The University of Macau Story by Education Post

The University of Macau Story 澳門大學的故事

The University of Macau Story

CONTENT MACAU COMES OF AGE

by Vickie Chan

UMACAU LEADS TERTIARY DRIVE

LAUNCH PAD FOR SUCCESS

by Vickie Chan

by Bernard Wan

CREATING A RESEARCH CULTURE

LEARNING THROUGH COLLEGE LIFE

by Bernard Wan

THE HUNT FOR NEW KNOWLEDGE

CULTURAL INTERCHANGE

by Vickie Chan

by Bernard Wan

GREATER EXPECTATIONS

BANKING ON A BIGGER FUTURE

MAP OF UMACAU

by Vickie Chan

MACAU COMES OF AGE

Former Portuguese enclave is carving out a unique new role by Vickie Chan

nce a quiet and quaint place known for

The enclave is a free port, a tax haven and an off-

ins of St Paul’s and the annual Grand

and orderly market environment. Macau’s textile,

its cobbled streets, the romantic RuPrix, Macau has grown and flourished

since the official handover from Portugal to China in 1999.

The biggest change has taken place since 2006

as the tourism industry has boomed and the city has become the world’s largest gaming centre.

The Macau SAR Government promotes the former

clothing and footwear industries make up about 75

percent of its export earnings. The World Bank has named Macau as one of the richest cities in the world and it is considered a high-income economy.

Excluding the government, the gaming and recre-

ational sectors are the largest employers, followed by hotels and manufacturing.

Portuguese enclave as a vital link between the Chi-

Educational infrastructure is seeing robust devel-

hospitality and gaming as the biggest sectors.

years of free K-12 education and there is 99 per-

nese Mainland and global markets, with tourism,

Now, Macau boasts its own House of Dancing Wa-

ter stage spectacular as well as other permanent and touring attractions. Large, glitzy hotels attract not only 2.5 million mainland visitors each month,

opment as well. Local residents receive fifteen

cent literacy. The mixture of public and private schools in Macau is encouraged by the government to offer a diversified school system, nurturing more talent for a gradually diversifying economy.

but also business travellers from around the world.

According to the Continuing Education Develop-

held in the city.

support programmes and subsidies are available

In 2003, 964 meetings and 66 exhibitions were

shore financial centre, offering a cultivated, fair

The University of Macau Story

ment Plan launched in 2011, various education

for Macau residents beyond high

Guangdong. This pledge was reinforced when Xi

paign encourages schools to open

PRC. The government continues to invest proac-

exchange between students and

development of higher education as a magnet for

school. An Open Campus Cam-

Jinping recently visited Macau as President of the

facilities to the public to encourage

tively in infrastructure, housing, transport and the

residents. Meanwhile various gov-

regional scholarship and research.

and subsidies for schools. These in-

Internationally, Macau has good relations and is

of Teaching Staff programme, which

Cooperation Agreement promotes collaboration

to be hired, leaving teachers free of

science and technology, energy, information and

ernment schemes provide support clude the Professional Development

a member of the WTO. The Macao-EC Trade and

enables more classroom assistants

with the European Union in industry, investment,

non-teaching work.

training. So far, programmes have included training

As a former Portuguese colony,

on local services in Macau and training for public

guese-speaking international com-

with partnerships in anti-piracy measures and law

for tourism and services, European studies, advice

Macau’s close ties with the Portu-

departments. Relations with the US remain strong,

munity, by extension with the vast

enforcement training.

European community, and with the Mainland have helped it to establish a unique position and exert

More opportunities, collaborations and develop-

Arrangement signed with the People’s Republic of

opening of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge

first Forum for Economic and Trade Cooperation

ta, reducing a four and a half hour journey to 40

trepreneurs Convention have strengthened links

pected including further expansion of the tourism

its influence. The Closer Economic Partnership

ments for the enclave are on the horizon after the

China (PRC) Government and the hosting of the

in 2016, joining the east and west Pearl River Del-

– both in 2003 – as well as the World Chinese En-

minutes. A rise in employment opportunities is ex-

between Macau, China and Portuguese-speaking

industry across the region.

er Delta link between the two. Bilateral trade and

Hengqin, a special economic zone in Zhuhai,

2002 to US$128.497 billion in 2012.

times its size. With such proximity, it should fur-

Unemployment in Macau was lower than 2 per cent

Guangdong. Other infrastructure projects include

particularly in construction, which is a major indus-

tional Airport Capacity Upgrade, which will leave

tors. During a visit in 2009, then Vice President of

year. Such projects and developments show that

to support Macau in further developing a finance

nities, which are set to bring strong demand for

countries. The city genuinely serves as a Pearl Rivinvestments have grown from US$5.6 billion in

which is connected to Macau by a bridge, is three

ther strengthen relations between Macau and

in 2013 and there is a severe workforce shortage –

the Macau Light Rapid Transit and Macau Interna-

try due to growth of the gaming and tourism sec-

the airport able to process 12 million travellers per

the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, pledged

Macau is ready for new challenges and opportu-

industry, infrastructure and relations with SMEs in

homegrown talent.

