Seminar on addressing climate change in Hong Kong and Macao held at UM

The Macao section of the ‘Expert Seminar on the Fifth National Assessment Report on Climate Change—Hong Kong and Macao Special Report’ was held at the University of Macau (UM). Co-organised by UM and the Administrative Center for China’s Agenda 21 (ACCA21) under the guidance of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the seminar brought together more than 30 climate science experts and representatives of higher education institutions from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao.

The opening ceremony of the seminar was moderated by Zhang Yongtao, deputy director of ACCA21. Lan Yujie, vice president of NSFC, said in his speech that Macao is at the forefront of climate change governance, and expressed hoped that the experts at the seminar would propose new ideas and solutions and contribute to the country’s climate change policy. Yonghua Song, rector of UM, said that UM will leverage its research strengths and capitalise on key projects in Internet of Things for smart city, ocean and atmospheric studies to promote breakthroughs in interdisciplinary technology and support Macao’s development as a climate-resilient city.

During the seminar, in-depth discussions were held on the compilation of the Fifth National Assessment Report on Climate Change and strategies for climate governance in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area city cluster, providing scientific support for the region’s low-carbon transition and climate resilience development. The seminar also featured keynote presentations and roundtable discussions, where scholars and researchers from different institutions discussed issued related to climate change and explored collaborative and innovative solutions to address climate change in the Greater Bay Area city cluster.

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/61056/

Silver-haired seniors experience intergenerational learning at UM

Lui Che Woo College (LCWC) of the University of Macau (UM) hosted an intergenerational learning activity on 3 April, welcoming a group of elderly visitors from the Taipa Lago Integrated Service Centre of the Macao Federation of Trade Unions. The group, the oldest of whom was nearly 90 years old, experienced university life under the guidance of LCWC student volunteers.

Desmond Lam Chee Shiong, college master of LCWC, said that the activity went beyond traditional campus tours. With the concept of ‘intergenerational learning’, it would allow young people to learn from seniors while seniors would experience modern university life from the perspective of young people. The activity would not only connect the college and the community, but also build bridges between generations. The college also plans to run regular intergenerational learning activities to promote social care and life education.

Mrs Tang, one of the participants, said: ‘We are excited to experience university life. This meaningful event really bridges the gap between us and young people.’ Jessica Poon, a student from LCWC and leader of the LCWC volunteer team, added: ‘Seeing the smiles on the elders’ faces made all the effort worthwhile. This activity allows us to learn how to communicate with the elderly while breaking down generational barriers.’

The activity featured a variety of activities, including campus tours, interactive workshops, and communal meals, allowing participants to get a taste of life as a college student and learn about the educational philosophy of the residential college. In addition, a certificate presentation ceremony was held during the activity, where the participants received certificates in graduation gowns.

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/61053/

Presidents of top South Korean universities lead delegations to visit UM

Delegations from two leading South Korean universities—Hanyang University, led by President Ki-jeong Lee on 22 April, and Kyung Hee University, led by President Jinsang Kim on 24 April—visited the University of Macau (UM). The two delegations were warmly received by Yonghua Song, rector of UM. Representatives of UM and the two delegations had in-depth discussions on deepening cooperation and talent development.

During the visits, Song gave the two delegations an overview of UM’s development, its vision for the campus in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and its partnerships with higher education institutions in South Korea. He expressed hope that UM will deepen its cooperation with both Hanyang University and Kyung Hee University to cultivate high-calibre talent with a global perspective.

The delegation from Hanyang University visited the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine to gain insights into UM’s research achievements, talent development model, research layout, and plans for the campus in the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. The delegation from Kyung Hee University visited the University Gallery, the Wu Yee Sun Library, and the ISCG Gaming Laboratory of the Faculty of Business Administration (FBA), and held discussions with FBA representatives. Both Lee and Kim spoke highly of UM’s development and research achievements, and expressed hope for closer cooperation with UM in multiple fields.

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/61027/

President of University of Electronic Science and Technology leads delegation to visit UM

A delegation led by Hu Jun, president of the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC), visited the University of Macau (UM) and was warmly received by Yonghua Song, rector of UM. The two parties had in-depth discussions on further strengthening cooperation in various areas.

