"Part of good leadership is mastering the interplay between confidence and judgment," said Russell. "A collective learning experience allows students to not only learn about the theory, but also understands how it is applied among other students in different environments, enhancing knowledge and confidence to make decisions and judgments."

Another major and distinctive element within the Next Generation Program is mentorship, which provides one-on-one mentoring with retired IT leaders in Hong Kong.

"The mentors provide an experienced and independent external voice for the students," said Les Hales, managing director of CIO Connect, who is also one of the mentors in the program. He noted without a formal business relationship with the mentor, students can also share their issues more comfortably.

Among the mentors is YB Yeung, professor at City University and former HSBC executive. Spending two hours with individual mentees every few months throughout the program, Yeung found the experience mutually rewarding.