The University of Macau Story

UMACAU LEADS TERTIARY DRIVE City’s flagship university is growing rapidly to meet demand

by Vickie Chan

irst established in 1981 as the University of

20 per cent since 2006, while the number of post-

cau) is the leading – and largest – tertiary

and 2012, the number of papers by UMacau aca-

East Asia, the University of Macau (UMainstitution in the city. The University was

renamed In 1991 and became public, making it the

only public comprehensive university in the special administrative region.

In 2007, UMacau launched a ten-year strategic

plan for its future development to address issues

such as the workforce shortage in Macau and the university’s role in strengthening the city’s regional

academic position. The unique legacy of Macau as a Portuguese colony with strong international ties,

has been maintained as a key to the uniqueness of both the University and the city.

As a result, boosting student enrolments, increas-

ing its international student ratio, and supporting higher education development on the local and global fronts are high on the University’s agenda. The number of undergraduates has increased by 6

The University of Macau Story

graduates has risen by 80 per cent. Between 2009 demics published in top journals doubled.

Meanwhile the University has developed a wider

variety of courses, particularly in signature disciplines that it excels in such as Chinese medicine and micro-electronics. It now offers a total of 130

programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It has also strengthened its position as a re-

search institution, while funding a large number of research projects.

Yet perhaps its most significant milestone since 2006 has been to construct a new campus in near-

by Hengqin, a special economic zone just over the border, in mainland China. For this to happen, Chi-

na’s National People’s Congress Standing Com-

mittee had to adopt an extraordinary bill, which would not only approve construction, but also give the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR)

Government legal jurisdiction over

In a historic speech at the

close to 1.1 square km, literally one

Cheong U, said UMacau was central to the gov-

the campus. Covering an area of

thirtieth the size of the Macau mainland, the new campus is connected to Macau with an underwater tunnel to allow 24-hour checkpoint-free public access.

Then Chinese President Hu Jintao

officiated at the groundbreaking cer-

emony in 2009 and the campus was inaugurated in November 2013 by Vice Premier of the State Council,

Wang Yang. All departments, stu-

dents and teaching staff commenced work and study at the new campus in August 2014.

With 69 per cent of the University’s income subsidised by the Macau SAR Government, relations

remain close between the two, with a clear longterm commitment. In 2012, Chief Executive of Ma-

cau and chancellor of UMacau, Dr Fernando Chui

Sai-on, stated that the government would support UMacau as part of its increased higher education in the region.

investment in

Considerations include international standards, developing teaching and research systems and

nurturing graduates within the community to increase the quality of the local workforce and aid the

enclave’s long-term development. The government

has also pledged to implement and improve relevant policies that enable local residents to receive

higher education and pursue lifelong learning. As a comprehensive university, Chui said that UMacau is an equal contributor in realising such goals.

campus inaugura-

tion, then Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, ernment’s plans to boost Macau’s economy and

competitiveness by enhancing education. “It is important that we institute a long-term and effec-

tive mechanism,” he said. “We need to refine the

education system structurally and gradually, es-

pecially that of higher education. As an important university, the University of Macau plays a pivotal role in the advancement of local higher education. Therefore, the government will, as always, support the University of Macau – which is now progressing along the right track – to scale new heights.”

Embracing the Open House, which allows mem-

bers of the public to access the University’s educa-

tional resources, the new campus is home to more

than 15 academic complexes and more than 60 independent buildings including residential colleg-

es and amenity facilities. The University’s Wu Yee

Sun Library can hold over a million books and academic journals and about seven faculties are with-

in walking distance of one another, accessible by covered walk ways. The Central Teaching Building has capacity to host classes for up to 3,000 stu-

dents at a time. Other facilities are great for mixing community learners with students at the university.

A University Gallery is available to students and visitors, showcasing the history of the University. But the main recreational gathering spot on campus is the purpose-built mall with dining and shop-

ping outlets where students of all nationalities can

mix, socialise and share ideas – something that is common in Western universities – bringing togeth-

er the perfect community of local and international students.

The University of Macau Story

LAUNCH PAD FOR SUCCESS UMacau’s new Hengqin campus is home to many new initiatives aimed at sustained growth, says Rector Wei Zhao by Bernard Wan

new chapter in Macau’s higher educa-

For students, the new campus means a spacious

cation of the University of Macau (UMa-

and access to close to 600 outstanding teaching

tion history has unfolded with the relocau) to a spectacular new campus on

Hengqin Island, Zhuhai, Guangdong Province that was completed in August 2014.

