Chen Meiyan | University of Edinburgh|MSc Global Strategy and Sustainability
Personal Statement
Studying the relationship between ESG scores and corporate risk led me to a question that
extends beyond financial modelling: how do businesses translate sustainability
commitments into decisions that support long-term value? My applied economics degree
has given me tools to examine corporate outcomes, but I now want to understand the
strategic choices behind them. This is my motivation for applying to the MSc Global
Strategy and Sustainability at the University of Edinburgh.
At City University of Macau, I have developed my analytical skills through projects
involving financial data and econometric modelling. In a study of 118 A-share financial
companies over 2022–2024, I independently handled the modelling work, comparing
specifications incorporating bank indicators, ESG controversy scores, interaction terms
and threshold effects. Adjusting control variables for robustness comparisons taught me to
consider how model design affects interpretation. It also sharpened my interest in what
aggregate ESG measures capture about organisations and what requires closer
investigation of their practices.
A tourism innovation competition gave me a different perspective on the relationship
between economic activity and social value. Our team proposed an immersive cultural
tourism experience for Hengmei Village. I helped develop the concept and independently
wrote the Yuexili experience script, incorporating local history and cultural sites. Working
on the proposal made me consider how cultural resources could inform a commercially
viable experience without losing their local meaning. It encouraged me to think about
business models in relation to the communities they affect.
I also participated in a sustainability activity organised by the Jane Goodall Institute Hong
Kong, completing ten hours of community service. This was a modest but useful
opportunity to engage with environmental responsibility outside coursework. Together,
these experiences have encouraged me to connect quantitative assessment with the
practical questions of whose interests a strategy serves and how its effects should be
evaluated.
Edinburgh’s integration of global strategy, sustainability and equity fits the knowledge I
now seek. I am particularly interested in the programme’s attention to corporate
responsibility and the organisational processes influencing environmental and social
outcomes. Opportunities for group consultancy work would help me practise framing
problems with others and translating analysis into recommendations. In an internationally
diverse cohort, I would contribute experience of studying in Macau, researching Chinese
financial firms and collaborating on projects that connect finance with community
development. I would bring a habit of examining evidence carefully and a willingness to
learn from approaches beyond economics.
My intended direction is analytical work supporting responsible investment and long-term
business decisions. To contribute effectively, I need to understand how sustainability
considerations influence competitive choices and resource allocation, alongside their
financial implications. Edinburgh would help me develop that strategic perspective and
communicate recommendations that are analytically grounded and attentive to their wider
consequences.