops comprehensive leadership capabilities across business functions

With electives making up over 55% of total credits, you can customize your learning path from a wide range of courses to match your career goals and interests.

Required Core Courses

Technology Strategy and Management

Explore the strategic role of technology in business as a general manager, covering enabling technologies, system design and management, and technology decision-making.

Marketing Strategy

Discover how to get your innovation in front of the right eyes. Understand the centrality of the customer and learn how to implement marketing strategies through pricing, distribution, promotion, and product decisions.

Strategic Management

Develop and implement effective corporate strategies with our Strategic Management course, covering concepts, analytical techniques, competitor analysis, and strategic evaluation.

Corporate Finance

Build skills in cash flow valuation, capital budgeting, and cost of capital estimation with our Corporate Finance course, including practical applications in bonds, stocks, and debt management. management.

Corporate Reporting

Understand the importance of managing stakeholders through information sharing. This course will ground you with accounting fundamentals, financial statement preparation, and analysis.

Operations Management

Learn how to manage business processes and supply chains with our course covering operations strategy, process analysis, inventory management, and quality improvement.

Managerial Microeconomics

Discover demand forecasting, cost analysis, pricing decisions, and more in our comprehensive course, featuring case studies and practical applications.

Responsible Leadership

Develop responsible leadership skills and learn how to create ethical corporations, developing the know-how to create a decision-making framework for making ethical judgments.

Elective Options

We continually update and refresh our elective offerings to meet the needs of our students and to stay ahead of the fast-changing business landscape.

Examples of electives from 2024-25 include:

Finance & Accounting

– Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Their Business Applications

– Global Macroeconomics

– Macro Investment Strategy in Practice

– Econometric Thinking for Business Strategists

– Investment Analysis

– Overview of Alternative Investments

– Launching and Running a VC Firm

– Financial Advisory and Transaction Execution for M&A

– Financial Statement Analysis

– Managerial Accounting Foundations

– Business Law

– Cryptocurrency, Blockchain and Their Business Applications

– Venture Capital and Private Equity

– Fundamental Value Investing: Applications to Public & Private Equity

– Sustainable Finance and Reporting Strategies in Hong Kong

– Behavioral Economics

– The Political Economy of Finance

Marketing

Management & Leadership

– Communication for Business Leaders

– Management of Organizations

– Irrational and Rational Thinking and Judgment in Management

– Effective Negotiations

– Management Consulting

– Global Leadership and Governance

– Leading Virtual Teams to High Performance

– Effective People Decisions: Unlocking the Power of Talent

– Applied M&A for Corporates

– Interpersonal Dynamics, Networking and the Art of Influencing Business Leaders

– C-SuiteLife

– Strategic Corporate Financing: IPOs, Debt, and Private Equity Solutions

– Enhancing Professional Skills

– Leadership Lab: Persuasion in Practice

Technology

– Deep Learning Business Applications with Python

– Transforming Business with Artificial Intelligence

– Digital and Social Media Strategy

– Doing Tech in Asia and China

– Data Analysis

– Digital Transformation In The Exponential Age

– Visualizing Data for Business Decisions

– Big Data Analytics

– AI, Innovation, and Product Management

Business Trends & Others

– Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) in China

– Business Modeling

– Mastering The Customer Experience: Mapping the End-to-End Customer Journey

– Managing Creativity and Innovation

– Economic Development in Asia: A Practitioner’s Perspective

– AI and the Future of Finance

– Innovating via Entrepreneurship & Intrapreneurship

– Strategic AI: Transforming Business and Redefining Leadership

– Integrated Business Simulation and Strategy

– Managing Business to Create Value through Sustainability

– Project Management

– Winning Strategies in the Digital World: Platforms, Ecosystems, and Beyond

– Chinese Tech Companies’ Strategy in Global Markets under AI Era

Small Online Network (SNOC) Courses

– Aviation Finance (UCD)

– Learning from Indonesia (U of Indonesia)

– Luxury Industry (HEC)

– And more....

Students can also fulfill their elective requirements through courses offered by the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM) Small Network Online Courses (SNOC).

*The elective courses listed above, including GNAM SNOC offerings, reflect the 2024-25 academic year. Course availability may vary in future years based on faculty availability and curriculum updates. The university reserves the right to modify course offerings without prior notice.

Class Delivery Modes

Students in our Asia-Pacific Part-time MBA (Digital MBA for Global Leaders study mode) will learn through several different course delivery modes.

Lecture-based courses are a 50/50 mix of recordings and live classes. Learn from pre-lesson exercises, short videos and real business case studies created by our world-class faculty, whenever suits you.

The other half of these courses is spent in virtual classes, experiencing live lectures in an interactive environment.

(Typically for core courses and selected electives)

Some business skills can only be learned collaboratively. Courses on key soft skills like communication and leadership, or where discussion of case studies is at the core of learning, are delivered completely in live mode. This allows for top-quality presentations and intellectual exchange.

(Typically for core courses and selected electives)

Lecture-based courses are a 50/50 mix of recordings and live classes. Learn from pre-lesson exercises, short videos and real business case studies created by our world-class faculty, whenever suits you.

Elective courses can optionally be studied right here in Hong Kong (subject to availability). Get a taste of on-campus life at HKUST by studying some modules face-to-face together with our full-time and part-time MBA students.

(For Immersion “Preparing to Lead” course and electives)

Class Schedule

The course timetable is designed to cater to your schedule.

MBA Cores

Typically arranged on Saturday mornings from 9:00am to 1:00pm under normal circumstances so you can have the afternoon free for yourself.

Electives

Available during weekend daytime (from 9:00am to 5:30pm) or weekday evenings (from 7:00pm onwards). You can choose the courses that best match your interests and schedule.

	Blended Class	100% Virtual Classes
Pre-class preparation	3 hours	2 hours
Live virtual classes	2 hours	3.5 hours
Post-class preparation	2 hours	2 hours
Total	7 - 10 hours*

*Actual commitment varies across different courses and students' own study progress

Immersion Week and Global Connections

Part-time DiMBA students begin their journey with “Preparing to Lead,” a 2-credit Immersion Program held at HKUST’s Clear Water Bay Campus. This in-person week features orientation, classes, workshops, and team activities - sparking strong connections from day one. Throughout the 24-months journey, students also have the option to join the GNAM network, broadening their reach through global connections and exchange among students across partner schools during Small Network Online Courses (SNOCs) or GNAM Week.

Talk to Ambassador

Connect with MBA Ambassador

Abhishek Kumar (Hong Kong)

Digital MBA for Global Leaders study mode

The blended learning mode of DiMBA helped me streamline my studies after work with intuitive online content and virtual classes during weekends. The experience has been invaluable in helping me to grow as a leader with an entrepreneurial mindset and expand my knowledge of the business world

Anthony Calta (Singapore)

Digital MBA for Global Leaders study mode

The beauty of the Digital MBA program lies in its flexibility. Plus, the option to attend face-to-face electives is invaluable. Those in-person interactions foster connections that enrich my learning experience and create lasting relationships.

Chisato Suh Takahashi (Tokyo)

Digital MBA for Global Leaders study mode

The small class size keeps our interactions lively and engaging. I absolutely thrive on the positive energy and strong friendships we've built—it's a fantastic way to learn and grow.