Rector of UMacau, Professor Wei Zhao described

the University’s milestone development as a successful embodiment of the one-country, two-sys-

tems principle upheld by the Macau SAR Gov-

ernment and the Central Government. With the campus equal in size to one thirtieth of the enclave,

Zhao is confident UMacau can spearhead higher education and research development in Macau. As a major university in Macau fully supported by the Macau SAR Government, UMacau is steadily pro-

gressing to become an internationally recognised university, while fulfilling its mission to help the city

diversify its industries with a broader range of talent.

Professor Wei Zhao

The University of Macau Story

learning environment with state-of-the-art facilities staff and faculty members. At present, UMacau

has seven faculties: arts and humanities; busi-

ness administration; education; health sciences; law; social sciences; and science and technology. Professor Zhao said the new campus presents

the best ever opportunity for the University to im-

plement initiatives such as the highly acclaimed “4-in-1” pedagogical model. This involves disci-

pline-specific education; general education; research and education internship; and community and peer education, which are all integrated into

the undergraduate curriculum for any given disci-

pline. “We want to broaden the students’ horizons

beyond their sole focus on academic studies. From a whole-person development perspective, they not

only learn knowledge in the classroom, but also need to discover new knowledge and apply it in

daily life in society” said Professor Zhao, a distin-

guished computing technology expert

its economy and industries. Unfazed by the small

make it happen, all first-year students

aimed at educating students for various profes-

who has been Rector since 2008. To

are required to spend at least one ac-

ademic year in one residential college

where “they live together, participate

in different activities together and learn from each other.” Currently there are eight residential colleg-

es and the number will increase to 12 in the near future.

With experience of world-class universities in var-

ious countries and regions, Professor Zhao main-

tains that a top-notch comprehensive academic

size of the territory, UMacau has a big mission sions. For example, plans are underway to develop

a design institute to offer courses such as landscape design and environmental design that will

nurture talent for the Macau’s creative industries.

The University has also leveraged its expertise and

state-of-the-art facilities to focus on research in Chinese medicine sciences, culminating in the es-

tablishment of a state key laboratory, that is highly regarded by the Macau SAR Government, Professor Zhao pointed out.

institution can’t sustain an organic growth, if it only

Macau’s small economic scale with a rather narrow

gineering and technology disciplines. It also needs

it difficult to get a good job in the professions they

focuses on medical and natural sciences, plus enstrong faculties of humanities and language arts to

strike a balance. With that in mind, UMacau has

formed an academic alliance with National Taiwan University, The University of Hong Kong and Pe-

king University to offer a joint educational platform where PhD students of Chinese Studies can study at any of the institutions.

As the enclave’s flagship university with a 34-year history, UMacau is tasked to help Macau diversify

base of industries means talented people may find

aspire to, but Professor Zhao is hopeful that Macau’s challenges will become opportunities for his students. “Academic training at UMacau prepares our students for global opportunities and transfor-

mation, rather than local ones, and we equip our graduates with the required knowledge and skills

to assist them to think globally and aim higher than ever for their career development,” he said. “It is a challenge for our students, but also their opportunity.”

The University of Macau Story

CREATING A RESEARCH CULTURE Generous funding is supporting a plethora of new research projects at UMacau by Bernard Wan

ithout the backing of a strong in-

“Twenty years ago, we only had a research budget

tradition, a university is unlikely to

about an annual internal research budget of close

tellectual, research and teaching

attract top notch academic staff

and students that are needed to compete globally. Well aware of the importance of teaching and re-

search, the University of Macau’s (UMacau) senior

management has pulled out all the stops to create an environment that will support its evolution into an outstanding research-led institution of learning.

of less than US$ 63,000, but today we’re talking

to US$19 million granted by the research commit-

tee, supplemented by an external funding source of more than US$ 6 million made available by the Macau Science & Technology Fund for our re-

search projects,” said Professor Martins, who has

played a key role in all stages of transformation of the University since 1993.

