CAE academician gives talk on green and low-carbon science and technology innovation at UM

The University of Macau (UM) held a talk titled ‘Integration between Science and Education to Promote Green and Low-Carbon Science and Technology Innovation’ today (4 December) as part of the University Lecture Series. Gao Xiang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE) and president of Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT), was the speaker.

In his speech, UM Rector Yonghua Song introduced Prof Gao and highlighted his influence in the field of energy engineering, including his extensive research in energy and environment, and his research achievements in clean energy, carbon emission reduction, and resource recycling. He also thanked Prof Gao for giving a talk at UM, which provided a learning opportunity for the students and faculty and promoted exchange and cooperation between UM and ZJUT.

During the talk, Prof Gao mentioned that green transformation is an important way to address global climate change and achieve sustainable development, and that universities play a significant role in this process by cultivating talent and driving technological innovation through integrating teaching and research. He also gave examples of promoting the low-carbon transformation of the energy structure, advancing green development of energy-intensive industries, and accelerating the green and low-carbon transformation of the transport sector. In addition, Prof Gao 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/59798/

UM holds University Experience Day for local secondary school students

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) and Stanley Ho East Asia College (SHEAC) of the University of Macau (UM) jointly organised a ‘University Experience Day’ for 30 Form 4 students from Colégio Mateus Ricci in Macao. The event gave the students an insight into campus life at UM and the learning environment and atmosphere of the university.

The students first attended a science talk titled ‘Why Do Successful People Exercise?’ given by FHS Associate Professor William Chao Chong Hang. Prof Chao highlighted the importance of exercise for health, and explained the mechanisms and principles by which exercise effectively improves memory from a scientific perspective. He cited some studies that demonstrate the significant effects of exercise on improving cognitive abilities and learning efficiency. The engaging content of the talk sparked lively discussions among the students. Prof Chao also gave an overview of UM, as well as the academic programmes, research achievements, joint programmes, and exchange opportunities of FHS.

The students, led by FHS Assistant Professor Wakam Chang, then visited several laboratories and gained an in-depth understanding of the research environment and state-of-the-art research facilities at UM. They also observed the daily work of researchers and gained a clearer understanding of the university’s research activities.

The event also included a visit to SHEAC, where the students, accompanied by College Master Kathy Luo Qian and Resident Fellow Chan U Wai, learned about the college’s facilities and accommodation. The students expressed their appreciation of the diverse student activities, comfortable living environment, and comprehensive amenities of the college. Additionally, SHEAC arranged for the students to have lunch with UM undergraduates, during which they discussed topics such as course selection and learning experiences.

Vice Principal of Colégio Mateus Ricci, Wu Weng Ian, who led the students to UM, said that the visit not only gave the students a clearer understanding of university life but also increased their enthusiasm and motivation for future studies. The science talk, visits to laboratories and the college, and interactions with UM students increased the students’ interest in university life and provided guidance on their future studies.

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/59796/

UM vice rector attends University Alliance of the Silk Road Presidents’ Forum

Michael Hui, vice rector of the University of Macau (UM), was invited to attend the University Alliance of the Silk Road Presidents’ Forum cum Executive Council Meeting. The event brought together presidents, vice presidents, and representatives of higher education institutions such as Xi’an Jiaotong University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Politecnico di Milano in Italy, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University in Kazakhstan, National University of Sciences & Technology in Pakistan, Sabancı University in the Republic of Türkiye, and the University of Novi Sad in Serbia to discuss global engagement strategies for the Silk Road.

In his speech, Hui highlighted that higher education not only cultivates the professional talent needed for the Belt and Road Initiative but also fosters mutual understanding and trust among countries and regions along the Belt and Road. He added that leaders in higher education should work together to promote the development of higher education along the Belt and Road, and provide more opportunities for cooperation in talent cultivation. Wang Chunming, director of the Global Affairs Office of UM, also attended the forum.

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/59786/

UM Centre for Macau Studies holds Annual Conference of Macao Studies

The Centre for Macau Studies (CMS) of the University of Macau (UM) and the Macao Foundation jointly held the Fourth Annual Conference of Macao Studies (2024). This year’s conference, themed ‘Macao in Global China and Global Asia’, brought together scholars from Macao and around the world to discuss Macao’s role in the process of globalisation. The event also provided a platform for scholars from Macao and beyond to discuss related topics.

Speaking at the event, Ge Wei, vice rector of UM, said that Macao’s close ties with Portugal and its geographical location at the estuary of the Pearl River Delta further enhance its role in cultural exchange and international trade, making it a focal point for discussing the strategies of ‘Global China’ and the interconnectivity of ‘Global Asia’. He expressed hope that the conference would enhance participants’ understanding of Macao’s strategic position in ‘Global China’ and ‘Global Asia’.

Wu Zhiliang, president of the Administrative Committee of the Macao Foundation, expressed hope that the conference would enhance the international community’s understanding of China’s culture, system, and development, as well as Macao’s role and functions, thus promoting positive recognition of China’s efforts to build a community with a shared future for mankind.

