HONg KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 July 2025 – Growing up with regular family trips to Hong Kong, Charles Henry Faustino TAN never imagined he would one day call the city his second home. Now a final-year Professional Accountancy student at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), his story represents a shifting trend in Southeast Asian students seeking alternatives to traditional Western education destinations.

Breaking from Convention

Charles’ path to CUHK came through serendipity. “My mother discovered CUHK during our university search,” he recalls. “At the time, I knew little about its rankings or standing.” What began as a last-minute application transformed into a defining choice, as Charles found himself drawn to CUHK’s unique offerings – from its collegiate system to its sprawling green campus. His story reflects a growing trend among today’s students who are looking beyond university rankings to seek institutions that offer a more holistic educational experience.

Redefining Professional Education

Charles’ experience challenges common misconceptions about accountancy education. “Everyone, including me at one point, thought Professional Accountancy was just business mathematics,” he reflects. “It’s actually an international language and an art form.” This perspective highlights the evolving nature of professional education in Asia, where traditional number-crunching roles are being transformed into strategic business positions.

Beyond Classroom Walls

Through the Co-op@CUHK programme, Charles gained invaluable industry exposure as a Financial Planning and Analysis Trainee at one of Hong Kong’s prominent car retailers. The experience challenged him to apply classroom theories to real business scenarios – from market analysis to financial reporting. “What struck me most was seeing how our academic concepts directly influence million-dollar decisions,” Charles shares. Working in a predominantly Cantonese-speaking environment, he initially worried about communication barriers. “The language barrier was definitely challenging,” he acknowledges. “But it became an opportunity to develop cross-cultural communication skills essential in today’s global workplace.”

Moreover, his technical skills and adaptability soon proved more valuable than language proficiency. “My supervisors were more interested in my analytical capabilities and fresh perspectives,” he notes. The internship not only enhanced his professional skills but also gave him a realistic preview of working in Hong Kong’s dynamic business sector – an experience that has shaped his career aspirations.

Building Bridges

Now in his final semester, Charles has taken on an unexpected role as a cultural ambassador. Noting the limited awareness of CUHK in the Philippines, he’s working to bridge this information gap. “There’s a misconception that studying abroad means going to the West,” he explains. “Hong Kong offers a unique blend of Eastern and Western influences, plus proximity to home – it’s only 2.5 hours away.”

Campus Life Reimagined

CUHK’s sprawling campus – unusual in space-conscious Hong Kong – has created unexpected opportunities for community building. “I’ve seen wild boars, snakes, and monkeys on campus,” Charles laughs. “It’s like a tiny zoo.” These experiences, combined with the university’s collegiate system, have fostered a distinctive living-learning environment that sets it apart from other Asian institutions.

As Southeast Asian students increasingly look beyond traditional education destinations, stories like Charles’ highlight the changing landscape of international higher education. His experience suggests that the future of global education might not lie in choosing between East and West, but in finding spaces where both seamlessly converge.Hashtag: #CUHK

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

About CUHK

Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) stands as a leading comprehensive research university, consistently ranked among Asia’s top educational institutions.

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – Media OutReach Newswire – 11 July 2025 – Last year, Octa broker teamed up with its long-time charity partner, Ideas International, to carry out STATUS 200, a coding bootcamp for anyone willing to pick up a new valuable skill set from scratch. The overwhelmingly positive feedback and inspiring success stories of STATUS 200 graduates motivated organisers to continue with this initiative. This summer, the Bootcamp 2.0 will hopefully build on last year’s success, offering goal-driven individuals a unique opportunity to jumpstart their career in coding.

Coding and trading: a lift to a better future
As a globally regulated and trusted broker, Octa envisages trading as a universal opportunity. If used correctly, it can become a metaphorical lift to help traders improve their financial outcomes and social standing. The same goes to coding—a profession where dedication and hard work often outweigh educational background, allowing for unique opportunities for growth.

In Malaysia, a study found that a notable 48.4% adopt a fatalistic view regarding wealth and success. To turn this trend, Octa broker strives to provide new drivers of success for wide audiences via e-brokerage services—and now via coding as well.

In 2024, Octa broker and Ideas International’s STATUS 200 bootcamp showed that with targeted support, hard work can bring tangible results in several months. Shortly after graduation, several bootcamp participants made their first serious steps in the coding industry:

• several students engaged in paid, commissioned web development projects on a freelance basis after completing Stage 2
• three students were offered internships in the field
• one student with no prior teaching experience became a coding teacher
• one student applied for a computer science scholarship in Australia.

Throughout its 14 years in the financial markets, Octa broker has emphasised the importance of continuous learning for trading success. It is there that coding and trading seem to have a lot in common. By incrementally improving their skillset, analysing their mistakes, and realistically approaching their short-term and long-term goals, both new traders and aspiring coders can significantly improve their financial and social outcomes and unlock their potential.

As skill-based pursuits popular in the modern globalised and digitalised world, both trading and coding present a valuable opportunity to step up in life regardless of social and educational background. To empower traders, Octa provides them with a seamless trading environment—a comprehensive array of tools that complement each other, enabling continuous improvement and better results.

Octa’s Bootcamp 2.0
Octa and Ideas International’s free coding bootcamp 2025 will bring together young Malaysian men and women who are passionate about coding but have never had the chance to launch their careers in the field.

Octa’s long-standing charity partner, Ideas International, is a holistic school that empowers students to become contributing citizens who can succeed in an ever-changing world. Among other projects, the school carries out joint initiatives with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees.

In their joint educational charity projects, Octa and Ideas International aim to unlock human potential in the next generation through technology, human, and life skills.

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Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not investment advice or an offer. It does not consider your financial situation or needs. Octa and its affiliates are not liable for losses. Trading carries risks and may not suit all investors. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Product availability varies by jurisdiction—ensure compliance with local laws.
Hashtag: #Octa

The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

Octa

Octa is an international CFD broker that has been providing online trading services worldwide since 2011. It offers commission-free access to financial markets and various services used by clients from 180 countries who have opened more than 52 million trading accounts. To help its clients reach their investment goals, Octa offers free educational webinars, articles, and analytical tools.