Over the last two decades, UMacau has pro-

The substantial financial support led to the estab-

and outcomes, backed by the support of the Ma-

2011 focusing on two specific research areas: Chi-

gressed by leaps and bounds in its research efforts cau government and with a significant increase in research funding available to the academic staff. “We’ve been developing good conditions where a research culture can grow and thrive on campus

across all disciplines. One of them is a significant increase in research funding,” said Professor Rui

Martins, the University’s Vice Rector for Research

and a world renowned expert in micro-electronics. 10

Professor Rui Martins

The University of Macau Story

lishment of two state key research laboratories in

nese Medical Science, and Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, with the latter formed and supervised by Professor Martins himself to conduct research on

the interface between analogue and digital, with particular emphasis in applications for mobile com-

munications. The new campus certainly presents a conducive environment and provides generous resources to secure top academics and advanced

State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI

equipment and facilitate new research projects on

Following a common practice among world-class

setting up a large number of new biology labs for

comes using two key yardsticks - the number of

a wider range of topics and a larger scale. “We’re the Faculty of Health Sciences, and there will be five buildings to cater for the research labs. We will

also devote our research efforts and resources to

computer and information science, cyberphysics, applied physics and materials engineering, and the Internet of Things – supported by the 973 national

research development programme, in a project led

by our Rector. In a couple of years, we hope to create some spin-off companies from the research projects conducted by the state key labs.”

Other than science and technology, UMacau also

universities, UMacau measures its research out-

research articles or papers published in top academic journals and the number of patents awarded. According to Professor Martins, 75 per cent of

the research papers published are related to science and technology and around 25 per cent are

in social sciences, arts and humanities. This figure

is comparatively higher than most Hong Kong universities in this area of research, which is around

10-15 per cent, “but in our case, it is around 20-25 per cent for papers published about social sciences and humanities,” said Professor Martins.

places great emphasis on research in social scienc-

Both the number and citation frequency of pub-

research area called Macaology several years ago,

increasing. Professor Martins is pleased with the

es and humanities. The University launched a new to study Macau’s unique heritage, culture and his-

tory, and several conferences were organised at

venues including Macau, Lisbon and Beijing, with

the fourth one to take place in Brazil in 2015. As Macau’s leading public university, UMacau takes a central role in strengthening and building ties

with the Portuguese-speaking academic community to establish a platform to promote education

and cultural exchange and collaboration. Professor Martins pointed out that it is important for UMacau to maintain this tradition. UMacau is a member of AULP, an academic alliance of 24 years’ standing

that comprises more than 200 Portuguese-speaking universities around the world that gather every year to discuss educational and cultural issues of

common concern. UMacau is serving as President of the alliance from 2014-2017.

lished papers by UMacau academics are steadily

research achievements UMacau has garnered over the past year – involving close to 700 research papers published in top academic journals, and over

4,000 citations of UMacau papers indexed in the Web of Science from Thomas Reuters academ-

ic research database. “We’re growing not only in quantity, but also in quality. We would like to see an

annual output of 1,000 research papers published in several years’ time, which will be a good sign to

indicate that we are moving from a teaching uni-

versity to a research-led university,” said Professor Martins. So far UMacau has more than 20 patents registered in the US and China mainly as a result of the two state key labs’ research effort, and Pro-

fessor Martins expects some robust commercial applications to appear in the near future.

The University of Macau Story

LEARNING THROUGH COLLEGE LIFE

Professor Dahsuan Feng

Professor Ling Chung

All undergraduates at UMacau spend a year in one of eight unique residential colleges

he University of Macau (UMacau) pro-

all aspects of living on campus,” said Professor

that consists of a discipline-specific

and a distinguished scholar in comparative litera-

motes a “4-in-1” pedagogical model

education; general education; research

and internship education; and community and

peer education. Modelled after the English and US residential hall traditions of universities such

as Oxford, Cambridge and Yale, UMacau’s residential college system is geared towards fostering

students’ learning and whole person development

within a community and through interaction with one another. All first-year undergraduate students,

regardless of whether they are local Macau residents, from the mainland or from overseas, are placed in residential colleges to experience communal living for at least one academic year.

“This system allows our academic staff to have close and regular contact with the students and

offer personal counseling to help solve whatever problems they may have and guide them through 12

by Bernard Wan

The University of Macau Story

Chung, Master of the Cheng Yu Tung College, ture and a writer. Each residential college has four

academics in-residence aided by 20 student floor

tutors. UMacau now has eight residential colleg-

es and expects to increase to 12 in the near future. According to Professor Chung, each college hosts about 500 boarding students and has its own unique characteristics, but all share the same

objective of cultivating future leaders. “Students majoring in different subjects live in the same com-

munity where they are able to learn from the teachers, student leaders and their peers from different

backgrounds and cultures, develop a sense of re-

sponsibility, and know how to live an independent life while respecting other people’s ideas and caring for society,” said Professor Chung.

Students are offered plenty of opportunities to de-

velop leadership skills and collaborate with other

people to make things happen. And there is no risk of a student becoming isolated during their time at the residential college. “It is mandatory that each

student participates in at least two activities per semester organised by the Master, the College Student Association or the college’s 20 student floor groups. The students need to prepare and submit

proposals for approval and apply for activity fund-

ing,” said Professor Chung, adding that her college organises a wide variety of activities for students

such as talks and seminars by experts and leaders in society, as well as the high-table dinner for

students to understand western dining etiquette.

