On 26 November 2025, the Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences of the University of Macau (hereafter referred to as “UM-IAS”) welcomed a delegation led by Professor Xie Shi, Vice President of Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU) and Director of SYSU’s Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities (hereafter referred to as “SYSU-IAS”). The two parties engaged in in-depth discussions on academic exchange, talent cultivation, and cooperation enhancement. The event concluded successfully, further consolidating the cooperation foundation between the two institutes.

Professor Yu Xingzhong, Director of UM-IAS, extended a warm welcome to Professor Xie Shi and his delegation. He elaborated on UM-IAS’s development achievements, emphasized its three core missions—promoting the integration of liberal arts and sciences, contributing to Macau society, and participating in the construction of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA)—and expressed the vision of deepening cooperation with SYSU-IAS to pursue mutual development. Subsequently, Professor Wang Di, Associate Director of UM-IAS, shared the institute’s innovative practices in interdisciplinary academic activities, international exchanges, and young talent development. Professor Lin Shaoyang, Head of Academic Programme and Publication at UM-IAS, introduced the editorial philosophy and development outcomes of the South China Quarterly: Journal of University of Macau, fully demonstrating UM-IAS’s academic characteristics and resource advantages.

During the talks, Professor Xie Shi expressed his gratitude for UM-IAS’s hospitality. He detailed the development history of SYSU-IAS, its visiting scholar program, and signature academic activities, and conveyed his willingness to conduct in-depth collaboration with UM-IAS. The two institutes held candid exchanges on practical challenges encountered in their development and reached consensus on scholar interactions, joint project development, and regular exchange mechanisms. Moving forward, they will jointly explore new pathways for the development of humanities and social sciences, contributing to academic advancement in the GBA.

Following the seminar, representatives from UM-IAS arranged for Professor Xie Shi and his delegation to visit the University Gallery, the University Library and the UM Museum of Art. These visits provided an intuitive showcase of UM’s distinctive educational features and rich academic resources.

Taking this visit as an opportunity, UM-IAS will deepen strategic consensus with SYSU-IAS. Leveraging the synergy of their collaboration, the two institutes will inject sustained momentum into building a GBA academic community for humanities and social sciences, and write a new chapter in the prosperity and development of the field in the region.