Postgraduate Student Life @ CUHK

For David Lagarde, the decision to leave a comfortable consulting career in Canada for a MSc in Business Analytics at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) was the culmination of a long-held ambition - not just a career pivot, but a deliberate move to plant himself at the centre of one of the world's most dynamic data economies. After three years in IT consulting, he had come to recognise a gap in his own toolkit.

“I felt like my previous consulting background was only functional,” he explains. “I didn't have that true technical background that I was looking for, and so applying for this specific MSc of Business Analytics at CUHK allowed me to gain a stronger technical foundation.”

Hong Kong, he had decided, was exactly where he needed to be.

A Strategic Gateway to Global Data

David's choice of location was as deliberate as his choice of programme. He sees Hong Kong as occupying a uniquely powerful position in the global economy, one that makes it an ideal launchpad for a career in data analytics.

“Hong Kong really acts as a gateway both into China for foreign firms, but also as a gateway to the world for Chinese firms,” he says. Layer on top of that the accelerating rise of AI and large-scale data technologies, and the strategic logic becomes even clearer.

“Coupling that with the special relationship of Hong Kong with China and the rest of the world, I think it's an incredibly strong place to be situated in, in order to kickstart a career in the data field,” he adds. For an international student in Hong Kong with ambitions in the data industry, there are few more advantageous positions to be in.

Turning Theory into Action

What distinguishes the CUHK MSc in Business Analytics from comparable programmes elsewhere, David says, is its insistence on practical, real-world application. The programme's "Advanced Business Analytics Practicum" course project was, for him, one of the most formative experiences of the entire degree, a structured collaboration with an industry leader to tackle a genuine business challenge from end to end.

“In my experience, our role was to build a comprehensive trading strategy for a South Korean investment bank that also has a local office here in Hong Kong,” he recalls. “That allowed myself and the rest of the team to really get proficient in financial analytics, a lot more than we used to before we started the practicum course.”

It is precisely the kind of experience that turns academic knowledge into professional readiness - and that prepares graduates to guide decision-makers from their very first day in the industry.

Recognised and Rewarded

David's academic commitment has not gone unnoticed. He is the recipient of both the 2024/25 CUHK Business School Admission Scholarship and the 2024/25 MSc in Business Analytics Admission Scholarship - recognition that has meant far more to him than financial relief alone.

“Amongst the top 40 universities in the world, CUHK probably has the most generous packages,” he remarks. “Talking about the award itself, it's an amazing gift. It only makes me want to give back to the university as much as possible, give back to the program. It's an incredibly strong motivator and it's a life changer.”

For prospective students researching CUHK scholarships, David's experience suggests that the University's generosity is both real and transformative.

The Power of the Right Cohort

One of the less obvious advantages of the programme, David argues, is its size. With approximately 130 to 140 students in his cohort and roughly 70 students in a class, the CUHK Business School has struck a balance that larger programmes often sacrifice: enough diversity to create a genuinely global classroom, but contained enough to allow meaningful relationships to form.

“It's always preferable to have somewhat of a contained amount of students that you can interact with so it doesn't become like too large of a crowd,” he notes. Career fairs, company visits, and workshops on navigating the Hong Kong labour market round out a professional development offering that extends well beyond the lecture hall.

The bonds forming among his classmates already feel, to David, like the early stages of a lasting professional network. “I can already feel that the classmates I have right now will probably become people I would come across in Hong Kong and in the industry,” he says.

Advice for Western Students Heading East

For students from North America or Europe considering Hong Kong postgraduate studies, David has a clear message: come with a purpose that goes beyond the prestige of the degree. “Don't come just for the reputation of the school, which is very good,” he says. “You should have probably the ambition or at least the curiosity or the interest to try to develop your career here or try to understand a little bit more about the life here."

That means engaging fully: learning Cantonese or Mandarin, joining clubs, exploring everything the city and university have to offer. “There's nothing that replaces learning Chinese,” he adds. “My advice would be to not waste your opportunity here, but to try to make the most of it.”

It is advice he has clearly taken to heart himself. Beyond the classroom, David's time at CUHK has been punctuated by experiences that no curriculum could manufacture - beachside barbecues organised by the school, corporate presentations at Hong Kong Disneyland - moments that have turned a rigorous academic programme into something closer to a life chapter.

By combining technical depth with genuine curiosity about the market he has chosen to work in, David is building exactly the kind of career foundation that an international move, done right, can provide.