UM holds Ceremony for the Conferment of Higher Degrees

The University of Macau (UM) today (23 November) held the Ceremony for the Conferment of Higher Degrees 2024. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Ao Ieong U, acting as the representative of the chief executive of the Macao SAR and chancellor of UM, said that UM is committed to reflecting new trends in international higher education development in its teaching and research activities, and its educational quality has gained international recognition, further highlighting the strength of Macao’s higher education. This year, over 1,900 students graduated from UM with doctoral degrees, master’s degrees, and postgraduate certificates/diplomas.

Secretary Ao Ieong officiated at the ceremony in the company of UM University Council Chair Lam Kam Seng Peter, Rector Yonghua Song, Vice Rectors Michael Hui and Ge Wei. Members of the University Assembly, University Council, and Senate, as well as government officials, representatives of the agencies of Portuguese-speaking countries in Macao, prominent members of the community, UM faculty and staff, and student representatives also attended the ceremony. In addition, live stream viewing areas were set up on campus and live streaming was available on the internet for families and friends of the graduates to watch the ceremony.

Secretary Ao Ieong said in her speech: ‘The SAR government is working to expand the development platform for higher education in Macao in multiple dimensions. We will continue to harness Macao’s distinctive strengths under the “one country, two systems” policy to highlight the international feature and resource advantages of Macao’s higher education institutions. We will continue to bring in world-class educational resources and innovative elements to optimise the talent cultivation system. Meanwhile, we will continue to promote industry-academia integration and innovation through the platforms of the state key laboratories to solidify higher education’s role in providing talent and technology for high-quality social development. UM is committed to reflecting new trends in international higher education development in its teaching and research activities. In recent years, the university has actively explored innovative educational models in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Through measures such as establishing a research and education base and the Hengqin University of Macau Advanced Research Institute, UM seeks to further advance research and innovation. The university has also been actively engaged in the inauguration of the Macao Centre for Testing of Chinese Medicine to support the development of the Chinese medicine industry. In the meantime, UM has worked with Portugal’s science and technology department to build a Sino-Portuguese science popularisation platform. The university has joined professional alliances such as the Association of University Presidents of China to continuously expand its international cooperation network with prestigious universities at home and abroad. This year, UM successfully completed its institutional quality accreditation. The university’s educational quality and operational effectiveness have once again gained international recognition. Moreover, in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025, UM has risen to 180th place, further highlighting the strength and influence of Macao’s higher education. The SAR government will continue to support the high-quality development of local higher education institutions, contributing to Macao’s goal of becoming an international hub for high-calibre talent.’

Rector Song said in his speech: ‘This year marks the 10th anniversary of UM’s relocation to the Hengqin campus, and the university has made substantial progress over the past decade. As UM has continued to improve the quality of its education and international collaboration, its reputation has been significantly enhanced, and its competitive advantage and attractiveness to high-calibre talent continues to grow. This year, UM made a major breakthrough in cross-border teaching and experimentation in the Cooperation Zone. Today, more than 15,000 students are studying at UM.’ Rector Song also expressed his delight that UM alumni have gained international recognition for their achievements in technology and innovation, and have commercialised their research outcomes in the Cooperation Zone. He added that UM will continue to strengthen strategic coordination and high-level planning, pursue excellence, seek breakthroughs, and strive to reach new heights. He also gave three pieces of advice to the graduates: ‘First, keep learning and develop interdisciplinary skills. Second, foster resilience in times of adversity and thrive amidst challenges. Third, pursue innovation and shoulder responsibilities.’

In her speech, Un Su Kei, representative of the graduates, expressed her gratitude to the professors and parents for their guidance, care, and love. She said that she found her direction at UM and that her decision to study at UM is one of the best decisions she has ever made. Un also shared how she has managed to maintain a balance between her studies and work, while still having some time to develop her personal interests. She highlighted the importance of setting achievable goals and turning challenges into opportunities, as dreams can only be realised through concrete actions. She also encouraged other graduates to remain persistent, determined, and enthusiastic, and looks forward to meeting them at the pinnacle of success in the future.

This year, a total of 1,910 postgraduate students graduated from UM’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Institute of Collaborative Innovation, and Institute of Microelectronics. Among these graduates, 309 were awarded doctoral degrees, 1,551 received master’s degrees, and 50 obtained postgraduate certificates/diplomas.