“This will definitely enrich the students’ life expe-

rience and shape their character” explained Professor Chung.

With financial strength, appropriate strategies,

effective implementation of such strategies, and strong policies for recruiting, retaining and devel-

oping staff, UMacau can go far and will be able to compete in a globalised environment, according to Professor Dahsuan Feng, Director of the

Global Affairs Office and Special Assistant to the

Rector. Trained as a physicist with years of experience working at US universities and the US government leading science and technology projects,

Professor Feng, as an academic strategist, is on

a mission to raise the University’s global visibility and standing. “The current student demographics tell us that we need to diversify our student mix in our undergraduate and graduate programmes and

recruit the best global students,” said Professor Feng. Currently 80 per cent of the student population are local Macau residents. “We don’t do it

blindly. We hope to bring in students with different cultures and different ways of thinking to create an impact, and broaden the intellectual bandwidth of

our local students,” he explained. One group being targeted is ethnic Chinese students in Malaysia who are proficient in English, Chinese and Malay, who perform well in technology and science, and

understand Chinese, English and Malay cultures. UMacau is looking to broaden its overseas student

intake for its postgraduate programmes from the world’s second-largest nation in population terms, India.

Addressing the key role of UMacau as a platform to connect Asia and China to the rest of the world, Professor Feng stressed the importance of strengthening relations and forging collaboration

with universities and academic institutes in other continents especially in Europe, with which Macau

has strong and deep ties. It is always good to learn a thing or two from top universities. In early 2015,

he teamed up with the Rector to visit several top institutes in Israel. “We want to understand how

such a small country under all kinds of threats can become a haven of science and technology with

eight world class universities. Perhaps they could be the model UMacau can build on for Macau,” said Professor Feng with excitement.

The University of Macau Story

THE HUNT FOR NEW KNOWLEDGE Professor Chuxia Deng

Professor Honggang Jin

UMacau is building up strong research teams to work at the cutting edge of science

t is widely acknowledged that science and

health sciences that benefits mankind, and to nur-

technology are the driving forces of human ad-

ture a high-quality workforce of health and medical

life. Well aware of such power, world-class uni-

challenges in the rapidly changing world,” affirmed

vancement and improvement in the quality of

versities devote massive resources to enhancing their research capability in an attempt to achieve

scientific breakthroughs. For the University of Ma-

professionals, who are able to face health-related Professor Deng, a world renowned scholar in medical and clinical biology.

cau (UMacau), the research objective is clear and

“We have identified five major research areas to

ment of science and technology, and to reinforce

established five research centres and one institute

focused: “to enhance our impact on the developour global ranking among top universities,” said Professor Chuxia Deng, Dean and Chair Professor of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

To enhance its research capability, especially in biomedical and health sciences which are regarded as key research areas, UMacau has established

the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) to not only offer degree programmes in the field, but also pro-

mote health sciences research in Macau and the wider region. “Our goal is to advance knowledge in 14

by Bernard Wan

The University of Macau Story

address Macau’s public health issues and have

accordingly,” he stated. These include the Cancer Centre; Centre of Reproduction, Development

and Ageing; Centre of Molecular Medicine; Centre of Neurodegenerative Diseases; and Centre of

Immunology and Infectious Diseases. To embark on numerous research projects, Professor Deng

has gathered a strong team of academics and researchers from all over the world, including 20 principal investigators, instructors and research support staff. To cultivate and promote a research

culture in the local medical community, FHS will

collaborate with local hospitals in clini-

to establish a mentoring system where established

from local hospitals may be invited to

junior staff in research and professional devel-

cal research. “Leading medical doctors

serve as adjunct professors in our faculty,” said Professor Deng, adding that

the faculty plans to run a medical training programme for doctors to respond

to Macau’s needs. He pointed out that the local Macau residents have the world’s second highest longevity rate, and this presents a good opportunity for research on ageing and related dis-

scholars and senior faculty members can guide

opment. “My years of experience teaching at US

universities tell me that a mentoring system can be very powerful in helping a university produce research results and a great number of first class

students,” she said. “By being engaged with senior

faculty members in collaborative research, teaching-related activities and services, junior staff will see their professional standards rise.”

eases such as cancer formation, neu-

As a distinguished scholar in second language ac-

diseases. When asked about the future of scientific

an increasingly important role for the humanities

rodegenerative diseases and chronic

research at the University, he answered with confidence: “Bright.”

To produce top students and create a scholarly

learning environment, university faculties are always on the lookout for renowned academics, who

are skilled at teaching and committed to research. “It is important that faculty members are knowledgeable in their own specific subjects and also

passionate about transmitting their knowledge and research results to students, thereby helping them

compete globally,” said Professor Honggang Jin, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, sum-

marising the significant role of UMacau’s academics.

