The BUddy Post – HKBU Alumni Affairs Office

Dedicated to whole-person business education, HKBU School of Business is among the 1% of business schools worldwide (and the only business school in Hong Kong) to hold triple accreditation from three leading global accreditation bodies, including AACSB, AMBA and EQUIS. Professor Zhang Han, Dean of the School of Business, assumed his role on 1 January 2025. With diverse experience in leading institutions in Mainland China, the United States and now Hong Kong, Professor Zhang shares his insights on propelling the School’s development, as well as wisdom gleaned from his career and life.

Nurturing Young Talents for the Future

Professor Zhang possesses a strong international perspective and comprehensive understanding of higher education in the US, Mainland China and Hong Kong. Professor Zhang earned his PhD in Information Systems from the University of Texas at Austin and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Peking University, as well as another master’s degree from Texas A&M University. Before joining HKBU, he was the Steven A. Denning Professor of Technology & Management and Professor of Information Technology Management (ITM) at the Scheller College of Business, Georgia Institute of Technology in the US, where he also served as the Faculty Director of the Denning Technology & Management (T&M) Programme. Professor Zhang sees tremendous potential for the School of Business. He explained, “We have a relatively large cohort of young scholars, and I believe young scholars are enthusiastic in their pursuit of knowledge discovery. As they navigate their academic journeys, they have ample opportunities to grow and reach their full potential.” Accordingly, Professor Zhang has identified the cultivation of young scholars as one of the key strategies to boost the School’s academic and research excellence.

Crafting a Global Brand with Flagship Programme

Professor Zhang emphasised the School’s advantageous geographical location, which is in close proximity to the diverse student population of the Greater Bay Area (GBA). Recognising HKBU’s strong reputation in Mainland China, he noted that this attracts students from Mainland China, particularly those in the GBA. To further engage with this promising student pool, Professor Zhang shared that the School is exploring the possibility of launching a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) programme in Mainland China. Discussing how the School’s international prominence could be enhanced, Professor Zhang quoted a marketing concept, “A signature product or service is vital for establishing a strong brand identity. Similarly, a unique and impactful academic programme or research initiative would undoubtedly help elevate the School’s reputation and recognition.” He continued, “I recently discussed with Professor Zhong Bu, Dean of the School of Communication, the possibility of launching an Executive MBA (EMBA) programme focused on social media, artificial intelligence (AI), and communication. Given that current EMBA programmes rarely focus on social media and AI, and considering the expertise and reputation of the School of Communication, I believe our programme will be truly distinctive and become a flagship offering.”

Professor Zhang believes that, in addition to cultivating young talents and enhancing academic and research excellence, the alumni community plays an important role in the School’s development. Shortly after his assumption of deanship, he attended MBA alumni events in Mainland China and was impressed by the young and dynamic alumni he met, noting their tremendous potential for further advancing the School. He stated, “Alumni are one of the School’s important resources, so we value our relationship with them very much. Alumni can contribute to the School in various ways, such as referring friends and colleagues to enrol in our MBA programme, mentoring our students, or offering employment and internship opportunities. Furthermore, they can leverage their connections to identify suitable opportunities for engagement and partnership for the University.”

Gaining Wisdom from Challenges

As Dean of the School of Business, Professor Zhang currently devotes more time to administrative duties, but he remains committed to research, driven by his continuous quest for knowledge. He shared his philosophy of effective management, “I need a comprehensive understanding of the School’s operations and development, but it’s impractical to manage every detail by myself. It’s critical to delegate responsibilities to faculty members, acknowledging their contributions and motivating them, thereby enhancing the School’s efficiency.”

An internationally prominent scholar in the field of information systems, Professor Zhang has served as a senior editor for several premier journals and currently he is the Editor-in-Chief of a prestigious journal Information & Management. In 2007, he co-founded the China Summer Workshop on Information Management (CSWIM) to promote exchange between scholars in Mainland China and overseas in the area of information systems and management. Although he has published extensively in top-tier journals and won several prestigious research awards, his research journey has not been without challenges. Early in his career, while participating in a research project in the US, he was responsible for collecting data for analysis. Given the data’s extensiveness and complexity, the collection process proved more complicated and time-consuming than anticipated. Consequently, he made the difficult decision to put a halt to the process after two years of data collection. This was an unfortunate experience, but Professor Zhang maintained a positive mindset. He said, “It is important to learn from failure.” From this experience, he learned the importance of evaluating the input-output ratio before undertaking projects, a principle he now applies consistently in his subsequent work.

Hard Work will Pay Off

Professor Zhang is a highly acclaimed scholar with numerous publications and research awards, and he has recently assumed a leadership role at the School of Business. His accomplishments stem from a fundamental principle, “Stay grounded, and hard work will pay off”. He firmly believes that diligence earns recognition. Addressing students and young alumni on navigating the age of AI, Professor Zhang advised, “Young people should cultivate curiosity and a growth mindset, as life-long learning is paramount.” In a world increasingly shaped by AI, Professor Zhang underscores the importance of ethical AI utilisation to enhance productivity and efficiency. After all, conscientiousness and patience are key to achieving success.