Exchange Report

There are a few things worth sorting out before you head to HKUST, but honestly, not many. Getting there is easy: I flew via Doha, and the connection through Frankfurt works just as well, so you can also mix the two and take a different route back. Book two or three months ahead and you will find something reasonable. Make sure you have a credit card that works internationally without heavy fees, since it makes everyday payments much simpler. I used Revolut and never had a problem, in Hong Kong or anywhere else in Asia. I would also get a SoSim card sorted early, because being online the moment you land makes the first days a lot easier, and data in Hong Kong costs a fraction of what it does in Austria. The one thing I would genuinely spend time on is the course preference form. You rank your courses before the semester starts and your whole schedule depends on it, so pick realistically and try to concentrate your classes on as few days as possible, which gives you long weekends for travelling. Beyond that, do not stress. HKUST organises the arrival very well, with welcome days, information sessions and plenty of events in the first weeks, so everything else falls into place once you are there.

For accommodation at HKUST there are basically two options: living on campus or at Jockey Club Hall, which is a bit closer to the city. I lived on campus and really enjoyed it. The sports facilities are right on your doorstep, the library is a two-minute walk away and the canteen is cheap and convenient. If you're worried about missing out on the city, it's really not an issue, since getting there from campus only takes around 15 minutes longer than from Jockey. One thing to know beforehand: you share your room with one other person. It feels a bit unusual at first, but you get used to it quickly and it's a great way to meet people. Another option is renting a flat together as a group, which some exchange students did. That works if you sort it out early with people you already get along with, but the halls are cheaper and a lot less hassle. On safety there's nothing to worry about at all. Hong Kong is one of the safest cities I've been to, and taking the MTR or walking home late at night never felt like a concern anywhere.

The academic culture at HKUST is fairly similar to WU. Courses involve a lot of group work, which makes it easy to meet people and work with students from all over the world, and the professors are genuinely good, approachable and happy to talk to you outside of class. The workload is moderate if you pick your courses well. One thing that works differently from WU is curved grading, so your grade depends on how the rest of the cohort performs rather than on a fixed scale. It sounds intimidating at first but it isn't something to worry about. What I'd really recommend looking at are the AI-related courses. HKUST has a strong tech side and there are some very cool courses in that direction, which is something you won't find in this form at WU. I took Tech Entrepreneurship, where a lot of the work is prompting and discussing current topics, and it was one of the most interesting courses of the semester. Strategic Management in China is the other one I'd recommend without hesitation, since it uses real case studies and shows you where Western strategy frameworks work in the Chinese context and where they don't. Developing the Leader in You is less academic and more about leadership styles and team dynamics, but the interactive format makes it one of the courses I remember best.

Public transport in Hong Kong is excellent. The MTR gets you almost everywhere, runs until after midnight and is cheap, and buses and minibuses cover the rest, including the shuttle to and from campus. The first thing you should do on arrival is get an Octopus Card, since it works on the MTR, buses and ferries and you can also pay with it in convenience stores and most restaurants. The Star Ferry between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island costs almost nothing and has the best view in the city. Safety is a non-issue. Hong Kong is one of the safest cities I've been to, and walking around or taking the MTR late at night never felt like a concern anywhere. Socially the semester is great. There are a lot of events organised in the first weeks and the international student community is big, so you meet people quickly. Most evenings happen in Lan Kwai Fong, Soho, Tsim Sha Tsui or Wan Chai, all easy to reach by MTR. Going out is where Hong Kong gets expensive. Food, on the other hand, is cheap if you eat where the locals eat, and the quality difference to the touristy places is huge. The sports facilities on campus are included in your fees and very good. What I'd really recommend though is hiking. Hong Kong has an extensive trail network and routes like the Dragon's Back or the trails around Clear Water Bay are close enough to do on a free afternoon.

My semester at HKUST was one of the best experiences of my studies so far. I met great people from all over the world, and being based in Hong Kong meant I could travel across Asia on the side, which is something you simply can't do from Vienna. The university itself is well organised, the courses were interesting and the city never got boring. If you get the chance to go, take it.