HKU SPACE Student beats 800 University of London candidates to gain global top spot

Further study is not just about gaining knowledge, it also opens a pathway to realising one’s dreams. Currently working as a secretary, Miss Kwok Ka Man, Carman, had a dream to advance her career. She joined the HKU SPACE family five years ago on a certificate programme, and then she progressed to study the University of London BSc Accounting and Finance programme (Lead College: London School of Economics & Political Science) at HKU SPACE.

This year, she received the top mark (out of over 800 candidates) in the world for the “Financial Intermediation” Course and graduated with first-class honours. Miss Kwok said this was, “a truly unexpected reward for unremitting effort”.

Miss Kwok said the University of London is so famous and has such a good reputation and stringent requirements that she hesitated a bit at first when choosing the programme. “I was worried that it would be too demanding and I wouldn't be able to study and work at the same time. The University of London ranks high in the global university rankings and its programmes are proof of that quality. So their requirements are higher in comparison with other part-time degree programmes. But in the end, I decided to try and I’m really glad I did.”

Her outstanding result is the best proof of her hard work. When she was asked about giving some tips as the world number one, she smiled and replied that it was way beyond anything she expected.

She thinks that being persistent and simply ploughing on are very important, but the support from teachers and friends is also indispensable. “I have to sincerely thank all HKU SPACE and the University of London teachers for their guidance and support. They were always there to help me and clarify things when I was confused or struggling with some abstract concept,” she said.

The programme also helped her to expand her social network and many classmates have now become friends and travelling companions on the challenging road to success. 

She pointed out that the programme is suitable for working students since the classes are mainly at weekends. The School also arranges mock examinations annually which are taught and assessed by visiting lecturers from the University of London. This helped her understand more about her strengths and weaknesses and develop a study strategy earlier.

Beneath her petite stature and soft voice, Miss Kwok harbours a rather high ambition. After completing the University of London programme, she said that the programme helped her understand where her interests lay and has already helped her to plan the next step towards her goal of achieving a successful career in the financial industry. We sincerely wish Miss Kwok all the best.