Agnes Lam Iok Fong, director of UM CMS, said that since its inception in 2019, the Annual Conference of Macao Studies has provided a platform for scholars from around the world to engage in academic dialogue and collaboration on Macao studies. This year’s conference allowed participants to explore Macao’s role and functions in the context of China, Asia and beyond from cultural, political, economic, and historical perspectives. In addition, in celebration of the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Portugal, the conference featured two special forums where scholars from Portugal and Brazil presented their papers.

The two-day annual conference, which was held in a hybrid format, featured nine panels, covering topics such as ‘Global China’ and the Portuguese-speaking countries, cross-border cooperation, political and economic transformation, regional connectivity, and cultural enlightenment.

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/59788/

UM original play wins two awards at Golden Hedgehog College Theater Festival

The original play Message, produced by the Drama Society of the University of Macau (UM) Students’ Union, won the ‘Top Ten Outstanding Plays’ and the ‘Special Jury Award’ at the 22nd Golden Hedgehog College Theater Festival. This is the second time UM students have won at this theatre festival, following their success in 2020.

This year’s festival received 139 entries from 71 higher education institutions nationwide, including several art schools from the mainland. Notably, the UM Drama Society’s play was the only winning entry from Macao. The play tells the story of a traveller who arrives in a poor village with news of a wanted murderer with a large bounty on his head, and the subsequent reactions of the villagers. It explores the weakness of human nature and raises questions about the nature of life. In April next year, UM will host the 10th Greater Bay Area Drama Festival for College Students, where the UM Drama Society will perform the play with drama societies from Tsinghua University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen).

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/59785/

UM holds Global Academic Symposium to promote international cooperation

The UM Global Academic Symposium commenced today (2 December) at the University of Macau (UM). With the aim of promoting global academic exchange and strengthening international partnerships, the symposium has brought together over 50 scholars from 23 institutions across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan to share their research findings and advances in cutting-edge technologies, and to explore potential research collaboration.

In his opening remarks, UM Rector Yonghua Song highlighted the university’s proactive approach to expanding international cooperation, its commitment to nurturing talent with a global perspective, and its ongoing efforts to promote research collaboration across various disciplines. In recent years, UM delegations have visited a multitude of universities and research institutes in Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan. The symposium, serving as a continuation of these visits, has provided an important platform to foster knowledge and technology exchange, cooperation, and collaborative projects.

The two-day symposium consists of four parallel sessions covering fields including business administration, engineering, computer science, mathematics, materials science, pharmacology, and regulatory science, hosted by UM’s Faculty of Business Administration (FBA), Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering (IAPME), and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS). Participants will also engage with UM faculty, researchers, and postgraduate students in related fields through discussions, meetings, and lab tours.

The parallel session hosted by FBA featured renowned scholars from Australia, Singapore, and South Korea who spoke on finance, business economics, management, and marketing. Focusing on ‘Econometrics and Applications’, ‘Asset Pricing and Corporate Finance’, ‘Consumer Behaviour and Marketing Strategies’, and ‘Organisational Behaviour and Human Resource Management’, the speakers discussed and analysed cutting-edge research topics with UM students and faculty.

FST’s parallel session, themed ‘Connecting Ideas—Global Perspectives in Science and Technology’, brought together leading scientists, engineers, and technical experts from Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. The speakers focused on advanced fields such as structural mechanics, renewable energy power, partial differential equations, unsaturated soil mechanics, machine learning, and computational intelligence, offering participants the opportunity to discuss and analyse various technological issues.

The parallel session hosted by IAPME centred on ‘Applied Physics and Materials Engineering’, where distinguished scholars from Australia, Singapore, and Japan exchanged views with IAPME professors. Through presentations and in-depth discussions, participants explored the latest developments in nanotechnology, new materials development, optoelectronics, and new energy materials.

ICMS’s parallel session, themed ‘Traditional and Integrative Medicine, Pharmaceutical Science, and Regulatory Science’, brought together biomedical experts from Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, and Japan. A total of 15 presentations were given, covering research areas such as immunotherapy targets, cancer diagnosis, challenges and opportunities in the internationalisation of Chinese medicine, innovative drug discovery, disease mechanisms and treatment, pharmaceutical patents, and clinical data discovery and analysis techniques.

The symposium has not only provided a platform for academic exchange but also laid a foundation for future cooperation. UM will continue to promote the mutual development of the global academic community, expand its international influence, and strive to become a major player in the international academic arena and address current global challenges.

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/59757/

UM, UNCITRAL-RCAP hold joint conference on trade law

The Faculty of Law (FLL) of the University of Macau (UM) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific (UNCITRAL-RCAP) held a joint conference. During the event, experts and scholars from Austria, Belgium, China, Greece, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Macao discussed landmark developments in the harmonisation of international trade law and the transparency of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms in the era of generative artificial intelligence.

Since 2014, UM FLL and UNCITRAL-RCAP have jointly organised ten high-level international conferences and one international legal symposium. This year’s conference, themed ‘Trade Law Harmonization in an Era of Generative AI: Revisiting UNCITRAL Legal Standards on Uniform Sales Law, e-Commerce, Dispute Settlement, and Insolvency’, focused on a number of contemporary legal issues related to UNCITRAL instruments and the current harmonisation mandate of various UNCITRAL working groups.