During the visit, Song highlighted that UESTC is an importance partner of UM and the two universities have made significant progress in both academic exchanges and research collaboration in recent years. He expressed hope for even closer collaboration in the future, particularly by advancing cooperation in microelectronics and expanding academic exchanges to other disciplines. The delegation also visited the University Gallery and the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI. They spoke highly of UM’s research achievements.

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/61018/

UM FHS gives talks on cancer research and internet addiction at secondary schools

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of the University of Macau (UM) organised two science talks at the Affiliated School of the University of Macau and Colégio Mateus Ricci. Attended by over 600 secondary school students, the two talks focused on health topics including cancer and internet addiction among young people. The aim was to deepen students’ understanding of the health challenges related to these issues. Through expert explanations and engaging examples, the speakers encouraged students to develop healthier attitudes towards their well-being and their digital lives.

The first talk, titled ‘Cancer: How much do we know? What should we do?’ was delivered by FHS Dean Chuxia Deng. Using a clear and accessible approach, Prof Deng provided students with basic knowledge about cancer and explained the complex factors behind tumour formation, including congenital genetic mutations, environmental influences, and epigenetic changes. He noted that traditional cancer treatments often follow a one-size-fits-all approach, which, while effective for some patients, may not address the needs of every individual. To address this, FHS is committed to advancing research in personalised cancer treatment, which involves developing targeted therapies based on a patient’s genetic profile and tumour characteristics. Prof Deng emphasised that this research direction is a key area of development for FHS. It aims to improve treatment outcomes and enhance patients’ quality of life. He also gave an overview of FHS’s latest advancements in cancer drug sensitivity testing, highlighting its important role in precision medicine.

The second lecture, titled ‘Internet addiction among young people: Is it a serious health issue?’ was delivered by Xiang Yutao, Distinguished Professor and head of the Department of Public Health and Medicinal Administration in FHS. Prof Xiang systematically explained different types and symptoms of internet addiction, discussed its impact on both physical and mental health, and shared effective strategies to address this issue. In particular, he introduced an internet addiction scale to help students evaluate their online habits and identify potential problems. Prof Xiang noted that while there is currently no medication available to treat internet addiction, recovery can be achieved through cognitive therapy and behavioural interventions. He emphasised that while the internet provides entertainment, it should be viewed as a tool controlled by its users, not the other way around.

During the Q&A session, students actively asked questions. In his responses, Prof Deng emphasised the importance of cultivating curiosity about the world and a passion for knowledge, despite the challenges of scientific research. He explained that curiosity is the core driving force behind scientific discovery, while a passion for research provides the enduring motivation needed to overcome difficulties. Prof Deng also acknowledged that failure is an inevitable part of the research process but should not be a source of discouragement. Instead, he pointed out that many research breakthroughs are built upon past failures. He encouraged students to cherish every research opportunity and stay perseverant when facing challenges, as progress in science often comes through trial and error. Prof Xiang also offered valuable advice. He encouraged students to step away from the virtual world and dedicate more time to building real-life connections, which he described as the true source of happiness. By delivering engaging and informative content, the two talks deepened students’ scientific knowledge, stimulated their interest in cancer research and treatment, and prompted them to reflect on their online habits.

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/61008/

UM Faculty of Health Sciences holds symposium on biomedical sciences for young researchers

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of the University of Macau (UM) held the 9th Symposium on Biomedical Sciences for Students, Postdoctoral Fellows and Research Assistants, which attracted the participation of about 200 students, scholars, and researchers.

At the opening ceremony, Chuxia Deng, dean of FHS, gave an overview of the remarkable achievements of FHS in terms of quantity and quality of publications, faculty development, and student training. He noted that the symposium aimed to create an open platform for academic exchange and facilitate the exchange of ideas and intellectual discourse among the participants. He also expressed hope that students and researchers would strengthen research collaboration and strive for advancement together. In addition, Deng encouraged the participants to seize the opportunity to actively engage in discussions, pursue academic excellence, and gain valuable insights from the symposium.

The symposium featured a number of selected presentations, where students and researchers shared their research findings with attendees. About 60 research posters were also displayed during the event, covering a wide range of fields including cancer and stem cell, genomics, bioinformatics and biological imaging, development, aging and neuroscience, drug development and biotechnology, immunology and infectious diseases, as well as public health.

