First joint symposium between UM and Macao Union Hospital successfully held

The first joint symposium between the University of Macau (UM) and the Islands Healthcare Complex – Macao Medical Center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital (Macao Union Hospital) was successfully held at Macao Union Hospital. The aim of the symposium was to promote cooperation and exchange in medical research between the two sides. It brought together nearly 50 experts and scholars from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, and Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering of UM, and Macao Union Hospital.

Lei Wai Seng, deputy director of Macao Union Hospital, and Ge Wei, vice rector of UM, delivered welcome remarks at the event. There were 11 speakers from each side, who discussed the mechanisms, imaging evaluation, and treatment strategies of clinical diseases. They also shared their latest research findings and engaged in in-depth exchanges. In addition, UM scholars visited the general wards, day wards, radiotherapy centre, and international medical centre of Macao Union Hospital to learn about their advanced medical equipment and facilities.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59910/

UM successfully completes its first Institutional Quality Audit

The University of Macau (UM) has successfully completed its first Institutional Quality Audit (IQA), conducted by the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA). This reflects international recognition of the university’s educational quality and operational efficiency.

The evaluation panel commended UM for its effective governance and management across all operational areas. In terms of administration, the university adopts the international standard and guidelines of ISO 14001 and is proactive in environmental management. In terms of teaching and learning, scientific research, and social services, the university adopts comprehensive internal quality assurance mechanisms, and draws on good practices in similar higher education institutions as well as international practices. The evaluation panel unanimously agreed that UM is an institution characterised by self-reflection, professionalism, and a high level of autonomy.

Yonghua Song, rector of UM, expressed his gratitude to the Macao SAR Government for its support. He highlighted that the recognition from the evaluation panel is a testament to the collective efforts of UM faculty, staff, and students. The university will continue to enhance its educational standards, pursue excellence in teaching and research, cultivate more outstanding talent, and increase its international recognition and competitiveness, so as to make greater contributions to the development of higher education in Macao and the strategy of invigorating the country through science and education.

In accordance with Law No. 10/2017 Higher Education Regime and Administrative Regulation No. 17/2018 Higher Education Quality Evaluation System, and following the Guidelines on Institutional Quality Audit and the Guidelines for External Quality Assurance Agencies, UM commissioned QAA to conduct IQA in 2023. The evaluation was completed in July 2024.

IQA examines three areas of operation: 1) educational purposes and goals; 2) institutional administrative management, planning and accountability; 3) quality assurance. In addition to reviewing the self-evaluation document submitted by UM, the evaluation panel conducted an on-site visit in May 2024. They held in-depth discussions with the University Council representatives, university management, faculty and staff, student representatives, employers, industry practitioners, and alumni. Following a comprehensive assessment, QAA confirmed that UM fully meets the requirements in all three areas and highlighted several examples of good practice by the university, affirming its educational quality and operational efficiency.

The evaluation panel highly praised UM’s robust management structure and efficient decision-making processes. UM fosters a collaborative environment by engaging various stakeholders in university governance through open and two-way communication, leading to the development of academic plans and strategies that align with the university’s vision, and enabling the university to fulfil its educational purposes and goals. Moreover, UM’s leadership team possesses extensive qualifications and experience, and enjoys high academic and professional standing in the international community. Under their leadership, UM has consistently strived for excellence, keeping pace with global advancements and building a strong international reputation. This progress highlights the leadership team’s commitment and foresight.

Furthermore, UM’s programmes adopt a student-centred approach, prioritising learning outcomes and incorporating cultural heritage and innovation as part of their teaching objectives to foster effective learning. The university’s high-quality teaching and learning facilities and resources not only provide students with superb learning and living experiences, but also ensure the quality of community services. Advanced research facilities and extensive research resources support the delivery of cutting-edge research outputs. The comprehensive residential college system provides multiple levels of support to students and makes substantial contributions to whole-person education.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59907/

Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area University Information Technology Director Forum held at UM

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area University Information Technology Director Forum was held at the University of Macau (UM). Themed ‘Challenges and Development of Digital Campus in the New Era’, the forum brought together IT department heads from 20 universities in the Greater Bay Area to exchange ideas on promoting informatisation and IT development in higher education.

