UM holds science popularisation talks to broaden high school students’ horizons in science

On the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), Associate Professor Tam Kin Yip and Research Assistant Professor Li Bei in the FHS gave talks on ‘Pharmaceutical Century – Ten Decades of Drug Discovery’ and ‘Body Chemistry Balance’, respectively, to over 300 students at Xin Hua School to enrich their knowledge and broaden their horizons in science.

Prof Tam pointed out that medical advancement relies on drug development, and the application of new drugs in clinical practice is pivotal to the well-being of humanity. According to him, the process from developing a new drug to launching it to market is a long and arduous one, which involves basic research, drug discovery, preclinical testing, clinical trials on humans, and approval by the relevant regulatory authorities. He added that medical revolutions are the result of the outstanding achievements of the predecessors and are the foundations for the success of future generations.

In addition, Prof Tam talked about the relationship between emerging technologies and drug development. Drug discovery and development depend not only on DNA sequencers, but also on new tools for collecting and analysing genetic and genomic information of all kinds. He gave the example of Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell, whose birth opened up many new possibilities for biology and pharmacy. During the talk, some students asked questions about the risks of gene editing, to which Prof Tam replied that gene-editing technologies are still seen as Pandora’s box that opens up all sorts of possibilities, and at the same time, presents various difficulties and risks that scientists have to overcome.

Prof Li told the students about the importance of hormones in the human body. According to her, hormones play a crucial role in the daily operation of the body, influencing various aspects such as blood sugar, blood pressure, growth, fertility, reproduction, metabolism, and more. She also pointed out that if there is a deficiency or imbalance, endocrine disorders occur. Taking obesity as an example, she said that insulin, an important hormone in the body, helps regulate carbohydrate and fat metabolism and lowers postprandial blood sugar levels. However, insulin signals are lost in most patients with obesity. The students said that they do not want their health and quality of life to be affected by endocrine disorders, to which Li stressed that most people can balance their hormones through a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, and taking quality vitamins is also a good way to balance hormones in the body.

The speakers shared scientific knowledge in an entertaining and informative manner. They also encouraged the students to develop an interest in science, keep an open mind, and overcome self-imposed limitations, so that one day they can change the world with science and technology.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/55846/

UMHKAA gifts Alumni Grove to alma mater

The University of Macau (Hong Kong) Alumni Association (UMHKAA) recently presented the UMHKAA Alumni Grove to the University of Macau (UM) and an opening ceremony was held at the UM Sports Complex. The ceremony was officiated by Rector Yonghua Song and UMHKAA Chairman Joseph Tsui.

The gift not only shows UM alumni’s gratitude towards their alma mater, but also encourages young alumni and students to uphold the spirit of perseverance in future endeavours and to contribute to the university and society. Ambrose So Shu Fai, honorary doctor of UM, was invited to write an inscription for the plaque of the Alumni Grove. This is the second gift from UMHKAA to the alma mater, following the inscribed stone tablet in 2016.

Guests attending the ceremony also included Rui Martins, vice rector of UM; Cindy Lam, director of the Alumni and Development Office; Karen Zhang, vice chairmen of UMHKAA; and other members of the association.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/55839/

UM PhD students win awards in Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau postgraduate paper competition

Four PhD students in the University of Macau (UM) Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH) participated in the Eighth Research Paper Competition of the 2023 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Postgraduate Academic Exchanges in Foreign Languages and Translation Studies. Their papers stood out from 164 papers submitted by students at 32 higher education institutions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and were awarded a second prize and a third prize.

After an evaluation by experts and scholars, ten papers were selected to advance to the final round. One first prize, two second prizes, and three third prizes were awarded based on the academic, theoretical, and practical values of the papers, as well as their conception, format, and degree of innovation. Tang Yi and Chen Zhang, two PhD students in the FAH, won a second prize for their paper titled ‘English Naming and Translation Problems of University Names and Relevant Theories’, while Lei Ut Meng and Chan Ka Lon, two PhD students in the same faculty, won a third prize for their paper titled ‘Where West Meets East: Cantonese-English Code-switching in Contemporary Macao Original Cantopop’.

