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/

AI expert gives talk on learnware at UM

The University of Macau (UM) held a talk titled ‘A Preliminary Exploration to Learnware’ today (25 March) as part of the University Lecture Series. The speaker was Zhou Zhi-Hua, vice president of Nanjing University and president of the International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence Organization (IJCAI) Trustee, who discussed the innovative concept of ‘learnware’ in machine learning.

Speaking at the event, UM Rector Yonghua Song highlighted Prof Zhou’s significant contributions to artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and data mining, particularly in the areas of ensemble learning, multi-label learning, and weakly supervised learning. Prof Zhou’s research achievements have earned him international recognition, including fellowships in a number of prestigious societies, as well as national and international awards.

During the talk, Prof Zhou explained the new concept of ‘learnware’ in machine learning. He mentioned the idea of ‘Learnware = Model + Specification’ and discussed how small models can be reused to achieve or even exceed the original objectives. Prof Zhou also engaged with the audience during the Q&A and discussion session moderated by Xu Cheng-Zhong, dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology and interim director of the Institute of Collaborative Innovation of UM.

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/60704/

UM Reporters visit local media headquarters to deepen understanding of media industry

A group of UM Reporters from the University of Macau (UM) visited the headquarters of TDM and the Macao Daily News to learn about the operation of the media industry in Macao. They also interacted with media professionals to deepen their understanding of the industry.

Led by Angie Wong, head of the Public Relations Section of the UM Communications Office, the UM Reporters first visited the headquarters of TDM and learned about the public broadcasting services provided by TDM, the news production process and the production of news programmes, the broadcast workflow, and how to handle breaking news. They also visited the television studio.

At the headquarters of the Macao Daily News, the UM Reporters learned headline writing techniques for newspapers and new media. They also explored how traditional media strive to maintain credibility and professionalism in an age dominated by new media, while producing diverse content to meet readers’ needs. In addition, the UM Reporters visited the newspaper archive to understand the evolution of the Macao Daily News’ publishing technology and editorial processes.

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/60701/

UM Career and Internship Fair to take place on 26 March

The University of Macau (UM) will hold the UM Career and Internship Fair 2025 on 26 March (Wednesday). More than 110 companies and organisations from various industries will set up recruitment booths at the university, offering over 3,000 job opportunities.

The Career and Internship Fair is an annual recruitment event at UM that aims to help graduating students seek job opportunities and provide a platform for students to find summer internships. The fair also offers an online job search guide, introductions to companies and organisations, recruitment talks, workshops, and career advising services.

The fair will take place in the Multi-function Hall of the UM Guest House (N1-G008), from 11:00am to 5:30pm (last entry at 5:00pm). Companies and organisations will set up recruitment booths at the venue. All students are welcome to bring their personal information and dress formally to explore potential career opportunities at the fair. For enquiries, please contact the UM Career Development Centre at +853 8822 4839 or email sao.career@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/60683/

AI expert to give talk on preliminary exploration to learnware at UM

The University of Macau (UM) will hold a talk titled ‘A Preliminary Exploration to Learnware’ on 25 March (Tuesday) as part of the University Lecture Series. The talk will be given by Zhou Zhi-Hua, vice president of Nanjing University and president of the International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence Organization (IJCAI) Trustee, who will talk about the innovative concept of ‘learnware’ in machine learning.

The talk will begin at 10:00am in the Lecture Hall of Research Building N21 (N21-G013) and will be conducted in Mandarin. All are welcome to attend. To register for the talk, please visit: https://isw.um.edu.mo/evmapp/register/ULSzhzhou. For enquiries, please call +853 8822 8878 or email uls@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/60651/

UM holds Bank of China Trophy UltiMater Entrepreneur Competition, with total prize pool over MOP 110,000

The Bank of China Trophy UltiMater Entrepreneur Competition, organised by the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) of the University of Macau (UM), is now open for applications. Students currently enrolled in higher education institutions in Macao, as well as Macao residents studying in higher education institutions outside Macao, are welcome to participate in the competition in teams. The total prize pool is over MOP 110,000. The top three teams and the winners of the Outstanding Prizes will have the opportunity to be incubated at CIE and will have access to incubation services worth over MOP 150,000. The competition is sponsored by Bank of China Macau Branch.

The competition aims to identify potential technology and innovation projects in areas such as big data/artificial intelligence, robotics/smart manufacturing, new materials, fintech, biomedicine/healthcare, and low-carbon technology/sustainable development. Professionals will assess the feasibility of the student teams’ business plans, paving the way for their future entrepreneurial ambitions. The competition also aims to promote the commercialisation of university research results and foster communication and business connections between higher education institutions and Macao’s industries, investors, government, and community organisations, in the hope of leveraging business and market support to increase conversion rates and create a vibrant ecosystem for innovation and research.

CIE will provide a range of incubation services to the winning teams, including office space, professional mentoring and advisory services, entrepreneurship training programmes, and visits to renowned enterprises in mainland China. In addition, CIE will recommend outstanding companies to apply for the ‘Funding Scheme for Innovation and Research of Enterprises—Matching Projects’ launched by the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) of the Macao SAR, to further implement their business plans and establish a platform for entrepreneurial resources and supply-demand matching.

Eligible students interested in joining the competition can apply from now until 28 April 2025 through the website: https://go.um.edu.mo/ty70blff. For further details, please visit: https://cie.ici.um.edu.mo/news/2025-ultimater-cp/. For enquiries, please contact the UM Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at +853 8822 4619 or +853 8822 9219, or via email at ICI.Innovation@um.edu.mo.

The competition’s partners include the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Career Planning of Macau University of Science and Technology, the Ung Choi Kun Entrepreneurship and Career Centre of City University of Macau, the Macao New Chinese Youth Association, and the General Association of Chinese Students of Macau.

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/60593/

UM students win award in Huawei ICT Competition Asia-Pacific Regional Final

A student team from the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) of the University of Macau (UM) represented Macao in the Asia-Pacific Regional Final of the Huawei ICT Competition 2024-2025 and won the second prize in the Computing Track. The competition attracted over 8,000 students from more than 20 countries and regions worldwide. After rounds of competition, over 110 students from 12 countries and regions advanced to the Asia-Pacific Regional Final, and the UM team stood out for their exceptional performance.

The team comprised Tan Hongye, Lei Wai Hong, and Ho Ka Meng, students from the Department of Computer and Information Science of FST. They received high praise from the judges with their exceptional teamwork, solid professional knowledge, and strategic planning. This is also the first time that a team from UM has won an award in the computing track in the Asia-Pacific Regional Final of the competition. The student team will continue to represent Macao in the Global Final in Shenzhen in May, where they will compete against top teams from around the world.

FST is committed to providing students with cutting-edge academic knowledge and practical opportunities, encouraging them to participate in international competitions to enhance their global competitiveness. The award not only recognises the students’ professional skills but also highlights FST’s long-standing dedication to teaching quality and nurturing innovative talent. The faculty will continue to enhance its teaching quality and nurture more outstanding talent with international competitiveness, thereby contributing to the technological development of Macao and beyond.

The Huawei ICT Competition, jointly organised by Huawei and the ASEAN Foundation, aims to enhance students’ knowledge and practical skills in information and communication technology, and develop their innovation and creativity in using new technologies and platforms. Last year, a student team from FST won the second prize in the Practice Competition–Cloud Track in the Huawei ICT Competition 2023-2024 Global Final.

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/60579/