On Sunday morning, 16^th April, 2023, faculty, fellows and members of Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau set off on an outbound excursion to retrace the origins of one of Macau’s most famous historic settlement:  the former residential complex of patriot, Zheng Guanying.

The Mandarin’s House exhibits typical characteristics of traditional Guangdong’s architecture, yet, it also encompasses a fascinating blend of Western and Asian architectural influence.

According to the couplets found inside the house, our tour guide explained that Mr. Zheng Wenrui, (the family patriarch), initiated the construction of the Mandarin’s House, which might have started in the latter half of the nineteenth century. The mansion was expanded by Zheng Guanying, a merchant, writer and philanthropist, to the form that it is today.

The opulent house occupies a total of 4000m² on which are buildings and open spaces designed in various architectural styles. The entire complex has more than 60 rooms in total. A private residence for one family of such scale is rare in Macao.

Sometime during the 1950’s to 1960’s, the descendants of the Zheng’s family vacated the mansion and resided in different places. The house was then rented out, with more than 300 tenants crammed inside the complex, constituting to poor living conditions. Today, the Mandarin’s house is fully restored and is listed as one of Macau’s intangible assets: UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Visit to Yuqing Mansion

Appreciation of paintings on the wall

Introduction of windows made of oyster shells

Sharing the deeds of the patriot, Zheng Guanying

Group photo at Ronglu Hallway

University of Macau Moon Chun Memorial College held “Infinite Science” Talent show on 1st April 2023, featuring students from different Houses of MCMC, who performed amazing shows that combined art and creativity with science and technology. Each House displayed its own distinctive style and impressed the audiences with their skills and talents. That night was also the finals of Voice of MCMC, all three finalists sang with passion and impressed the audience with their own charisma. After a night’s performance, Mandarin House was the named Champion of the year and Chan Ngan Long the winner of the Voice of MCMC.

Opening Speech by MCM College Master Prof. Kwok-Cheung CHEUNG

Performance by Camões House

Voice of MCMC finalist Hanwen Zhang

Performance by Mandarin House

Voice of MCMC finalist Chan Ngan Long

Performance by Guia House

Voice of MCMC finalist Tong Wu

Performance by St Paul’s House

Performance by Dom Pedro V House

Kizomba Dance

Group Photo

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the world and human life at an unprecedented speed.  To support UM Library’s book fair on “Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humans”, Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau invited Dr. Henry Yang, Functional Head of Public Access and Reference Unit to lead a book sharing session on 22nd March, 2023, who shared “AI Is Coming” by Dr. Kai-Fu Lee.

Dr. Yang took the participants on a journey of critical thinking by giving them a questionnaire to explore their thoughts on AI.  Next, he explained the rapid development of AI and its penetration in different industries: predicting which industries will be replaced, changed and assisted by AI.  Dr. Yang also commented on the most powerful AI – ChatGPT and demonstrated its functions, including thesis writing, novel creation and drawing.  Finally, Dr. Yang pointed out some limitations of using ChatGPT and reminded participants to use it appropriately.  This was a thought provoking book sharing session as it stimulated participants to think about the pros and cons of AI and how to deal with the challenges of AI.  

Dr. Yang introducing the background of the author

Dr. Yang sharing a trending topic in the world – ChatGPT

Participants expressing her views about ChatGPT

Participants taking group photo with UM Library Staff

On 30^th March 2023, Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau held a career path sharing seminar in collaboration with Macao New Chinese Youth Association.  Mr. Jarvis Ao Ieong, co-founder of eRS Information Technology Ltd was invited to share his career story of becoming a full stack IT Engineer. He has been engaged in big data related work for many years.  During the pandemic in Macao, he led the team to develop a number of social welfare projects, helping citizens get timely and accurate information.

In the sharing session, the speaker recalled embarking on the journey of “computer and information technology” as a young man with the dream of being an e-sports player. When he had become a full-stack engineer through 10,000 hours of tempering, he was faced with a career choice: to become a civil servant or start his own company.  After clarifying his core values and adjusting his mindsets, he decided to follow his passion and develop his own career in the field of information technology. The speaker’s story was very inspiring to those who want to become an entrepreneur in future.  Finally, the speaker used Steve Job’s quote, “Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish” to encourage students to keep the quest for knowledge, as well as the motivation and enthusiasm to pursue goals .

Speaker recalling the turning point in his career path

Speaker explaining to students the application of big data
real-time tracking platform during the pandemic

Speaker listening to a participant’s question

Certificate of Appreciation Presentation

Group photo with the speaker

On Tuesday evening, 4^th April, 2023, students gathered at Fellows’ Salon to learn about an effective presentation alternative: Pecha Kucha (ぺちゃくちゃ) which translates from Japanese as “chit-chat”.