The Eighth Research Paper Competition was part of the 2023 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Postgraduate Academic Exchanges in Foreign Languages and Translation Studies. FAH Dean Xu Jie and Associate Dean Li Defeng were invited to lead a delegation to participate in the academic exchanges. During the event, Xu delivered a keynote speech titled ‘Activation of Weak Grammatical Feature and Its Mechanism and Effects’. In addition, Guo Mengying and Ma Tianqi, two postgraduate students in the Department of English of the FAH, presented their papers at a sub-forum.

The academic exchanges were co-organised by the Guangdong Society of Foreign Languages, Guangdong Society of Foreign Literature, Hong Kong Translation Society, and School of International Studies of Sun Yat-sen University, with assistance from the Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press and support from the Office of Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Affairs of the Ministry of Education.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/55831/

UM graduates over 1,700 undergraduate students at Congregation 2023

The University of Macau (UM) today (10 June) held the Congregation 2023. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Ao Ieong U, representing the chief executive of Macao SAR and UM chancellor at this year’s ceremony, said that the university has achieved remarkable growth while making continued contributions to the nation and Macao.

Secretary Ao Ieong officiated at the ceremony in the company of UM University Council Chair Peter Lam Kam Seng, UM Rector Yonghua Song, and Vice Rectors Michael Hui, Rui Martins, Ge Wei, Mok Kai Meng, and Xu Jian. Representatives of the University Assembly, University Council, and Senate, as well as government officials, prominent members of the community, UM faculty and staff, and student representatives also witnessed the ceremony. Three live broadcast areas were set up on campus for family members and friends of graduates to watch the ceremony, while those who were unable to attend in person joined the event through the university’s online streaming service.

In her speech, Secretary Ao Ieong said that the SAR government remained strongly committed to the development of higher education. ‘UM has always been a steadfast support for major development strategies of the country and the policy directions of the SAR government. At the same time as making continued contributions to the nation and Macao, UM has also achieved remarkable growth itself.’ She added that to align with the development goals set for Macao by the country, the SAR government has been actively formulating policies and measures to cultivate, retain, and attract talent, with the aim of reserving high-quality individuals of all levels to support the social and economic development of the city. ‘UM needs to further leverage its strengths and features to provide talent support and innovation momentum for the steady implementation of the “One Country, Two Systems” policy in Macao, and to better serve the strategy of reinvigorating China through science and education, the workforce development strategy, and the innovation-driven development strategy. UM should play its part in the realisation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and advance the building of a community with a shared future for humanity.’

In his speech, Rector Song addressed the graduates: ‘Of the four years of your university lives, you have lived through three of them under the shadow of the COVID-19 pandemic. In these extraordinary times, you have experienced exceptional growth and demonstrated determination, courage, and embodied the spirit and qualities expected of youth of the new era.’ He added that while their world, their times, and history were changing in unprecedented ways, they should have the qualities, courage and determination to navigate stormy seas, cope with changes, embrace opportunities and lead a meaningful life. ‘I therefore have three pieces of advice or wishes for you: First, I hope you will be brave to seek new vistas and never stop learning; Second, I hope you will shoulder the responsibilities of the times and make the most of your youth; Third, I hope you will aim for greater achievements with your country and the world in mind.’

Victoria Lau, representative of students, said in her speech that with the support of the university, she was able to undertake research projects, embark on a journey to exchange at Peking University, and participate extensively in world-class competitions. ‘COVID broke out, but it did not dry our thirst for knowledge. Nightmares invaded our dreams, but each time, we became stronger, braver, and wiser,’ said Lau, who also encouraged her fellow graduates to be brave and pursue their dreams even during the darkest times.

This year, more than 1,700 students of bachelor’s degree programmes, from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Social Sciences, and Faculty of Science and Technology, received their graduation certificates. Among these students, 126 have completed programmes offered by the Honours College.

In addition, the UM National Flag Team held a flag-raising ceremony at 8:00am on the day of the congregation in the Lotus Square to convey good wishes to all fresh graduates. The ceremony was attended by representatives of graduates from all residential colleges as well as their family members and friends.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/55827/

UM presents Teaching Excellence Award

At the Congregation 2023 held today (10 June), the University of Macau (UM) presented the Teaching Excellence Award, which recognises one faculty member with outstanding performance in teaching. The recipient in the 2022/2023 academic year is Assistant Professor Yang Xi in the Department of Integrated Resort and Tourism Management of the Faculty of Business Administration (FBA).