Speaking at the event, UM Vice Rector Rui Martins said that the forum provided an opportunity for universities in the Greater Bay Area to share experiences in IT development, promote cooperation and resource sharing, and further enhance their academic and administrative activities. He also mentioned that informatisation will be an important part of the construction of the UM campus in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. He expressed hope that the insights shared at the forum would contribute to building a digital campus in the new era.

The forum, which focused on the opportunities and challenges that IT development brings to universities, featured several IT department heads from universities in the Greater Bay Area as guest speakers. They gave insightful presentations on the process of informatisation, the challenges faced, practices of digital transformation, and the application of artificial intelligence at their respective universities. The presentations led participants to explore the future direction of digital campus development and facilitated discussions.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59900/

UM Faculty of Health Sciences holds talks to enhance scientific literacy among senior secondary school students

To enhance the scientific literacy among secondary school students in Macao, the Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) of the University of Macau (UM) organised a series of science talks on biomedical sciences. Faculty members of FHS shared the mysteries and wonders of science with more than 800 secondary school students, sparking their interest and new ideas in biomedical sciences.

The talks covered a wide variety of topics. Professor Chen Guokai gave a talk to Form 4 to Form 6 students of Kao Yip Middle School, where he explained the functions of dopamine and oxytocin in the science of love. Professor Henry Kwok Hang Fai gave a talk to Form 4 students of Yuet Wah College on the complex composition of venom and the use of venom in the treatment of diseases. Associate Professor Wang Peng gave a talk to Form 5 students of Hou Kong Middle School, where he spoke on the current development of precision medicine and bioinformatics, as well as the application and development trend of big data application in healthcare. Associate Professor Terence Poon Chuen Wai gave talks to Form 5 students of Hou Kong Middle School and Form 4 students of Yuet Wah College on the concept of precision medicine, the importance of big data, and the application of artificial intelligence in medicine and public health. Senior Instructor Wang Li gave a talk to Form 5 students of Hou Kong Middle School, where she revealed the biomedical principles behind the everyday phenomena and explained how these principles have led to Nobel Prize-winning discoveries.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59896/

UM, Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau sign cooperation agreements on third-party technical assessment of proprietary Chinese medicines and testing of Chinese medicine

The University of Macau (UM) and the Pharmaceutical Administration Bureau (ISAF) of the Macao SAR Government have signed a cooperation agreement on third-party technical assessment of proprietary Chinese medicines and a cooperation agreement on third-party testing of Chinese medicine.

Under the agreements, both the Centre for Pharmaceutical Regulatory Sciences (CPRS), UM, and the Macao Centre for Testing of Chinese Medicine (MCTCM), UM, will be third-party bodies recognised by ISAF. CPRS will provide third-party technical assessment services for the registration of proprietary Chinese medicines, and offer professional consultancy services covering the fields of pharmacy, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical research. MCTCM will provide third-party Chinese medicine testing services for enterprises in Macao and beyond. It will also support the bureau with testing services for proprietary Chinese medicines upon registration and after launch.

In the presence of Ao Ieong U, secretary for social affairs and culture, Yonghua Song, rector of UM, and Choi Peng Cheong, president of ISAF, signed the cooperation agreements.

Song said that Chinese medicine is a distinctive and key area of focus for UM. Through various technology and research platforms, such as the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macao Centre for Research and Development in Chinese Medicine, and CPRS, the university continuously addresses scientific issues in Chinese medicine and translates research results into products. The university is also committed to promoting the internationalisation and modernisation of Chinese medicine through interdisciplinary research, thereby supporting the development of the Chinese medicine industry in Macao.

Choi highlighted the importance of third-party assessment and testing bodies in ensuring product safety and promoting industry development. He expressed hope that the cooperation between UM and ISAF will promote innovation in Chinese medicine, attract more Chinese medicine enterprises to Macao, and facilitate the development of more Chinese medicine products, thus contributing to the growth of the Chinese medicine and ‘big health’ industry in Macao.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59870/

UM holds launching ceremony for key project of Festival of Chinese Culture

The University of Macau (UM) held a launching ceremony for the key project of the 3rd Festival of Chinese Culture and the 7th Macao Forum on Chinese Culture, with the aim of promoting Chinese culture, enhancing patriotism among Macao’s academic community and society, and creating a good atmosphere for the promotion of Chinese culture in the city. The event was attended by over 50 experts and scholars from Europe, the United States, Southeast Asia, South Korea, and mainland China.