The conference covered a range of innovative topics, aimed at addressing the most pressing issues in the harmonisation of international trade law today. The topics included ‘Transparency of ISDS Interests’, ‘Balancing Diverse Interests Reflecting UN SDGs’, ‘Legal Innovations and E-Commerce’, ‘Use of Artificial Intelligence’, ‘Technology Used in Dispute Resolution’, and ‘The Relevance of the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG) to Macao SAR’. The conference featured six expert-led panel discussions, providing a platform for in-depth analysis and debate on key issues. Speakers, who were eminent representatives of UNCITRAL and distinguished legal experts from around the world, discussed current trends and future directions in the harmonisation of international trade law, providing insights from global and regional perspectives.

The conference was supported by the World Trade Center (WTC) Macau Arbitration Center, Shanghai Arbitration Commission (SHAC), China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) Hong Kong Arbitration Center, Zhuhai Court of International Arbitration (ZCIA), Shenzhen Court of International Arbitration (SCIA), and eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre Limited.

The opening ceremony was attended by: Athita Komindr, head of UNCITRAL-RCAP; Tong Io Cheng, dean of UM FLL; Wong Kio Chan, head of the Treaty Division of the Legal Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Vong Sok Hei Rosita, secretary general of the WTC Macau Arbitration Center; Chau Seng Chon, member of the Board of Directors of the Macao Lawyers Association; Fan Mingchao, executive vice president of SHAC; Brad Wang, deputy secretary general of CIETAC Hong Kong Arbitration Center; Wu Xueting, vice-president of ZCIA; Huen Wong, council member of SCIA; Wenny Huang, deputy chief executive officer and secretary general of eBRAM International Online Dispute Resolution Centre Limited; Rostam J Neuwirth, head of the Department of Global Legal Studies of UM FLL; and Muruga Perumal Ramaswamy, associate professor in UM FLL.

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/59753/

Several UM members awarded decorations and medals of merit by Macao SAR Government

The Macao SAR Government today (29 November) held the 2024 Decorations, Medals and Certificates of Merit Awards Ceremony, where Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng presented the awards to individuals and entities in recognition of their achievements, outstanding contributions, or distinguished service.

Several UM members were on the honours list this year: Lam Kam Seng Peter, chair of the University Council, was awarded the Decoration of Honour—Golden Lotus; Kong Chio Fai and Ma Chi Ngai, members of the University Council, were awarded the Medal of Merit—Professions; Iau Teng Pio, associate dean of the Faculty of Law, and Mak Pui In, director of the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, were awarded the Medal of Merit—Education. In addition, UM alumni Chan Ka Leong and Choi Sio Un were awarded the Medal of Merit—Philanthropy and the Medal for Distinguished Service—Medal for Dedication, respectively.

About the Decorations, Medals and Certificates of Merit

The Macao SAR Government awards Decorations, Medals and Certificates of Merit to individuals or entities who have made outstanding contributions to the image and reputation of the Macao SAR, either within or outside the city, or who have made exceptional contributions in any field beneficial to the development of the Macao SAR.

For the full honours list (in Chinese and Portuguese only), please visit: https://www.gov.mo/honours-awards/zh-hant/laureate

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/59742/

ZJUT president to give talk on green and low-carbon science and technology innovation at UM next Wednesday

The University of Macau (UM) will hold a talk titled ‘Integration between Science and Education to Promote Green and Low-Carbon Science and Technology Innovation’ on 4 December (Wednesday) as part of its University Lecture Series. The talk will be given by Gao Xiang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and president of Zhejiang University of Technology (ZJUT), who will discuss green transformation and the challenges of climate change, and share his insights and experiences in integrating research and teaching to promote green and low-carbon science and technology innovation.

The talk will begin at 5:00pm in the Multi-function Hall of the UM Guest House (N1-G014) and will be conducted in Mandarin. All are welcome to attend. To register for the talk, please visit https://isw.um.edu.mo/evmapp/register/ULSxianggao. 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/59735/

UM holds closing ceremony and exhibition for training programme in traditional Chinese arts

The University of Macau (UM) held a closing ceremony and an exhibition for the art talent training programme ‘Cultivation of Creative Talents in Chinese Traditional Fine Arts for Art Teachers in Macau’ funded by the China National Arts Fund 2024. The exhibition showcases the learning outcomes of the participants, including 24 lesson plans and artistic creations, in addition to 30 pieces of artwork by students and teachers from the training programme.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, UM Vice Rector Michael Hui said that the award of funding from the China National Arts Fund to UM to launch the programme was a testament to the university’s development in the arts and its commitment to training art teachers and artists in Macao. He expressed hope that all participants will continue to promote Chinese arts and remain dedicated and enthusiastic in their teaching profession.

The exhibition is currently held in the Exhibition and Multi-function Hall of UM’s Cultural Building (E34-G016). It is open from 9:00am to 5:45pm until 16 December, and is closed on weekends and public holidays. Admission is free and all are welcome to visit.

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/59731/