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/59667/

President of the Camões Institute, Portugal, leads delegation to visit UM

A delegation led by Florbela Paraíba, president of the Camões Institute in Portugal, visited the University of Macau (UM) today (22 November) and was warmly received by Yonghua Song, rector of UM. The two parties had in-depth discussions on jointly nurturing professionals proficient in Portuguese and promoting academic collaboration between Macao and Portugal.

Song said that UM, as a public university in the Macao SAR, is committed to producing high-quality Chinese-Portuguese bilingual professionals with an international outlook. He noted that UM has maintained strong ties with higher education institutions in Portugal, including the Camões Institute. Paraíba spoke highly of UM’s developments and its high-quality Portuguese language teaching. She expressed her appreciation of UM’s contributions to promoting the Portuguese language. In addition, she expressed hope that with UM and Macao as platforms, the Camões Institute will expand academic and cultural exchanges and cooperation with China in the future.

The Camões Institute is a public institute under the indirect administration of the Portuguese government. Its mission includes promoting international cooperation with international organisations and higher education institutions, as well as promoting Portuguese language and culture.

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/59666/

Expert in power systems engineering gives talk on smart grid technology innovation at UM

The University of Macau (UM) held a talk titled ‘Advancements in Smart Grid Technology: Opportunities and Challenges with AI and Digital Twins’ today (22 November), as part of the University Lecture Series. Chung Chi Yung, head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), was the speaker.

During his speech, UM Rector Yonghua Song introduced Prof Chung and highlighted his contributions and leadership roles in the engineering sector. Prof Chung is a chair professor of power systems engineering and the founding director of the Research Centre for Grid Modernisation at PolyU. He is also president-elect of the Power and Energy Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) for 2024/2025, and will serve as president for 2026/2027. In addition, he is a fellow of IEEE, the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and the Chinese Society for Electrical Engineering. Prof Chung has also served on the editorial boards of nine top-tier journals in the power and energy areas. His research has led to three US patents and over 200 publications in international journals.

During the talk, Prof Chung discussed the potential applications, future prospects and development directions of artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies in addressing smart grid challenges. He also engaged with the audience in the Q&A and discussion sessions moderated by Rector Song.

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/59665/

UM’s Macao Centre for Testing of Chinese Medicine inaugurated

An inauguration ceremony for the Macao Centre for Testing of Chinese Medicine (MCTCM) of the University of Macau (UM) was held today (21 November). The centre will enhance UM’s capacity to develop independent patented technologies and special projects in Chinese medicine testing, and provide robust technical support and guarantee for Macao’s Chinese medicine brands.

The ceremony was jointly officiated by Ho Iat Seng, chief executive of the Macao SAR; Ao Ieong U, secretary for social affairs and culture; Lam Kam Seng Pater, chair of the University Council of UM; Yonghua Song, rector of UM; Choi Peng Cheong, president of the Pharmaceutical Supervision and Administration Bureau (ISAF); and Li Shaoping, director of MCTCM.

Song said in his speech that MCTCM is committed to developing a Chinese medicine testing industry with Macao characteristics and aims to advance the development of Chinese medicine products in Macao and introduce them to the global market. In addition, Choi expressed that ISAF plans to designate MCTCM as a third-party testing entity. He believes that the centre will enhance the development of the medicine testing sector in Macao and diversity the city’s ‘big health’ industry.

After the ceremony, Ho and other guests were given a tour of MCTCM, where Li introduced the centre’s testing services and the accreditations it has gained from the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment.

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/59652/

UM’s quantity surveying diploma course aligns local industry with international standards

The Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) of the University of Macau (UM) held a closing ceremony for the fourth and fifth cohorts of its Advanced Professional Diploma in Construction Commercial Management (Quantity Surveying). A total of 58 participants completed the course and obtained the diploma, which is also recognised by the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES). They commented that the course helped enhance their professional skills and facilitate their alignment with international standards.

During the ceremony, Matthew Liu Ting Chi, director of CCE, highlighted the strong support of CICES for the fourth and fifth cohorts of the diploma course. To date, 158 people have completed the course. The course has provided the local industry with professionals equipped with specialised knowledge in quantity surveying and has assisted participants in obtaining international certification.

