FBIT students gain hands-on learning experiences in Hong Kong

Ten UOIT students in the Faculty of Business and Information Technology (FBIT) are enjoying a unique international opportunity this summer by applying the skills they have acquired from their Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Information Technology programs.

Students have enjoyed an exclusive learning experience through participation in a short summer study program at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), and are taking hands-on experience to the next level through eight-week international internship placements with entrepreneurial companies in the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park in Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong, China. The students have been funded for their internships through the Ministry of Economic Development and Innovation’s Ontario Global Edge Program. 

During their time in Hong Kong, the students have been involved in much more than just school and work. Their involvement in a forum organized by their on-site supervisor, Dr. Patrick Hung, associate professor, FBIT, was of great significance. The students helped Dr. Hung host a large and exciting forum for more than 150 attendees of the Local Market Innovation and Technology Popularization Forum for academia, the business community and media in Hong Kong. A dozen speakers from mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the United States discussed innovation and local market issues. The entire forum was organized and presented in Chinese.

The eight Ontario Global Edge students and two research students also collaborated with a number of U.S. students from California State University whom they met during their time at the CUHK campus during the study portion of their trip. Through the forum and the efforts of faculty and students, UOIT and FBIT are now known by an additional 150 influential people in Hong Kong.

About Ontario Global Edge

The Ontario Global Edge program provides funding to post-secondary institutions to provide enterprising and entrepreneurial students, age 19 to 29, with international placements to help them develop a broader understanding of the global economy. Placements must highlight the challenges and opportunities of conducting business in the international marketplace. 

UOIT students drawn from the FBIT work with start‐up technology companies and entrepreneurs from all around the world. Students are expected to develop entrepreneurial skills and increase their knowledge of global market planning.

This summer FBIT has eight students participating in the Ontario Global Edge Program in Hong Kong and one student in Berlin, Germany.