College Affiliate, Dr. Jean Paul Duquette, explained the basics of Pecha Kucha, which is a presentation form of 20 images for 20 seconds. The slides change automatically and the presentation needs to be in-sync with the selected images. This alternative style of presenting is also referred to as a 20×20 presentation. That means it should take no longer than seven minutes to complete.

Dr. Duquette reminded students to be brief, concise, streamline their content. The learning component of Pech Kucha forces presenters to continuously prepare and practice, as they cannot go back or skip ahead. Since Pecha Kucha takes a visual approach, students learned the essence of capturing or selecting single, but powerful images so they captivate the audience in a more immediate way than through bullet points and other written information.

On 19^th March, 2023, Dom Pedro V House of Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau organised an excursion to trace the origins of Dom Pedro V Theatre. Upon arrival, Olivia Gan, resident assistant, introduced the historic background of the theatre. Built in 1860, the theatre was the first western-style theatre in China with a seating capacity of 300, used for theatre and concert performances.  In the context of the local Macanese community back then, it was regarded as a highly significant cultural landmark and remained a venue for important public events and celebrations.  Participants experienced the visual effects of watching a performance. The seats are uniquely designed and arranged in a shell shape.  Participants then visited an exhibition hall to learn more about the history and development of the theatre.  Finally, participants took a walk around the neighborhood to further explore the local community culture of the community.

Participants learning about the history of Dom Pedro V Theatre

Participants experiencing the visual effects of watching a performance

Participants viewing the old pictures of Dom Pedro V Theatre

Participants learning about the neighbourhood of Dom Pedro V Theatre

Participants taking group photo at the entrance of Dom Pedro V Theatre

As part of its signature event: Joyous hiking series, Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau organised a group of 24 students on a trek through the Coloane North-east Hiking Trail Network.

The group set off early Sunday morning on 2^nd April, 2023. The trail is located on the northeastern part of Coloane Island, and has ten observation stops where participants came to learn about the plants, soil and environment of the area.

The trail spans a total length of 4.3km.  The network consists of three trails: the North-east Hiking Trail, the Acacia Woods Walk and the Golf Course Walk, which form a circle through the woods.

As students made their way across varying terrains, they noticed various species of flora on the slopes and at the entrance of the valley. The Acacia Woods Walk, situated 100m above sea level and stretches approximately 810 metres, meanders around the Union Stone Peak, where Acacia confusa grow in abundance, especially at the foot of the hill.

The descent to the Ká Hó Reservoir Lakeside Trail was approximately 1.6km in length, encircling the Ká Hó Reservoir and featuring flat and wide trail surface. Participants captured beautiful images of mountain and water landscape, as well as picturesque views of the nearby hills of Ká Hó hill.

Music is considered by many as the art of purifying the mind. In addition, it is also a good way for people from different countries and nationalities to build friendship: Music knows no borders.

On 26^th March, 2023, Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau and International Student Association of UM jointly held “International Folk Music Night”. Students from different countries such as Malaysia, Philippines and the Lusophone community gathered at college hall. They showcased distinctive songs of their ethnic groups. The event ended with everyone singing “My Heart Will Go On” (theme song from the movie Titanic). Through that activity, students not only enjoyed singing, but also established new friendships through music.

University of Macau, Moon Chun Memorial College is honored to have invited Dr Weihan Yu, Assistant Professor at University of Macau, to share with students on a trending topic in the field of artificial intelligence: ChatGPT and the making of AI.  

ChatGPT, a language model trained on the GPT-3.5 architecture by OpenAI, has become a subject of heated debate recently. As AI continues to develop and evolve, there are many questions about its future and potential impact on society. During the sharing, Dr Yu shared with students how powerful AI has become and how it differs from previous iterations. With advancements in technology and data processing capabilities, AI has the potential to transform various industries and aspects of daily life.

Students are engaged in the discussion, and they expressed their views about how AI can be used for both positive and negative societal impact while others asked about the impact of AI on the job market and the future of work. The lecture provided a valuable opportunity for students to engage in a discussion on the latest developments and future implications of AI.

To relieve stress during mid-term exams, Moon Chun Memorial College, University of Macau and Pou Tai Youth and Family Service Center co-organised a compassionate canines event on the afternoon of 12^th March, 2023. First, the social worker of the center explained the origin and service philosophy of the organisation, as well as its development. The owners of the service canines also shared their experiences so participants had a deeper understanding.

After the talk, the participants interacted with the compassionate canines in the courtyard of the college in groups, learned about their characteristics, personalities and skills, and communicated with owners to learn about their favourites and stories. By stroking the canines and talking with them, participants were able to shift the stress of exams and relieve their anxiety. Finally, participants took the canines for a walk around campus and spent a relaxing afternoon together.