According to UM, the recipient of the Teaching Excellence Award is selected by a selection committee from nominees, who are faculty-level teaching award recipients, through a rigorous process. Selection criteria include the following: teaching philosophy, depth of knowledge in the subject area, outstanding communication skills and teaching effectiveness, outstanding contributions to the quality of curriculum development, the ability to promote student learning by stimulating and sustaining the intellectual development of students, innovative approach to teaching and learning, and leadership in promoting teaching excellence within and outside the university.

Prof Yang is truly grateful to receive this distinguished award, which is an enormous honour to her. She also thanks the university for acknowledging her teaching efforts. Her teaching philosophy and approach boils down to experience management, a key concept originated from the service industry. Through offering six experiences, namely sensorial experience, emotional experience, symbolic experience, physical experience, relational experience and cognitive experience, this approach aims to foster a dynamic and engaging learning environment that remains with students long after they leave the campus. This award further fuels her motivation and inspiration to persist in providing top-notch education and fostering academic excellence.

Prof Yang joined UM in 2019 as an assistant professor in the Department of Integrated Resort and Tourism Management of the FBA. She earned her bachelor’s and PhD degrees from Peking University and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, respectively. Her research interests encompass a range of topics within the tourism and hospitality industry, including personnel psychology, experience management, and destination branding. Prof Yang has published over 30 academic papers and is an excellent researcher — She is the winner of the FBA Outstanding Research Award for two consecutive academic years (2020/2021 and 2021/2022) and an award recipient of the FBA’s Incentive Scheme for Outstanding Academic Staff for 2022/2023. She currently serves in the editorial board of Journal of Travel Research and Tourism Analysis.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/55826/

Dean of College of Science of Nanyang Technological University visits UM to deepen cooperation

Simon Redfern, dean of the College of Science at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore, recently visited the University of Macau (UM) and met with UM Rector Yonghua Song. During the meeting, Rector Song and Prof Redfern exchanged ideas on cooperation and talent development in areas such as physics, chemistry, Chinese medicine, and mathematics. Wang Ruibing, director of Global Affairs Office of UM, gave the guest an introduction to UM’s current development, research layout, and internationalisation strategy. Prof Redfern then visited UM’s Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering (IAPME), Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS), and Department of Mathematics of the Faculty of Science and Technology to explore opportunities for cooperation in student exchange, joint PhD student supervision, and innovative research projects with heads and professors of different units.

In April this year, Rector Song led a delegation to visit Nanyang Technological University. Prof Redfern’s visit to UM can help to implement cooperative projects between the two institutions. UM and Nanyang Technological University have maintained a good cooperative relationship since their first student exchange programme in 2013. Both sides look forward to establishing more diverse and in-depth collaborations and exchanges through mutual visits.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/campus-news/detail/55824/

UM Honours College faculty members and students join exchange trip to Nanjing

At the invitation of the Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office of the State Council and the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, faculty members and students in the University of Macau (UM) Honours College (HC) recently participated in an exchange trip to Nanjing to gain an in-depth understanding of the country’s development in areas such as politics, economy, industry, and culture. During the trip, the HC members visited various companies and state key laboratories in Nanjing to learn more about the development of the city and Jiangsu province. They also exchanged ideas with faculty members and students from Nanjing University.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/55823/

UM students join field trip to different cities in Greater Bay Area

The Communications Office of the University of Macau (UM) recently organised a three-day field trip for UM Reporters and PR Student Ambassadors to different cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), including Hengqin, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong. During the trip, the students visited universities, innovative tech companies, and media companies to learn more about their development and operation.

Led by Katrina Cheong, director of the Communications Office of UM, members of the delegation first visited Hengqin-Macao Youth Entrepreneurship Valley, where Wang Kun, deputy director of the industrial planning and research department for Zhuhai Da Heng Qin Development Co Ltd, presented the operation and development of the valley. The delegation also explored Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute to gain more insight into UM’s industry-academic collaboration projects in the GBA. In Guangzhou, Chen Weibin, an editorial board member of Southern Metropolis Daily and CEO of N Video, shared with the students how the company adjusted its content and format to keep up with the development of new media and gave helpful advice on conducting interviews and improving journalistic instincts.

Members of the delegation also visited Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), where they learned about the universities’ development and promotional strategies from Sun Yaobin, vice director of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Committee of SYSU; Wei Zhao, deputy director of the organizing office of SIAT; Lavender Cheung, director of communications and public relations of CUHK; and Winnie Lam, director of communication and public relations of HKBU, respectively. The delegation members also exchanged ideas with faculty members and students at these universities, and later visited Hong Kong Heritage Museum.