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/59637/

UM, University of Coimbra organise joint seminar on international and EU law

The Faculty of Law (FLL) of the University of Macau (UM) and the Faculty of Law of the University of Coimbra (UC) jointly organised the ‘Joint Seminar between Faculty of Law of University of Macau and Faculty of Law of University of Coimbra: Contemporary Issues of International and European Union Law & Recognition Ceremony: Tribute to Professor Doutor Manuel Lopes Porto’. The ceremony aimed to honour Manuel Lopes Porto, professor of UC, for his outstanding contributions to higher education and academic exchanges between Macao and Coimbra, Portugal, and the seminar aimed to discuss contemporary issues in international and European Union (EU) law.

To promote the development of higher education and research between Macao and Portugal, João Nuno Calvão da Silva, vice rector of UC, led a delegation to visit UM and held in-depth discussions with Rui Martins, vice rector of UM, on promoting knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovative research.

During the recognition ceremony, Rui Martins, João Nuno Calvão da Silva, as well as Tong Io Cheng, dean of FLL, Wei Dan, vice dean of FLL, and Paulo Canelas de Castro, president of the Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEE) and associate professor in FLL, delivered speeches. They highly praised Manuel Lopes Porto for his outstanding achievements in the field of law and expressed their sincere gratitude for his long-term service to the legal community. Following the speeches, Manuel Lopes Porto was presented with a commemorative trophy and a certificate of recognition.

The ceremony was followed by a seminar on ‘Contemporary Issues of International and European Union Law’, where participants discussed key issues such as the development of emerging regional alliances, challenges in humanitarian law, the application of the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention, regulatory mechanisms, and energy policy. Speakers included UC representatives—Manuel Lopes Porto, João Nuno Calvão da Silva, and Jónatas Machado, dean of UC’s Faculty of Law, and UM representatives—Wei Dan, Paulo Canelas de Castro, and Muruga Perumal Ramaswamy, associate professor in FLL. Their presentations sparked heated discussions among the participants and led to a dynamic academic exchange.

The seminar not only allowed both parties to share their insights on contemporary legal challenges, but also strengthened the partnership between UM and UC. Both institutions look forward to further cooperation in the areas of legal education and academic 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/59636/

A UM e a Universidade de Coimbra realizaram um Seminário Conjunto e uma Cerimónia de Reconhecimento ao Professor Doutor Manuel Lopes Porto

Recentemente, a Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Macau (UM) e a Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra realizaram um seminário conjunto e uma cerimónia de homenagem para reconhecer o contributo excepcional do Professor Doutor Manuel Lopes Porto para o ensino superior e os intercâmbios académicos entre Macau e Coimbra.

Durante o evento, o Professor João Nuno Calvão da Silva, Vice-Reitor da Universidade de Coimbra, liderou uma delegação em visita à Universidade de Macau. Com o objectivo de promover o desenvolvimento do ensino superior e da investigação entre Macau e Portugal, representantes de ambas as instituições realizaram debates aprofundados sobre o modo de estimular a troca de conhecimento, a colaboração interdisciplinar e desenvolva iniciativas de investigação inovadora.

Na cerimónia de homenagem, o Vice-Reitor da UM Rui Martins, João Nuno Calvão da Silva, o Director da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Coimbra Jónatas Machado, o Director da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Macau Tong Io Cheng, e a Subdirectora Wei Dan, e o Presidente do Instituto de Estudos Europeus de Macau, Paulo Canelas de Castro, proferiram discursos. Todos enalteceram as notáveis realizações do Professor Manuel Lopes Porto na área jurídica e expressaram sincera gratidão pelo seu serviço prolongado à comunidade jurídica. Após os discursos, os organizadores entregaram ao Professor Porto um certificado de honra e uma placa comemorativa, em reconhecimento pelo seu contributo excepcional.

Após a cerimónia teve lugar um seminário subordinado ao tema “Questões Contemporâneas de Direito Internacional e Europeu”. Os participantes abordaram temas cruciais, incluindo o desenvolvimento de novas alianças regionais, os desafios no direito humanitário, a aplicação da Convenção de Liubliana-Haia, os mecanismos regulatórios e a política energética. Professores de renome das duas universidades, incluindo Manuel Lopes Porto, Jónatas Machado e João Nuno Calvão da Silva da Universidade de Coimbra, e Wei Dan, Paulo Canelas de Castro and Muruga Perumal Ramaswamy da Faculdade de Direito da Universidade de Macau apresentaram comunicações que estimularam perguntas e discussões animadas por parte da audiência, proporcionando um valioso intercâmbio académico.

Este evento não só evidenciou a profunda reflexão dos participantes sobre os desafios jurídicos actuais, como também reforçou a parceria de cooperação entre a Universidade de Macau e a Universidade de Coimbra. Ambas as instituições manifestaram o desejo de continuar a colaborar nas áreas da educação jurídica e da investigação académica.