Speaking at the event, UM Vice Rector Mok Kai Meng said that building on the previous two editions, this year’s Festival of Chinese Culture would give new momentum to the promotion and development of Chinese culture while deepening academic and cultural exchanges. He also mentioned that this year’s Macao Forum on Chinese Culture would capitalise on Macao’s role as a bridge between Eastern and Western cultures and inject new vitality into the promotion and development of Chinese culture.

During the launching ceremony, the Centre for Chinese History and Culture (CCHC) of UM held an inauguration ceremony for the Chinese Culture Promotion Ambassadors and an award ceremony for the ‘Full Love Macao’ Short Video Contest.

Themed ‘Macao Culture and Modern Chinese Civilisation’, the 7th Macao Forum on Chinese Culture brought together scholars and experts from various fields such as history, philosophy, culture, literature, and art. They discussed in-depth the contributions of Macao’s traditional culture to modern Chinese civilisation.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59869/

International Symposium on Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Innovation Research held at UM

To promote interdisciplinary collaboration and academic exchange, the Institute of Collaborative Innovation (ICI) of the University of Macau (UM) organised the 2nd International Symposium on Interdisciplinary and Collaborative Innovation Research. The symposium featured 29 presentations by renowned scholars from China and abroad in the fields of data science, neuroscience and brain science, and was attended by over 300 participants.

In his opening remarks, UM Vice Rector Ge Wei highlighted the mission of ICI and its importance in the academic community. The two-day symposium, sponsored by Nanjing Jianchuang Technology Company Limited and Lingbio Biotechnology Macau Company Limited, included two sessions: the 2nd Macau Symposium on Data Science and the 5th Macau Symposium on Cognitive and Brain Sciences.

The 2nd Macau Symposium on Data Science featured 3 keynote presentations, 6 invited talks, and 2 industrial talks. Topics discussed included big data analytics and processing, data mining and management, legal issues in data science, applications of artificial intelligence in healthcare, and various machine learning algorithms and techniques. Among the keynote speakers: Sourav S. Bhowmick, associate professor at Nanyang Technological University, shared his insights on managing conflicts of interest through data-driven approaches, highlighting the shift from socio-technical data systems research to practical applications; Hong Huaqing, professor at Shanghai International Studies University, explored the pivotal role of big data learning analytics in driving meaningful educational transformation, focusing on evidence-based pedagogy and its potential to improve decision-making in teaching and learning; Li Yanzhi, professor at City University of Hong Kong, presented his research on integrating business knowledge into offline reinforcement learning to enhance personalised recommendation systems.

The 5th Macau Symposium on Cognitive and Brain Sciences featured 4 keynote presentations and 14 invited talks, covering a range of topics including cognitive neuroscience related to addiction and decision-making, language and cognition, child development and cognitive aging, visual perception, neuroimaging, and psychiatric and neurological disorders. Among the keynote speakers: He Sheng, academic deputy director of the Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, discussed his research on feedback processing in the human brain; Jiang Tianzi, director of the Brainnetome Center of the Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, talked about brain mapping based on the Brainnetome Atlas, its research background and applications in understanding cognitive mechanisms and diagnosing brain diseases; Tatia Lee Mei Chun, professor at the University of Hong Kong, shared her studies on loneliness as a significant threat to the well-being of older adults from behavioural and neural perspectives; Patrick Wong Chun Man, professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, discussed how to predict language development from neural data, and how hypothesis testing leads to model generalisation.

The symposium also included a poster session, where 35 posters were displayed. To encourage the participation of young scholars, the poster evaluation committee selected the best posters and presented 2 first prizes, 5 second prizes, 5 third prizes, and 8 merit awards. Notably, both first prizes went to UM students—Sun Yinghao, a doctoral student from the Faculty of Business Administration, and Yang Yi, a doctoral student from the Faculty of Science and Technology.

The event was attended by Che Wai Meng, senior manager of the Project Transformation and Support Department of the Science and Technology Development Fund of Macao; Steven He, senior expert of Huawei Macau branch; Zoey Wang, account director of Huawei Macau branch; George Du Wencai, dean of the Institute for Data Engineering and Science at the University of Saint Joseph, Macao; and UM members—Xu Cheng-Zhong, interim director of ICI; Yuan Zhen, associate director of ICI and head of the Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences; and Ryan U Leong Hou, head of the Centre for Data Science.

