From the classroom to the globe: How an international MBA could shape you as a leader

Leadership is one of the most fundamental skills for business success, allowing professionals to navigate challenges, drive innovation, and inspire collaboration. As a result, it’s among the top five skills that global employers look for, according to the latest GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey. 

An international MBA can accelerate your leadership skills through working within teams and learning from business leaders and experts, while also exposing you to different markets and industries across the world. 

We spoke to Mengxi (Mercy) Liu, assistant director of marketing and admissions for MBA programs at HKU Business School, to find out more about how an international MBA can shape students into global leaders.  

Learn from current leaders 

Leadership is an essential skill taught within the MBA curriculum, preparing students to transition into managerial roles and effectively lead teams. 

At HKU, the Full-time MBA curriculum covers critical topics such as leadership presence and personal branding, managing high-performing teams, and problem solving. “Students are required to take four executive development workshops,” says Mercy. “We engage corporate partners—senior executives in Hong Kong and globally—to share what skills future leaders should master to thrive in their organizations." 

Students can benefit from the advice and expertise of professionals with direct leadership experience, who bring their knowledge to the MBA classroom. 

“We have a lot of industry practitioners who used to be CEOs and senior executives come and teach classes based on their experience,” explains Mercy. 

“We also offer leadership talks and learning and development workshops, so students can listen directly to current leaders—for example, the managing director of Samsung Electronics H.K. Company, Limited, or senior leaders from McKinsey Greater China,” she continues. 

Learn from your MBA cohort 

Within an MBA program, some of the most powerful lessons come not only from professors but also from fellow students within the classroom. At HKU,  an intentionally small full-time cohort is designed to create a close-knit environment to allow collaboration and exchange to flourish. 

“The idea is to create an intimate environment where students truly get to know one another, build meaningful connections, and learn together,” explains Mercy. 

This collaborative culture aims to encourage effective communication, teamwork, and cross-cultural understanding—all core leadership skills. Students also benefit from working alongside part-time HKU MBA students, many of whom hold managerial roles. 

 “When our full-time students and working professionals collaborate on projects, it enhances the classroom experience and mirrors real-life business interactions," Mercy adds. 

Gain international exposure 

Through first-hand international exposure, pursuing an international MBA can prepare you for a career working across borders and with multinational companies, providing opportunities to travel and meet people from different cultures and backgrounds. 

To achieve business success on a global scale, it’s essential for leaders to understand different markets, industries, countries, and perspectives.  

“Hong Kong is an amazing location to pursue a business degree, because even though it’s a small city, when it comes to business it’s not just about one specific market. To suceed in Hong Kong, you must understand more than one market," Mercy explains. "Business here naturallly crosses borders—it's part of the city's DNA." 

By studying within an international environment like HKU, students have direct exposure to global business markets, gaining diverse perspectives, opening doors to networking opportunities, and leading to professional and personal development. 

“It’s important for students to gain first-hand experience, to get exposure and become comfortable with different markets, instead of just reading information online,” says Mercy. “Being physically present, knowing and seeing how things are happening, is the best way to learn.” 

Learning from your peers as well as seasoned professionals helps build a multi-dimensional perspective, which is strengthened by the exposure to different cultures, markets, and industries. By studying an international MBA, you can therefore learn the fundamental business skills needed to lead with purpose and empathy.