During the closing ceremony, Xu Renhe, associate dean of FHS, congratulated the 12 presentation award winners and eight poster award winners. He also thanked the organising committee, which was composed of postgraduate students, and the helpers for their great efforts. He said that the symposium had effectively enhanced the academic competitiveness of the participants and injected new vitality into the research development of the faculty.

The symposium was mainly organised by postgraduate students from FHS. It provided them with an opportunity to develop their leadership and organisational skills. It also served as a platform to showcase their research achievements, enhance their academic competitiveness, and promote their growth and development in the academic field.

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/60760/

UM Faculty of Science and Technology holds career and internship fair to promote talent mobility between Macao and Hengqin

To promote talent mobility and exchange between Macao and Hengqin, the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) of the University of Macau (UM) held the first UM FST GBA T&E Career and Internship Fair. Nearly 30 renowned companies from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area participated in the fair, offering about 1,000 job opportunities in the field of technology and engineering. The fair attracted many UM students seeking jobs and career advice.

Speaking at the event, Dai Ningyi, assistant dean of UM FST, said that as an important base for cultivating high-quality science and technology talent, UM has actively expanded and deepened cooperation with enterprises in the Greater Bay Area in recent years to build a broader career development platform for students. The fair, a joint effort between UM, enterprises, and governments of both sides, provided important networking opportunities for students. Chen Jielong, a representative from the Science and Talent Department of the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, said that the fair provided comprehensive support for employment and entrepreneurship, offering students valuable opportunities to connect directly with companies in the Greater Bay Area and helping them develop their careers in the region.

The fair featured a rich array of activities, including job matching, resume optimisation guidance, policy interpretation, and mock interviews. Notable corporate executives, such as Ng Hong Kei, general manager of Zhuhai BoardWare Intelligence Technology Limited, Tang Xinmin, vice president of Datastory, and Luo Qiming, head of Macao Newland Technology Co Ltd, were also invited to share their experiences of starting a business in the Greater Bay Area. Participating UM students said that the fair was informative. It gave them the opportunity to interact directly with companies and deepen their understanding of the job market and career development opportunities in the Greater Bay Area. Some students found the industry insights shared by the corporate executives impressive and agreed that the sharing session was helpful in their future career planning.

FST graduates more than 700 students every year, providing society with a steady stream of talented individuals. The fair was jointly organised by FST, the Enterprise and Talent Service Center of the Economic Development Bureau of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and the Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute. By working with leading companies in the Greater Bay Area, UM aims to expand career development platforms for students, help Macao’s young people integrate into the region, promote talent mobility between Macao and Hengqin, and foster collaborative innovation in the technology and engineering industries in the Greater Bay Area.

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/60747/

UM, Cambridge co-host first forum on sustainable development and renew cooperation agreement on visiting fellowship programme

The ‘First Clare Hall, University of Cambridge – University of Macau Forum 2025’, co-hosted by the University of Macau (UM) and Clare Hall of the University of Cambridge, took place today (31 March) at UM. The theme of the forum was ‘Interdisciplinary Approaches to Advancing Sustainable Development: Innovative Solutions to Global Challenges’. During the event, UM and Cambridge renewed their cooperation agreement on the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme, which aims to deepen interdisciplinary collaboration in the humanities, social sciences, and technology.

In his opening remarks, UM Rector Yonghua Song highlighted the fruitful partnership between UM and Clare Hall since the inception of the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme in 2006, which has enabled 23 UM scholars to engage in academic exchange at Cambridge. He emphasised that interdisciplinary collaboration and technological innovation are pivotal to promoting sustainable development in the face of global challenges such as climate change and resource scarcity. He also expressed hope that the forum would serve as a bridge for East-West academic dialogue. Alan Short, president of Clare Hall, noted that the forum, as the first interdisciplinary event jointly hosted by the two universities, was a continuation of their long-term partnership and reflected the importance of integrating diverse perspectives and breaking down disciplinary boundaries. He also highlighted that future efforts will focus on collaborative innovation in areas such as sustainable development and artificial intelligence to address global challenges.

In addition, UM and Cambridge renewed their cooperation agreement on the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme to promote joint research projects and enhance talent cultivation and collaborative innovation in scientific research. The renewal of the agreement marks a higher level of cooperation between the two universities.

