Recently, information and phone fraud have become widespread, deceiving some college students unintentionally. The “Scammer Out! Out! Out! Anti-Scam Carnival” was organised by members of the Student Leadership Training Programme (SLP) in order to raise awareness about anti-fraud information and educate the public about preventing fraud. In an effort to raise college students’ awareness of anti-fraud through games, this event takes the form of a game booth and promotes anti-fraud information throughout the university. At the same time, students can improve their abilities to spot fraud in the future, increase their awareness of fraud prevention, and become aware of everyday hazards.

The carnival was held at the Plaza of the Student Activity Centre on April 10, 2024. At the carnival, there were three game booths. To find the fraudster, who was portrayed by a team member at the venue, participants had to finish three games to receive clues. In order to improve participants’ comprehension of current fraudulent techniques and information, the initial game required participants to view a video about fraud prevention, count out a predetermined number of dollar notes at the same time, and then answer questions about the movie. To improve their capacity to determine the truthfulness of information, participants had to correctly identify the logo image or website URL in the second game. In the third game, participants had to turn over cards to reveal the key while simultaneously developing their fraud detection skills by responding to the questions on the cards.

The majority of participants said that playing booth games allowed them to learn a lot about fraud prevention outside of the classroom, and that they were able to do so in an engaging and enjoyable manner. Through this activity, members of the Student Leadership Training Programme aim to teach students more about fraud prevention, identify features of fraud cases, and know when to ask for help in a way that will lessen the likelihood that they will encounter fraud in the future.

The Student Leadership Training Programme was established in 2020 with the aim of nurturing and developing students’ leadership qualities through different activities and training and enhancing their self-confidence, communication, and independent thinking skills. Programme members are required to organise theme-based activities by the end of the semester. For details about the programme, please browse https://go.um.edu.mo/b2f9wuct. 

With the support 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 Special Administrative Region, the Student Affairs Office organized a study and exchange trip to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, for 33 students and teachers from March 28 to April 1. The purpose of the trip was to expand the participants’ horizons and encourage interactions between the youth of Sichuan and Macao. The delegation visited several locations, including Chengdu FISU World University Games Museum, Sichuan University, Dujiangyan Chinese Giant Panda Garden, Sansu Ancestral Temple, Sanxingdui Museum, Dujiangyan Scenic Spot, Battle Flag Village, Tsinghua Sichuan Energy Internet Research Institute, and the Science Park Planning Museum, to provide the students with a better understanding of the history, culture, economic development, and technological innovation of Sichuan Province. 

The student leaders attended a meeting with the Sichuan University Student Union on their first visit to the university as part of the exchange programme. Both parties engaged in positive discussions about event planning, running the student union, and the educational environment. The students eagerly shared and built upon each other’s experiences in planning student activities throughout the exchange, preparing to use what they had learned in the future. The delegation also went to the Chengdu FISU World University Games Museum, Sichuan University Museum, Sanxingdui Museum, Dujiangyan Chinese Giant Panda Park, Dujiangyan Scenic Area, Sansu Ancestral Hall, Chinese Paocai Museum, and Battle Flag Village, among other places. Through these visits, students were able to learn about Sichuan Province’s history, culture, and humanities while also experiencing the province’s attempts to preserve historical resources, organize large-scale international events, and preserve Chinese culture.

Following their visit to the Dujiangyan Scenic Area, the delegation gained knowledge of the significant scientific advancements made possible by the development of this water conservation project. They were able to learn more about Sichuan Province’s scientific and technological advancement from over 2,000 years ago to the present by visiting the Science City Planning Pavilion, Tongwei Solar (Meishan) Co., Ltd., and Tsinghua Sichuan Energy Internet Research Institute.

The Director General of the University of Macau Student Union, Mr. Kam Chon U, stated that the trip was very beneficial for them and increased their awareness of the value of heritage. They came to understand that heritage encompasses future planning as well as the past and present. The legacy has endured and will keep growing today because of the ability to carry on the wisdom of the ancients, from student activities to national development. In his capacity as a student representative, Mr. Kam promised to come back to Macau with an understanding of what he had witnessed and learned, to take his responsibilities seriously, and to work and study diligently to continue the work of heritage.