Para ler a notícia no sítio Web oficial da UM, visite a seguinte ligação:
https://www.um.edu.mo/pt-pt/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/59636/

PolyU expert to give talk on smart grids at UM on Friday

The University of Macau (UM) will hold a talk titled ‘Advancements in Smart Grid Technology: Opportunities and Challenges with AI and Digital Twins’ on 22 November (Friday), as part of the University Lecture Series. Chung Chi Yung, head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), will be the speaker. During the talk, Prof Chung will discuss the potential applications, future prospects and development directions of artificial intelligence and digital twin technologies in addressing smart grid challenges.

The talk will start at 11:30am in the Lecture Hall of the UM Research Building N21 (N21-G013) and will be conducted in English. All are welcome to attend. To register, please visit https://isw.um.edu.mo/evmapp/register/ULScychung. 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/presss-release/detail/59616/

Finals of 3rd Chinese-Portuguese Translation Contest for Higher Education Institutions in China to be held at UM

The finals of the 3rd Chinese-Portuguese Translation Contest for Higher Education Institutions in China will be held concurrently at the University of Macau (UM) and Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU) on 22 November. A total of 84 students from 26 higher education institutions in Macao and mainland China will participate in the contest. The event, jointly organised by UM’s Chinese-Portuguese Bilingual Teaching and Training Centre and BFSU, aims to promote exchanges in Portuguese language teaching between Macao and mainland institutions, encourage students majoring in Portuguese studies to gain practical experience in Chinese-Portuguese translation, and identify high-quality Chinese-Portuguese translation talent.

The contest is divided into ‘Undergraduate Group’ and ‘Postgraduate Group’, each with categories for Chinese-to-Portuguese and Portuguese-to-Chinese translation. The contest takes the form of ‘Recommendation + Participation’, where each of the 26 participating institutions selects and recommends its candidates to the organising committee for participation in the finals. Each participating institution can nominate a maximum of four undergraduate students and two postgraduate students, with each student participating in only one category. There will be 1 first prize, 2 second prizes, 3 third prizes, and 6 honourable mentions for each category in the ‘Undergraduate Group’, and 1 first prize, 1 second prize, and 1 third prize for each category in the ‘Postgraduate Group’.

All participating institutions have completed their internal selections, and a total of 84 students have been recommended for the finals. Contestants can choose to attend the finals at either UM or BFSU, and 34 students will attend the finals at UM.

A judging committee has been set up for the contest. The committee is co-chaired by Yao Jingming, emeritus professor in the Department of Portuguese at UM and Ye Zhiliang, professor in the School of Hispanic and Portuguese Studies at BFSU, with eight experienced experts in the field of Chinese-Portuguese translation serving as judges. To ensure fairness and impartiality, the judging process will be conducted anonymously, with judges independently reviewing and scoring the translations. Rankings will be based on the average scores. In addition, contestants are required to complete the translation task independently within the allotted time, and no reference materials other than paper dictionaries are allowed.

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/59618/

UM realizará o final do 3.º Concurso de Tradução Chinês-Português para Universidades Chinesas

O 3.º Concurso de Tradução Chinês-Português para Universidades Chinesas será realizado simultaneamente na Universidade de Macau (UM) e na Universidade de Estudos Estrangeiros de Pequim (BFSU) no dia 22 de novembro, com a participação de 84 estudantes de 26 universidades da China Interior e de Macau. Organizado conjuntamente pelo Centro de Ensino e Formação Bilíngue Chinês-Português da UM e pela BFSU, o concurso tem como objectivo promover o intercâmbio no ensino da língua portuguesa entre as universidades de Macau e da China Interior, incentivar os estudantes de língua portuguesa a participarem na prática da tradução e descobrir talentos de qualidade na tradução chinês-português.

O concurso divide-se em “Grupo de licenciatura” e “Grupo de mestrado”, com as categorias “Tradução Chinês-Português” e “Tradução Português-Chinês” em cada grupo. O concurso é conduzido numa base de “Recomendação + Participação”, com cada uma das 26 instituições participantes a seleccionar os seus próprios estudantes e a recomendá-los à Comissão Organizadora do Concurso para o concurso final. Cada instituição pode nomear um máximo de 4 estudantes de licenciatura e 2 estudantes de mestrado, e cada estudante só pode participar numa categoria. Haverá 1 primeiro prémio, 2 segundos prémios, 3 terceiros prémios e 6 Menções honrosas para cada uma das duas categorias do “Grupo de licenciatura”, e 1 primeiro, 1 segundo e 1 terceiro prémio para cada uma das duas categorias do “Grupo de mestrado”.