The forum consisted of two plenary sessions and three parallel sessions. The first plenary session, ‘Sustainable Architecture and Smart Cities’, explored low-carbon technologies and ecological restoration strategies. During this session, Prof Alan Short suggested that sustainable architecture need to incorporate climate-adaptive materials and international cooperation to accelerate the low-carbon transition. Rector Yonghua Song highlighted how extreme climate events strain urban energy systems, and proposed optimising virtual energy storage and air conditioning systems in the Greater Bay Area to mitigate the vicious cycle between heatwaves and energy consumption. He also advocated the integration of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to drive interdisciplinary innovation. Li Baizhan, professor in the School of Civil Engineering at Chongqing University and a visiting fellow at Clare Hall, noted that the energy consumption of air-conditioning systems has increased due to climate change, adding that his team has developed ‘climate-responsive building designs’ and established national standards to promote energy-efficient projects in the Yangtze River region. Maggie Fu Xiaoqing, professor in the Faculty of Business Administration at UM and a visiting fellow at Clare Hall, analysed smart city policies and provided empirical evidence that urban digitalisation drives corporate green innovation. She also called for collaboration among governments, businesses, and universities to promote sustainable transitions.

The second plenary session, ‘Artificial Intelligence’, analysed the potential applications of artificial intelligence in smart cities and green transitions. The parallel sessions covered topics such as ‘Engineering’, ‘Social Sciences and Education’, and ‘Chinese Studies’. The forum brought together more than 20 scholars from UM, Cambridge, and Chongqing University to present cutting-edge research and stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration. It also attracted the participation of UM students and faculty, fostering dynamic discussions.

Since establishing their partnership through the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme in 2006, UM and Clare Hall have made remarkable progress in talent exchange and interdisciplinary research.

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/60748/

UM, Cambridge to co-host forum to discuss sustainable development

The University of Macau (UM) and Clare Hall of the University of Cambridge will co-host the ‘Clare Hall, University of Cambridge – University of Macau Forum 2025’ on 31 March (Monday). The forum, themed ‘Interdisciplinary Approaches to Advancing Sustainable Development: Innovative Solutions to Global Challenges’, will bring together over 20 distinguished scholars from both universities to discuss critical global issues from an interdisciplinary perspective. All are welcome to attend.

The forum will feature plenary sessions covering a wide range of fields, including science and technology, sustainable architecture, artificial intelligence and smart cities, engineering, Chinese studies, and social sciences and education. The aim is to explore innovative ways to address global challenges, deepen academic exchanges between the two universities, foster in-depth dialogue and cooperation between Eastern and Western academia, promote knowledge sharing and innovative practices, and explore future development directions. During the forum, the two universities will also renew their cooperation agreement on the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme. This initiative aims to deepen collaboration and interdisciplinary exchange in the humanities and social sciences between the two universities.

The forum will begin at 9:00am on 31 March (Monday) in the Multi-function Hall of the UM Guest House (N1-G014) and will be conducted in English. In the afternoon, parallel sessions will be held in Room 1004 and Room 1005 of the UM Guest House. For further details, please visit: https://ias.um.edu.mo/1st-clare-hall-cambridge-um-forum-2025/. To register for the forum, please visit: https://go.um.edu.mo/dwqlr2rc. For enquiries, please contact the Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences at +853 8822 2082 or email ias.clarehall@um.edu.mo.

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/60716/

UM scholar gives talk on breakthroughs in flexible electromechanical transducers

The University of Macau (UM) held the 25th UM Scholar Research Forum today (26 March), featuring Zhong Junwen, assistant professor in the Department of Electromechanical Engineering of the Faculty of Science and Technology and the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics at UM. Prof Zhong delivered a talk titled ‘Flexible Electromechanical Transducers for Bi-Directional Human-Machine Interaction’ and discussed cutting-edge applications of flexible electromechanical technology in smart sensors, wearable devices, and microrobots, which highlighted the deep connection between technological innovation and everyday life. The talk attracted a full house, with many secondary school students and teachers attending online.

During the talk, Prof Zhong presented his team’s breakthroughs in the fabrication and application of flexible bi-directional electromechanical transducers. He also introduced the insect-inspired flexible microrobots that can achieve high agility on the ground and in aquatic environments, wearable smart sensors that can monitor breathing and pulse in real time and perform intelligent diagnostics, and haptic feedback actuators that can simulate mobile phone vibration patterns and be applied to smart braille and tactile navigation.

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/60712/