Jerry Gong is a UM student who serves as both UM Reporter and PR Student Ambassador. According to him, the trip has given him a deeper understanding of GBA universities and the operation of new media companies in the region. He also learned about the latest development of entrepreneurship in the GBA. Rainie Ieong, a PR Student Ambassador, says that the trip has not only broadened her horizons, but also allowed her to acquire new knowledge about the operation of new media companies and docent skills, and she hopes to use these skills in her campus tours in the future.

The UM Reporter Programme and the PR Student Ambassador Programme were launched by the Communications Office of UM in 2010 and 2012, respectively, to provide a platform for students interested in guiding tours, conducting interviews, and writing news to hone their skills. Over the years, the programmes have trained more than 900 students. Each year, CO offers students from different disciplines the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and develop different talents outside their field of study.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/55820/

UM members’ artwork on display at Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Design Exhibition

As part of the 2023 Shenzhen Design Week and the 2023 Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Digital Design Exhibition, the exhibition ‘Digital Dimension: Arts and Design from the University of Macau’ was held at the Art Museum of the Centre for Arts and Design of the University of Macau (UM). The exhibition showcased the research projects and creation of the faculty members and students of visual communication at UM, providing a platform for art lovers to present their creativity and talents and promoting artistic exchanges between different sectors of the community.

The 2023 Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Digital Design Exhibition was held at the Nanshan Museum in Shenzhen, the main venue of the exhibition, and at two branch venues, the Trans-disciplinary discovery commons of Hong Kong Baptist University and the Art Museum of the Centre for Arts and Design of UM. Lampo Leong, director of UM’s Centre for Arts and Design, was the curator of the exhibition in Macao. ‘The digital era has brought enormous changes to people’s lives and to various fields, and of course, it has also brought many new possibilities for artistic creation and design,’ he said.

Macao is a city with a blend of Eastern and Western cultures, with elements of science and technology, and economics and trade. UM strives to follow the global development trend in the teaching of arts and design, trying to create a new world of visual arts through interdisciplinary research. In recent years, the university has launched master’s and doctoral programs in visual communication, attracting students from the world’s leading art and design academies. The exhibition showcased the interdisciplinary research and creation of the professors, master’s and doctoral graduates, and postgraduates of visual communication at UM. It demonstrated that digital technology not only brings a new dimension to arts and design but also constantly expands the ways people understand, perceive, and create the world. The participating artists included Cheang Nga Man, Chen Jiajun, Chen Zesheng, Dong Piao, Guo Mengyao, Ieong Weng Lam, Lampo Leong, Li Junbo, Lei Ka Ieng, Lu Di, Ou Zhenhao, Xu Siyi, Yang Chao, Zhang Yuan, and Zhao Yanxiu.

The exhibition was organised by the Shenzhen Innovation and Creative Design Development Office, undertaken by Shenzhen Media Group, and executed by Shenzhen International Cultural Industry Fair Co Ltd and Sky Museum, with assistance from the PKU-HKUST Shenzhen-Hong Kong Institution. The opening ceremony was officiated by Rui Martins, vice rector of UM; and joined by Wu Jianzhong, university librarian of UM; Cindy Lam, director of the Alumni and Development Office; and Danny Chau, vice president of the UM Alumni Association.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/campus-news/detail/55817/

UM team’s research on international regulatory benchmarking systems helps promote drug regulatory capacity building

The research paper titled ‘Promoting the Modernization of Drug Regulatory System and Regulatory Capacity: International Experiences in Benchmarking Drug Regulatory Capacity’ by Carolina Ung Oi Lam, assistant professor of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) at the University of Macau (UM), and her research team, was published in the China Food & Drug Administration Magazine, an official publication of the National Medical Products Administration. The paper discusses the use of benchmarking, a method for continuous improvement of regulatory capacity, in the evaluation of drug regulation system. The team analysed the benchmarking indicator systems and tools used by various international regulatory agencies in pursuit of a guiding reference for drug regulatory capacity building. The paper was co-authored by Ung, Hu Hao, professor of ICMS, and Shi Junnan and Chen Xianwen, doctoral students of ICMS.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/campus-news/detail/55814/