Facing a shortage of academic staff locally, UMa-

cau turns to established scholars and academics from overseas to strengthen its talent pool. However, Professor Jin maintains that it is equally vital

quisition and multilingualism, Professor Jin sees

and social sciences in science and technology research. “Nowadays a lot of research areas are in-

terconnected. If you want to get to a cutting-edge position, you need to bring in knowledge from other disciplines to perfect your own, and recognise

that humanities are deeply connected to science,

technology, social sciences and many other related fields,” she said. This is also the case in commer-

cial research, with companies such as Coca-Cola

looking at intercultural issues to help them develop improved systems and strategies that interact with people, she added.

As head of a faculty comprising three departments

and one centre with 78 faculty members, Professor Jin aims to mobilise these resources to help Macau produce high-level multilingual students who are able to connect with people from a wide range

of different backgrounds, deal with changes and solve problems flexibly.

The University of Macau Story

CULTURAL INTERCHANGE

UMacau offers an increasingly international milieu for students by Vickie Chan

diverse learning environment, the Uni-

taken courses in Spanish, Portuguese, psycholo-

a third of its students from outside the

UMacau student, Wu said the general education

versity of Macau (UMacau) draws about territory and offers a range of exchange

options for studying overseas. Non-local students come from mainland China and around the globe, while the academic staff come from a mix of back-

grounds, making for a rich culture at the institution.

courses enable her to meet a lot of international students, which she enjoys as she learns about

different ways of thinking and studying. Her own course is mostly made up of Macau residents and Mainland Chinese students.

Undergraduate student Candy Ka-kei Wu is major-

Doctoral graduate Jiao Zhang, who is from the

course that is mostly made up of male students.

ering international law, European Union law and

ing in electromechanical engineering, a four-year

A Macau resident, Wu wanted to study close to home. “UMacau was my first choice because it’s

the best university in Macau and there are a lot of

choices in what to study. Actually, it’s also the only place to offer electromechanical engineering,” she said.

Wu enjoys the general education courses that she

can take to supplement her degree. So far, she has 16

gy and art. The perfect example of an inquisitive

The University of Macau Story

mainland, took a Master’s in Law at UMacau, covcomparative law and went on to complete a PhD

in European Union Law. “Studying international law, I wanted to study in English as that’s a basic

requirement and I thought it would broaden my research horizons,” Zhang explained.

The distinguished academic staff were also an at-

traction. These include Professor Lingliang Zeng, former Dean of the Faculty of Law at Wuhan Uni-

versity, Professor Francis Snyder, a well-known ex-

pert in EU law and Professor Peter Wesley Smith, former Dean of the Faculty of Law at Hong Kong

ternational friends she made that will stay with her for life.

University. “UMacau is the best choice in Greater

German foreign exchange student Nils Schaefer is

resources to support me,” Zhang said. These in-

ying Business Administration, although he is ma-

China for studying EU law. “There are lots of great

clude the Jean Monnet Programme, an EU-funded

research and teaching project. The University also

had good connections for aiding her study and building her personal network.

Zhang said she had yearned for global experi-

ences and Macau was perfect for her – hailing

spending four and a half months at UMacau, stud-

joring in engineering. While he had the option to go somewhere like the US, Schaefer made the bold move of trying something really different. “It was

quite suddenly that I chose China. I wanted to get

to know a different culture so Macau seemed like a good choice,” he explained.

from Shanghai, she was close enough to home,

And a different culture is just what he found – not

encountered new cultures, while being taught by

here, in every aspect. I find local students are more

yet experienced a more Westernised lifestyle and international staff. “It is different, but I still felt at

home. I loved studying at UMacau and I loved

living in Macau,” she said. While a scholarship

helped Zhang to complete her degrees, she said it was both her study experience and the good in-

just in society, but in his studies too. “It is different introverted and less social because they’re very fo-

cused on their studies and careers,” he explained.

Schaefer said it took him some time to adapt, but while European students enjoy having fun and he

bonds more easily with other international stuThe University of Macau Story

dents, he has found it quite positive to focus so

We have to maintain this kind of diversity and in-

library as I have here. I’m so busy I forget about the

can better understand each other, and have a col-

much on work. “I’ve never spent so much time in a rest of life. The new campus is quite self-contained

which really supports studying. There are so many people, and you can spend almost two weeks here without leaving. It’s quite something!” he said.

Foreign exchange also involves study abroad for

local students. Wu said she went to Sweden last year, which broadened her horizons. “In Sweden

people like things to be simple, so we had to present things very simply, instead of making a big

powerpoint presentation. It was really different,” she recalled.

