STUDENT REPORT
Name of the University:
Names of the students:
Exchange semester:
University of Hong Kong
Anders Bruusgaard
Spring, 2010
I GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The University of Hong Kong (HKU) is situated on the North-Western part of Hong Kong
Island. The campus is only a short distance from many of Hong Kong’s major attractions.
HKU consistently ranks among the world’s best universities, currently ranking 26 th (1st in
Asia). The student population consists of some 20,000 students. 6000 of those are non-local.
Out of the 6000 non-local students, many are from mainland China.
II PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Information before you left
Upon being accepted as an exchange student at HKU, I received an e-mail asking me to
choose classes and so on. This e-mail was intended for student on exchange in the autumn
semester. A mail for those going on exchange in the spring semester will be sent out later. I
received an information package in the fall prior to the exchange. There were some difficulties
in choosing classes; however you will have ample opportunity to add or drop classes later.
Visa Procedure and travel experiences
The visa procedure was quite simple. All necessary forms were sent to me, and, though
extensive, they were easy enough to fill out. The cost of the visa is not high (roughly 200-400
NOK), and HKU can charge it on your credit card. I purchased one-way tickets a couple of
months prior to each trip. The cost of a one-way ticket was approximately 4000 NOK. You
could probably save some money if you buy a round trip ticket right away. I recommend
checking out www.zuji.com, as they are usually quite cheap for flights to and from Hong
Kong.
Academic Calendar
I arrived in Hong Kong early in January. The first day of the semester was about two weeks
later. The introductory week included a lot of information about what to expect and how to
cope with living in Hong Kong. The last day of teaching was in the middle of April. And the
examination period lasted from late April to mid-May. There were a few different holidays
during the semester, including Chinese New Year, Reading week, a few days for Easter.
Reception
The reception at the school was, in my case, completely lacking. It should be noted, that I had
not signed up for any buddy program. I received adequate information and aid at the school
when I approached them.
Housing
I choose to rent an apartment with another guy from BI. We found a great apartment very
close to the campus. We started the search for an apartment immediately after arriving in
Hong Kong. The school has some services to aid the search for privately rented apartments,
but it is much easier to just talk to different real estate agents in the area. Most of them speak
English, so communication is not an issue. However, most of them will tell you that short term
rental is difficult / impossible. I can recommend talking to Metro City in Central Street
(between High St. and Third St.).
In general, I do not recommend renting an apartment on your own. It is much more
expensive, and you become somewhat isolated compared to the ones staying at dorms. You
can end up spending as much as 6000 NOK per month, which is more or less the same as
one semester’s rent at various dorms.
Costs
For my part, housing costs were, by far, the largest. Property prices in Hong Kong are just as
high as in Oslo. On the bright side, food, books, etc., is very cheap. Food costs are only a
fraction of the prices in Oslo. Books and stationary at the university book store, is about half
the Norwegian price. Transportation costs, including taxi, are also low.
The International Office
There is an international office at the University. The international office functions largely like
that of BI. I received some information prior to the semester. They were also quite helpful in
answering questions regarding housing, etc. I had little or no contact with the international
office during the semester.
Exchange promotion
The University had no “exchange fair” where we could promote BI. The closest thing to an
exchange fair is the Global Lounge, where they have a lot of information about different
countries and schools.
Social Activities
Over the course of the semester, I have noticed that I had very little contact with local
students. Most local students I had any contact with were in relation to school projects, etc.
You are likely going to have much more contact with other exchange students. The exchange
students are there for the same reason you are, and they are much easier to talk to. There
are a lot of different activities (mostly parties) for exchange students throughout the semester.
Local students don’t really go out much, so you are much more likely to meet other exchange
students if you’re out in Wan Chai or Lan Kwai Fong.
Culture and Language
The language of teaching at the school is English. And with only a few exceptions, I
experienced only minor difficulties with the language. All professors and most students speak
English well. Concerning other locals, the English skills are much more varied. Most taxi
drivers and other people in the service industry speak some English, while others don’t speak
it at all.
If you go on exchange to HKU in the spring semester, which has a lot of holidays and breaks,
you will have plenty of time to explore the country, as well as neighboring countries.
Cultural and Social Effects from the Exchange Experience
A semester on exchange has, no doubt, changed me somewhat. I have gained insight into,
and knowledge about, the Chinese / Hong Kong culture. It seems self evident that this is
going to be helpful in opening up future career possibilities. However, don’t expect to come
back from a semester in Hong Kong, speaking Chinese and being just about ready to do
business with the Chinese. The semester only gives you a sample of some of what China and
Hong Kong have to offer.
III ACADEMIC INFORMATION
The Teaching situation
All courses, except Chinese language classes, are taught in English. Most professors, as
mentioned, speak English just fine. The biggest difference between HKU and BI in terms of
studying is the fact that at HKU you will have a work load that is more evenly spread out over
the course of the semester. Most courses have various assignments and projects throughout
the semester. Like at BI, the structure of the classes and the work load will depend on the
class. However, in general, the classes are much smaller than those at BI. As a result, you
should expect to have a more personal relationship with the professors.
Required Literature
All required literature is, naturally, in English. All books are available at the university book
store. The literature is used, mainly, to give you a more in-depth knowledge. For exams you
need to have a detailed knowledge of the course contents.
Exams
Most exams consist of a multiple choice part and an essay question part. One exception
being an economics class where the final exam was a two week, take home exam. The level
required to pass was about the same as at BI.
Other
The library and IT facilities at the University are fine. You have adequate access to both
library resources and computers. Just like in Norway, it has a tendency to get a little crowded
during the final exam period.
Description of Courses
Course name:
Prereq.
Exam
Major at BI
Approved as
Intro to finance
None
MC / essay
Siv.Øk.
Finans I
Man. Accounting I
Accounting
MC / essay
Op. Økonomistyring
Leadership
None
Essay /presentation
Org. teori og ledelse
Take-home exam
Elective
Economic development None
Of China
Comments: The introduction to finance and the management accounting I classes were far
too easy. I recommend taking classes at a higher level. Leadership was a very useful class
with a very knowledgeable professor. It is taught by Professor Hui, who has published several
papers on the subject.
Lastly is the Economic Development of China. This is a class I highly recommend, if you have
an interest in economics. It gives you a lot of insight into the enormous change the Chinese
economy has experienced over the past thirty years. The class is taught by Professor
Chenggang Xu. Professor Xu has a Ph.D. from Harvard along with teaching experience from
Harvard and the London School of Economics. This is a chance to learn from a professor who
really is one of the leading scholars in his field.
Names and e-mails:
If you have any question, just send me an e-mail.
Anders Bruusgaard
anders.bruusgaard@gmail.com