Actualmente, todas as instituições concluíram a sua selecção interna e um total de 84 estudantes foram recomendados pelas suas instituições para participar no concurso final, e 34 deles deslocar-se-ão à UM para participarem no concurso.

O concurso já criou um comité de avaliação profissional, co-presidido pelo Professor Yao Jingming, Professor Emérito do Departamento de Português da UM, e pelo Professor Ye Zhiliang, Professor da Faculdade de Estudos Hispânicos e Portugueses da BFSU, bem como por oito outros especialistas no domínio da tradução chinês-português como juízes. Para garantir a justiça e a imparcialidade do concurso, o processo de avaliação será conduzido de forma anónima, sendo cada categoria avaliada e pontuada de forma independente pelos especialistas e a classificação final determinada pela pontuação média atribuída. Os alunos participantes devem completar a tarefa de tradução dentro do tempo estipulado. Não será permitido utilizar materiais de consulta, excepto dicionários em papel.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/pt-pt/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/59618/

Greater Bay Area Science Forum 2024 held in Guangzhou, UM holds Macao Forum

The ‘Greater Bay Area Science Forum 2024’ was held in Nansha, Guangzhou. This year, the forum introduced the ‘Macao Forum’, which was held at the University of Macau (UM) to enhance exchanges and cooperation in science and technology and collaborative innovation, and promote high-quality development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Yonghua Song, rector of UM, attended the main forum in Guangzhou, where he joined over 100 leading academicians and experts from around the world to discuss cutting-edge topics in brain science, brain-inspired intelligence, and artificial intelligence.

Ho Iat Seng, chief executive of the Macao SAR, delivered an opening speech via video message at the ‘Greater Bay Area Science Forum 2024’. He expressed hope that the forum will strengthen Macao’s exchanges and cooperation with the global scientific community, attract more outstanding talent and innovative resources, develop high-level research projects and emerging industries, enhance Macao’s competitiveness, and promote the high-quality development of the Greater Bay Area.

Speaking at the main forum, Yonghua Song, rector of UM, said that UM actively engages in the development of the Greater Bay Area, leverages its research strengths, and attracts high-quality educational and research resources, injecting new vitality into talent cultivation and industry-academia collaboration in the western Greater Bay Area. The university has also forged closer ties with governments, universities, and enterprises in the region to promote collaborative innovation and industry-academia collaboration, promoting regional innovation-driven development through higher education.

The ‘Greater Bay Area Science Forum 2024 Macao Forum’, themed ‘Technology and Innovation – Diversified Development of Macao’, brought together 400 renowned scientists, scholars, researchers, technology experts, and students from around the world. It featured keynote speeches and the Roundtable Scientific Dialogue. The ‘Sub-Forum of Brain Science and Brain-Inspired Intelligence Technology & Sub-Forum of Macau Cognitive and Brain Science’ and the ‘Parallel Session on Artificial Intelligence and Robotics’ were also held concurrently, bringing together nearly 100 experts and scholars from home and abroad.

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/59598/

CAE academician gives talk on digital twin city at UM

The University of Macau (UM) held a talk titled ‘Digital Twin City: Engineering Logic and Technical Requirements’ today (18 November) as part of its University Lecture Series. Guo Renzhong, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), was the speaker. During the talk, Prof Guo discussed the technical foundations, engineering logic, and a number of key technological innovations related to digital twin cities.

In his speech, Michael Hui, vice rector of UM, said that Prof Guo has long been dedicated to cartography and the research and development of geographic information technology and its application in engineering. Prof Guo proposed a distributed large-scale geospatial information platform based on geographic information system technology, which advanced the informatisation of land resources management in mainland China and earned him several national and international awards.

During the talk, Prof Guo mentioned that digital twin cities are a crucial pathway for national digital transformation and modernisation of governance, adding that data sensing systems and integrated data management platforms are important technical foundations for engineering. He also incorporated various real-life examples and images into his talk, providing new insights to the audience. In addition, Prof Guo engaged with the audience in the Q&A and discussion sessions moderated by Yuen Ka Veng, Distinguished Professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology and the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City 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/59593/