The experience taught her the importance of com-

municating, which is something that can’t be learnt

ourful world,” Zhang added.

Schaefer said he had not experienced a university where attendance was so important before. “In Germany, I can miss a lecture if I want to, either

because I’m too tired or have another deadline. But here, the teaching staff are very attentive. They check attendance and keep you from straying too

far from the course content.” Project work is also new to Schaefer. “We have a lot of project work, so

it’s actually great that everyone attends class and

knows their roles,” he explained. “Now I’m used to

the course structure and how the professors express themselves, I feel very supported here.”

from a book, Wu added.

For Zhang, the most positive aspect of her study

Like Schaefer, Wu has noticed the subtle differenc-

ceived and the access she had to a range of strong

es between international and local students. “We do a lot of projects and I find we have a different

way of thinking sometimes,” she said. Schaefer said he had benefited from the difference. “Locals

can be quite quiet in group work and I noticed that international students often end up taking charge.

experience was the academic support she reacademic staff. “The University keeps growing and

developing. Every year you can see the creation of new policies for improving the management, ser-

vice or facilities of the University,” she said, praising the purpose-built campus.

It gives me some understanding about working in-

It is clear that UMacau gives Zhang just the envi-

someone else’s culture and be sensitive to their

been awarded Outstanding Academic Achieve-

ternationally and how to understand and respect ideas, so that’s useful for my future,” he said.

For Zhang, the international mix at UM is a great advantage, too. “It’s so internationalized. It embraces professors from all over the world and it

makes it a great place for organising international conferences which enrich our knowledge and hori-

zons to a great extent,” she said, adding that UMacau can attract notable figures for such events.

“There’s respect for cultural diversity, and it’s nice to experience a world that is culturally diversified. 18

crease dialogue and communication, so that we

The University of Macau Story

ronment she needs to flourish and excel. “I have

ments by the EU Studies Association in Macau, and Best Writing and a PhD Scholarship for Stu-

dents Conducting EU Legal Studies offered by the EU Academic Programme in Macau,” she said. She has also achieved second prize in the Gradu-

ate Forum on the EU crisis and the EU-China relationship organised by the Centre for the EU Legal

Studies of Guangdong International Studies University, and received an Honorable Mention in the

Graduate Forum of Asia-Pacific EU Studies Centres Network.

Jiao Zhang

“I can’t imagine I would be the person I am now

without studying at UMacau. It made me really enjoy study and research and that is what I decided

to pursue – teaching and researching,” Zhang said. For Wu and Schaefer, there is a slightly longer jour-

ney ahead. Now participating in the internship programme, Wu can further define what she wants to

do next. “I will have to get a license which requires

two years of work experience and later I might study overseas so I have a better understanding of how things are done,” she said. But ultimately, she plans to stay in Macau near her family.

Schaefer said his time at UMacau had really made

Candy Ka-kei Wu

him think about himself, his life and his relationships.“I’m so grateful for everything I have re-

ceived. In Asia I’ve seen that some people work really hard for what they have. I’m more aware now,”

he said. “As a future engineer, it’s important for me to be aware of social environments, especially in

the workplace. I need to be able to guide and lead people and understand their different backgrounds

and cultures, as well as family backgrounds. So the social and interpersonal things I have learned here

will help me.” Smiling confidently, Schaefer said he plans to work in the manufacturing industry in Germany – but he might study a bit more first.

Nils Schaefer

The University of Macau Story

GREATER EXPECTATIONS

Opportunities abound for Sean Ao, after he gained first class honours at UMacau

fter finishing high school in Macau,

and Technology in 2013 and life has been busy

mainland China, where he was born,

the Macau Special Administrative Region.

Sean Ao thought he would go back to

to attend university. At the time, Ao

since, which Ao attributes to the nature and size of

was not a strong English speaker, so his options

“Macau is small but it has developed fast. Once

that challenge. But failing to get into his school

stay and work here,” he said. It meant that stud-

for attending university in Macau had to factor in

of choice on the mainland, and instead receiving a place at the University of Macau (UMacau), his

second choice, Ao was left with a decision or two to make.

“It’s the best university in Macau, so I was hap-

py with the decision to stay here,” he said. “The

teaching is all in English and that was interesting for me [as] I knew it was my weakness,” he said. “It

[has] really helped [to] improve my language skills,” he added with confidence.

Ao completed his bachelor’s degree in computer and information science at the Faculty of Science 20

by Vickie Chan

The University of Macau Story

I started my degree here I thought I would also

ying at UMacau had further advantages for Ao. “I

could get a part time job and make contacts that way. I wanted to build my network, so staying in

Macau was good for me, and now I have a strong

network.” He speaks of both the advantages of attending a large university known as the best in

its city and of living in a small city where networks constantly cross over.

