The Faculty of Business at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) hosted a grand dinner on 14 May to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme. The event was attended by Mr Paul CHAN, Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government of the People’s Republic of China, as the guest of honour. It brought together over 400 industry partners, alumni, faculty members, and students to discuss emerging trends in nurturing scholar-leaders in the AI era and the future direction of the DBA programme. 

In his keynote speech, Mr Paul Chan shared how technology and innovation had transformed business and commerce, and analysed the challenges posed by the AI era, advocating for co-ordinated action between the Government, business and academia to seize these opportunities. He said that in this age, “Distinctly human skills - curation, verification, ethical judgement - become more valuable. The world today needs the capacity to turn ideas into impact. Thirty years ago, PolyU had the foresight to create a programme that would turn experienced executives into scholar-leaders – people who think critically, research rigorously and act decisively. That foresight is more valuable today than ever.” 

Prof. Jin-Guang TENG, PolyU President, stated, “The accelerating pace of technological change is redefining every profession, and education must evolve swiftly to keep graduates ahead of the curve. PolyU is committed to fostering innovation in teaching. Through our Education 4.0 initiative, the University is harnessing AI and smart technologies to create a more student-centred learning and teaching environment, empowering students to become better learners and to thrive in today’s AI-driven age, thereby strengthening Hong Kong’s position as a leading international post-secondary education hub.” 

Ir Prof. Edwin CHENG, Dean of the PolyU Faculty of Business, highlighted, “Since launching Hong Kong’s first DBA programme in 1996, the Faculty of Business has remained committed to nurturing scholar-leaders who integrate academic thinking with leadership practice. The Faculty’s academic and research excellence is internationally recognised, with outstanding performance in several authoritative rankings, including being ranked first worldwide in Management by ShanghaiRanking. The PolyU Faculty of Business will continue to build on its strong academic foundation and influence to collaborate with all sectors of society in addressing global challenges.” 

A panel discussion held during the event was facilitated by Prof. Jimmy JIN, Associate Dean (External Relations and Development) of the PolyU Faculty of Business, and featured three preeminent AI pioneers as guest speakers: Dr Xiaodong HE, Senior Vice President of JD.com; Dr Feng XIAO, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HashKey Group; and Mr Evan YAO, Co-founder and Vice President of Marketing at ENGINEAI Robotics Technology. The discussion explored how AI and Web3 can turn innovative ideas into applications of commercial value and societal impact, and addressed frontier topics such as AI applications, digital asset infrastructure and robotics development.

Looking ahead, the PolyU Faculty of Business will continue to pursue innovation-driven education and scholarship, making contributions that are sustainable and having a positive impact on Hong Kong and the Greater Bay Area.