The Institute of Collaborative Innovation (ICI) is dedicated to promoting interdisciplinary research among higher education institutions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and beyond, cultivating innovative talent, creating an environment conducive to innovative thinking, innovative capabilities and innovative industries, and fostering industry-academia collaboration. The symposium exemplified ICI’s efforts to achieve its objectives. The event brought together experts from academia, government, and society to discuss the latest trends and challenges in data science, cognitive neuroscience, and brain science, and facilitated discussion and exchange among scholars.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59848/

UM Lui Che Woo College, Tsinghua Weixian College become sister colleges

Desmond Lam Chee Shiong, college master of Lui Che Woo College (LCWC) of the University of Macau (UM), visited Weixian College of Tsinghua University. During the visit, Lam and Hong Bo, dean of Weixian College, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on educational cooperation, marking the establishment of the sister college relationship between the two colleges. The two colleges will strengthen their ties, promote student and faculty exchanges, and foster the development of higher education.

During the event, the two college masters introduced the culture and features of their respective colleges. Lam also engaged in discussions with students and faculty from Weixian College, who expressed great interest in the student activities and atmosphere of LCWC. Hong looked forward to leading Weixian students on a visit to LCWC and creating more opportunities for exchange between the students of the two colleges. In addition, Lam was invited to attend an academic event organised by Weixian College, where Weixian students shared their learning experiences and 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/presss-release/detail/59830/

Delegations from CUPL and GSUPL visit UM

Two delegations, led respectively by Ma Huaide, president of China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), and Zheng Gaojian, president of Gansu University of Political Science and Law (GSUPL), visited the University of Macau (UM) today (6 December) and were warmly received by UM Rector Yonghua Song. The discussions between UM and the two delegations focused on deepening cooperation in legal studies, talent cultivation and interdisciplinary collaboration, promoting close partnerships.

Rector Song gave the two delegations an overview of UM’s history and development, and highlighted UM’s active role in supporting the economic diversification and sustainable development of Macao and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. He added that the university is committed to cultivating talent with patriotism, a global mindset, international competitiveness, and global citizenship. Rector Song also expressed hope that UM will deepen cooperation with CUPL and GSUPL and produce high-impact research results.

The two delegations also visited the Faculty of Law, where they learned about UM’s history, development, academic structure and research achievements, and spoke highly of the university’s developments. They also attended the fifth plenary session of the Mainland China-Hong Kong-Macao Legal Education Alliance, which was held at UM.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59828/

UM exhibits over 100 archives related to Macao from Ming and Qing Dynasties

The exhibition ‘Winds of Confluence: The Story of Macao in the Historical Archives of the Ming and Qing Dynasties’ opened today (5 December) at the Exhibition Hall of the University of Macau (UM) Wu Yee Sun Library. Organised by UM and the First Historical Archives of China (FHAC), the exhibition features over 100 archival documents related to Macao from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. These include memorials to the throne, maps, as well as letters of credence brought by diplomatic missions from European countries such as Portugal, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom during their visits to China. The exhibition attracted many UM students and faculty, as well as members of the public.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, UM Rector Yonghua Song thanked FHAC for their strong support. He noted that most of the exhibits are collections from FHAC, many of which are being shown to the public for the first time. The exhibition is the result of cooperation between UM, FHAC, and Ajuda Library in Portugal, and a demonstration of resource sharing and cooperation between Chinese and Portuguese archival institutions. He added that UM is committed to serving as a platform for promoting academic research and cultural exchange with Portuguese-speaking countries and regions.

Wang Hongyun, director of FHAC, expressed hope that the exhibition will help promote Chinese culture and show the image of China in the new era, while enhancing the cultural identity and national identity of Macao residents and fostering international cultural exchanges and cooperation. Cristina Pinto Basto, director of the Ajuda Library, said that the exhibition demonstrates knowledge sharing and cooperation between Chinese and Portuguese institutions.

The exhibition is currently held in the Exhibition Hall on the ground floor of the UM Wu Yee Sun Library (E2). It is open from 10:00am to 7:00pm until 31 March 2025, including public holidays (except for the first three days of the Chinese New Year). Admission is free. 

In addition, the Sino-Portuguese Historical Documents Forum was held concurrently, where representatives and scholars from archival institutions in China and Portugal discussed cooperation and research on Sino-Portuguese historical document resources.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/presss-release/detail/59809/