{"id":15530,"date":"2025-05-19T16:15:35","date_gmt":"2025-05-19T14:15:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ensai.fr\/?p=15530"},"modified":"2025-05-19T16:22:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-19T14:22:22","slug":"tom-exchange-student-hku","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ensai.fr\/en\/tom-exchange-student-hku\/","title":{"rendered":"Tom, a semester at the University of Hong Kong (HKU)\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nearly 10,000 km separate ENSAI from the University of Hong Kong. This is a definite advantage in the eyes of Tom Catoire, a second-year engineering student at ENSAI who was looking for a study abroad destination that combines cultural immersion and an academic challenge. As his exchange semester draws to a close, he describes his daily life at this top-ranked university.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Founded in 1911, HKU<\/a> is one of the most important public institutions of higher education and research in Hong Kong. It is often regarded as one of the most international universities in the world, as well as one of the most prestigious in Asia.<\/p>\n

Why I chose the University of Hong Kong<\/h3>\n

Tom Catoire: \u201cA little background: before coming to ENSAI, I did two years of MPI preparatory courses<\/a>, then I chose ENSAI for the strength of its statistics program, the balance between theory and application, and its opportunities in finance, a field that particularly interests me. I will be joining the Data Science and Risk Management<\/a> program next fall.<\/p>\n

When I applied for a semester exchange<\/a>, I deliberately sought to step outside my comfort zone as much as possible.<\/p>\n

My goal was to experience a real change of scenery, both culturally and in terms of my work habits. Hong Kong seemed like the ideal destination: an international city and a major hub for market finance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

In addition, HKU’s prestige was a major factor, if not the main one, in my choice of school.<\/p>\n

Work pace and academic requirements<\/h3>\n

At HKU, I chose my courses based on my career interests, but also with the goal of building a balanced schedule. I selected six courses, including four technical courses: Market Risk Analysis, Derivatives and Risk Management, Statistical Analysis, Machine Learning and Data Mining<\/strong>, and two more cross-disciplinary courses: Leadership and Influence in a Dynamic World, and Cosmic Frontiers. Only five courses were compulsory (30 ECTS credits), but you can never be too careful!<\/p>\n

The idea was to keep some freedom and not have my head constantly buried in my studies: I grouped my classes together over three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday), with fairly compact days (often 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.).<\/p>\n

This leaves my evenings and weekends free, which I have used to travel around the region: I have already visited a few cities in mainland China (Beijing, Macau, Shenzhen) as well as Thailand, and Vietnam.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

I have also been able to discover Hong Kong’s main attractions: hiking, local markets, traditional festivals, and evenings out with friends in various neighborhoods of the city.<\/p>\n

\"HKU<\/p>\n

The pace of work is very different from that at ENSAI. Here, there are very few tutorials or practicals: often only one hour of class per week per subject, and the rest is based on independent work<\/strong>, such as reading, exercises, or homework (one or two assignments per week). This homework accounts for a large part of the final grade, which reduces exam pressure but requires constant rigor in return. Personally, I prefer the organization at ENSAI, which is more structured and supervised in terms of tutorials and practical work.<\/p>\n

The academic level also seems higher, particularly in technical courses, with very high expectations from teachers. This is another reason why it is among the best universities in the world, which is something to consider. As for the campus, HKU is huge and modern, with superb views of the city or the sea. It contrasts sharply with the quiet Ker Lann campus, but I managed to settle in quite quickly as it is the type of environment that suits me better.<\/p>\n

Assessment and advice<\/h3>\n

The semester is coming to an end and I have gained a lot from this experience: greater independence and skills, an international outlook, and a real immersion in a competitive environment<\/strong>. It has reinforced my desire to work abroad in the future, which is one of my priorities. To be honest, however, I don’t think I will choose Hong Kong after living there for six months; there are other things to discover elsewhere.<\/p>\n

My main advice to ENSAI students is to take this opportunity seriously!<\/p>\n

HKU is one of the most sought-after destinations, so you have to work hard at ENSAI to get in. This isn’t just a simple Erasmus program: it’s a demanding academic exchange that will push you to be independent and organized.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Find out as much as you can about life there (housing, climate, budget, culture) and try to build a schedule that leaves you some free time to explore. It’s an extremely enriching experience in every way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Find out more about ENSAI’s international partnerships<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nearly 10,000 km separate ENSAI from the University of Hong Kong. This…
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