As a topgrade student, Ao was a member of Hon-

ours College, which pools together the best students from various disciplines and grooms them

with special academic support to help them achieve their full potential and broaden their learn-

Sean Ao

ing experiences. With that support, Ao had the op-

one was offered to him. Of course, he was offered

the highlight of his bachelor’s degree. “I got the

company on websites and other IT solutions, as

portunity to do an overseas exchange, which was chance to go to University of Illinois Urbana-Cham-

paign (UIUC), so I really got to learn about American and Western culture. It helped me to develop good leadership skills, too,” he said.

But it wasn’t all easy. While studying at UMacau

means a lot of group projects, Ao found that at UIUC everything was done individually and he found the course quite tough and demanding. But

he was equipped with some strong lessons from

both and now works full time for an engineering well as studying part time at UMacau.

And that’s not all. Ao has also found time in the last 18 months to start his own business, offering IT support to small and medium-sized enterprises in Macau. “The market here is good for me, I am

quite busy,” he said. “I have three people working for me and when I finish my master’s, I want to start developing products that we can sell to clients.”

UMacau. “They can’t teach every technical skill but

Traveling around the US during the exchange pro-

means locating the problem. That is a really impor-

so much going on, Ao’s only regret is not traveling

they do teach you how to find solutions – which tant lesson for me.”

Now, Ao is busier than ever. After graduating, he

applied for both full-time jobs and a master’s de-

gramme gave him a touch of wanderlust and, with more before he started work. Reminiscing, he said,

“The bachelor’s was more fun – I was at university a lot more than I am now!”

gree at UMacau, thinking he would take whichever

The University of Macau Story

Sio-kai Ip, Deputy General Manager of the Bank of China, Macau

BANKING ON A BIGGER FUTURE

The fast-growing BOC, Macau is aiming to step up recruitment of UMacau graduates

peaking as the Deputy General Manag-

BOC is the largest mainstream bank in Macau, re-

Sio-kai Ip is keen to talk about the future

that cross-border transactions are more and more

er of the Bank of China (BOC), Macau, of Macau, the impact that good educa-

tional institutions can have and his experience in

working with graduates of the University of Macau (UMacau). As a small city, Macau has its challeng-

es, particularly because, currently, much of the economy is based around the gaming and entertainment industry and requires diversification.

As a special administrative region of China, Macau

ceiving a third of the market share, and it is finding common. Also on the increase are people who in-

vest in Macau from elsewhere or invest internationally via Macau, which is a free port and tax haven.

Taking Luxembourg as a model, BOC wants to expand, looking for more people from international

backgrounds and a mixture of work disciplines to help it reach the goal of growing the finance industry in Macau.

has various organisations and trade partnerships

“Lots of graduates come into the Macau job mar-

guese enclave and help it to serve as a vital link

has graduated from UMacau. We feel as though

that build on the city’s history as a former Portuin relations between Portuguese-speaking coun-

tries and Mainland China. “Good IT graduates are important for us but so are Portuguese speakers.

We want to connect China enterprises with Brazil, Portugal and so on,” Ip explained.

by Vickie Chan

The University of Macau Story

ket every year. In fact, ten per cent of our workforce

we are working with UMacau towards a bigger future for Macau. Education is important and so is finance,” Ip said.

UMacau graduates at BOC work mostly in middle management posts, filling roles in risk man-

agement, IT, private and corporate relationship

To help nurture the relationship with UMacau and

created a platform for businesses in Portugal – we

the new campus. Up to four undergraduates can

management, investment and so on. “We recently had help from UMacau’s linguistics department,”

Ip said. “Macau wants to establish a more interna-

tional financial platform so we need graduates from all kinds of study backgrounds,” he explained. In

fact, language graduates will become increasingly important as the market changes and diversifies.

Ip said UMacau graduates have a number of dis-

its graduates, BOC have opened a small branch at

work there, part time, giving them the opportunity to experience working in the bank and the cor-

porate culture. “We think of it like a lab,” Ip said. “Maybe after they graduate they will come to work

for us at the headquarters.” Meanwhile, the HR department communicates other part time jobs and internships with the University’s job centre.

tinct advantages. “They really understand Macau

Constitutionally and geographically, Macau is

so that fits us well,” he said. “They have high in-

cial transactions. “As finance changes, we need

and they understand Western and Chinese culture,

tegrity and are professionally skilled with extensive knowledge, despite being modest.” He also finds that UMacau graduates have a wide vision – another must. In fact, a number of BOC staff are studying their master’s degrees at UMacau, in the

well situated as a platform for international finanmore diversity,” Ip noted. And with institutions like UMacau set to see sustained growth over coming years, BOC will be able to find the right employees to reach its vision.

evenings.

The University of Macau Story