One of world's dearest degree, at HK$960,000, will see students study in Italy, the US and HK
Lo Wei wei.lo@scmp.com
Three business bachelor degrees from three universities from three continents in four years - that is the offer in a new programme. But students, or their parents, will need deep pockets as the price tag is HK$960,000, almost twice the price of an MBA programme.
Those taking part will study at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Bocconi University in Italy, and the University of Southern California for at least a year and get a degree from each.
Recruitment for the initial intake of 45 students for the World Bachelor in Business programme - the first of its kind and probably the most expensive undergraduate course yet - involves candidates worldwide. Hong Kong students will get no government aid.
"With economic globalisation, there is more demand for talents who have a global vision," said Professor Leonard Cheng Kwok-hon, HKUST dean of business and management.
Cheng said the programme was devised to go beyond normal exchange programmes, which are now common among university students in Hong Kong.
"Their identity will not be exchange students. They will study as full-time students," he said.
But the general manager of Besteam Personnel Consultancy, Edmond So Wai-chung, said employers might not count the three degree certificates as individual qualifications, as they were of the same subject, unlike some joint honours programmes.
Students will take a mixture of existing courses and those designed for the programme, spanning topics such as international commerce, business in Asia and European economic policy.
Fees are estimated at US$43,722 for the first year in the University Southern California's Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles, HK$200,000 for the second year in Hong Kong and €18,000 (HK$182,043) for the third year at Bocconi. For the fourth year, students can study at any of the three institutions.
Standard undergraduate programmes at HKUST cost local students HK$42,100 a year and non-local students HK$120,000.
Correction: an earlier version of the story said the programme was the world's most expensive. We have since corrected it to "one of the world's most expensive".
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