19 students from the University of Macau (UM) recently undertook a tour of cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). Led by Katrina Cheong, the Director of UM Communications Office (CO), the students spent three days visiting a variety of destinations, including Hengqin-Macau Youth Entrepreneurship Valley, the office of Southern Metropolis Daily, N Video, Sun Yat-sen University (SYSU), Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU), and Hong Kong Heritage Museum. During their visit, they took part in discussions concerning the development of universities, enterprises, and the new media industry in the GBA.

The delegation mainly consisted of students from the UM Reporter Programme and the PR Student Ambassador Programme. On the first day, they started their tour at Hengqin-Macau Youth Entrepreneurship Valley. Wang Kun, the 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 to the delegation. The delegation also explored Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute, an industry-academia cooperation demonstration base established by UM, to gain more insight into UM’s research projects and the university’s collaborations within the GBA. In Guangzhou, Chen Weibin, an editorial board member of Southern Metropolis Daily and CEO of N Video, introduced N Video and shared some examples of business collaborations. Chen also discussed how the company has adjusted its content and format to keep up with changing reader preferences and gave helpful advice on conducting interviews and improving journalistic instincts.

The delegation visits Hengqin-Macau Youth Entrepreneurship Valley

The delegation visits Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute

Katrina Cheong present a souvenir to Chen Weibin, an editorial board member of the Southern Metropolis Daily and CEO of N Video 

The following day, the delegation visited SYSU in Guangzhou and SIAT in Shenzhen. In SYSU, Sun Yaobin, vice director of Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Committee of SYSU, introduced the history and development of the university and shared his office’s experience in promoting the university. In Shenzehn, Prof Wei Zhao, deputy director of the organizing office of SIAT, presented the educational philosophy of institute and exchanged ideas with UM students. On the last day, the delegation visited CUHK, HKBU, and the Hong Kong Heritage Museum. Lavender Cheung, Director of Communications and Public Relations of CUHK, introduced the university’s latest developments and talent development strategy. UM and CUHK students had the opportunity to share their learning experiences and university life in small groups.

The delegation visits SYSU

Conversations between teachers and students from UM and SIAT

A group photo of the delegation with staff and students from CUHK

UM and CUHK students exchange ideas

During this tour, there was also an exchange between the CO of UM and the Communication and Public Relations Office (CRPO) of HKBU. Winnie Lam, the Director of the CRPO, explained how HKBU executes widespread publicity by leveraging mediums such as web design, social media content planning, and multimedia video production. Similarly, Katrina Cheong, Director of CO, shared insights from UM’s experience of managing 14 UM social media platforms. She also discussed the CO’s approach to devising diverse publicity strategies in response to the dynamic nature of new media, all with the goal of amplifying the university’s visibility and academic reputation within society.

A group photo of staff from HKBU and UM

Jerry Gong, a third-year student from the Department of Mathematics and a member of Choi Kai Yau College, serves as both a UM Reporter and PR Student Ambassador. He said the exchange has given him a more profound understanding of education at GBA universities and how new media works, as well as the development of entrepreneurship in the GBA. PR Student Ambassador Rainie Ieong, a second-year student majoring in primary education and member of Ma Man Kei and Lo Pak Sam College, found her visit to the Hong Kong Heritage Museum particularly informative. After her visit, she was impressed by the museum guide’s skills, particularly in using familiar objects to enhance guests’ comprehension of the content, to be highly valuable.

The delegation visits Hong Kong Heritage Museum

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, interviewing, writing and multimedia filming 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.

Chinese & English / Senior UM Reporters Amber Gu & Ku Weng Hin

Photo / Senior UM Reporter Jerry Gong & Connie Ren