UM student and faculty receive outstanding paper awards at forum on residential college system

A delegation from the residential colleges of the University of Macau (UM) attended the 9th Educational Forum on Modern Residential College System held at Beihang University, and shared their experiences with over 300 experts, scholars, faculty and student representatives from more than 30 universities in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. The papers presented by faculty members and a student of UM during the forum received positive feedback from experts and scholars, and won outstanding paper awards.

This year’s forum featured nine sub-forums on various topics under the theme ‘digitisation of education empowers modern residential college system’, where experts of residential college system shared their experiences. On behalf of UM, Yang Liu, college master of Ma Man Kei and Lo Pak Sam College, delivered a keynote speech at the forum on UM’s ten-year journey in residential college education, detailing the achievements of UM’s residential college system from various aspects, which was highly recognised by experts and other participants. In addition, Liu Jingjing, associate master of Shiu Pong College; Seng I Teng, resident fellow of Chao Kuang Piu College; and Gan Yunxin, a student of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Choi Kai Yau College, were awarded outstanding paper awards respectively.

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/58673/

UM basketball teams shine at Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao basketball competition

The Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams of the University of Macau (UM) participated in the First Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance Basketball Competition organised by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance. The two teams finished as the first runner-up in the men’s division and the second runner-up in the women’s division respectively.

The competition was held at Sun Yat-sen University and featured basketball teams from the four founding universities of a newly formed alliance, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Sports Alliance: Sun Yat-sen University, the South China University of Technology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and UM. The sports alliance aims to promote exchanges among universities in Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao in the fields of physical education, campus sports culture, as well as sports training and competition. Yonghua Song, rector of UM, also attended the award ceremony along with representatives from the other three participating universities.

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/58670/

CAS academician gives talk at UM on new era of intelligent transformation

The University of Macau (UM) held a talk titled ‘Thoughts on the New Era of Intelligent Transformation: A Perspective from a Software Technology and Education Practitioner’ today (24 July) as part of the University Lecture Series. Lyu Jian, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), former president of Nanjing University and director of the State Key Laboratory for Novel Software Technology at Nanjing University, was the speaker.

Speaking at the event, Michael Hui, vice rector of UM, said that Lyu is one of the world’s leading software experts, with a research focus on intelligent software methodology. He has achieved remarkable results in the field and won multiple major awards. Ge also expressed hope that UM and Nanjing University will deepen their academic exchanges and leverage their respective strengths to provide students and faculty with more opportunities for cooperation and development.

During the talk, Lyu shared his thoughts and understanding of the new era of intelligent transformation from both macro and micro perspectives: ‘the era of intelligence’, ‘a transformative world’, and ‘new software technologies’. He also explored the systematic structure of the new era of intelligent transformation and the opportunities it presents, and shared his views on the direction of technology development. In addition, Lyu engaged with the audience during the Q&A and discussion sessions.

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/58668/

UM summer camp creates academic exchange platform for outstanding university students

The State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City (SKL-IOTSC) of the University of Macau (UM) organised the 2nd Summer Camp for Outstanding University Students, which attracted the participation of outstanding students from top universities in mainland China and Hong Kong. Through a variety of activities such as academic lectures, laboratory visits, equipment demonstrations and interactive experiences, participants gained a deeper understanding of the research characteristics of the state key laboratory and the educational philosophy of UM. The summer camp also served as an academic exchange platform, integrating theoretical learning with practical experience.

The students participating in the summer camp came from more than ten leading universities, including Peking University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Zhejiang University, Nanjing University, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Harbin Institute of Technology, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), and the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen). Their fields of study and research interests include electronic engineering, telecommunications engineering, intelligent vehicle engineering, energy engineering, computer science, automation, hydraulic engineering, and ocean science.

Yonghua Song, rector of UM and director of SKL-IOTSC, said that as one of UM’s initiatives to promote study tours, the summer camp enabled participating students to better understand Macao, UM and SKL-IOTSC through content-rich and high-quality academic exchanges and to explore their future research focus. The camp also broadened their horizons by providing them with opportunities to interact and exchange views with researchers in the laboratory.

During the summer camp, the students visited SKL-IOTSC and attended lectures given by professors from five different research areas of the laboratory, covering smart grid, cloud computing, big data analysis, urban safety, and disaster prevention and mitigation. Through exchanges with the professors, the students gained a better understanding of smart city development and research, and received valuable advice on academic and professional development. They also experienced UM’s international learning environment through a campus tour and Macao’s diverse culture through a cultural tour of the city.

In addition, SKL-IOTSC will partner with UM’s Faculty of Science and Technology this summer to host the Summer Camp for Smart City and Internet of Things for local high school students, promoting smart city development to the community through study tours.

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/58666/

UM holds 36th Asian Finance Association Annual Conference

To promote innovation in finance research, the Faculty of Business Administration (FBA) of the University of Macau (UM) and the Asian Finance Association (AsianFA) jointly organised the 36th Asian Finance Association Annual Conference. The three-day conference brought together about 300 finance scholars from around the world to share their research findings.

The Asian Finance Association Annual Conference is one of the largest and most influential academic finance conferences in the Asia-Pacific region. At the opening ceremony, Michael Hui, vice rector of UM, encouraged finance scholars to actively engage in academic and research exchanges. At the closing ceremony, Yu Jun, dean of FBA, noted that the conference was a significant contribution to the development and advancement of finance research in the Asia-Pacific region.

The conference featured two keynote speeches, which were delivered by Sheridan Titman, McAllister Centennial Chair in Financial Services at the University of Texas at Austin and research associate of the US National Bureau of Economic Research; and Lin Chen, associate vice-president of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and associate dean and chair of finance of HKU Business School, respectively. The two speeches were moderated by Lai Neng, dean of UM’s Honours College, and Kang Wenjin, head of the Department of Finance and Business Economics of FBA, respectively.

Notably, the conference included a special panel session on fintech chaired by Kang Wenjin, where academic and industry experts discussed in depth the application of big data and artificial intelligence technologies in finance research. The conference had received nearly 800 papers from renowned finance scholars around the world, of which about 200 papers were accepted to form more than 50 discussion sessions and a PhD consortium. They covered cutting-edge finance topics such as algorithmic trading, cryptocurrencies, ESG and green finance, fintech, machine learning, and more. In addition, six Best Paper Awards were presented, and one of the awarded papers was co-authored by Xie Jing, associate professor of finance at UM, and scholars from the National University of Singapore and Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

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/58657/

UM professor named MIT Technology Review’s 35 Innovators Under 35 for China

MIT Technology Review, in collaboration with DeepTech, hosted the Meet 35 Summit 2024 and the MIT Technology Review 35 Innovators Under 35 China Award Ceremony. Sun Pengzhan, assistant professor at the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering (IAPME) at the University of Macau (UM), was named one of the 35 Innovators Under 35 for China (TR35 China), making him the only scholar from Macao on the list.

MIT Technology Review was founded in 1899. Since 1999, the magazine has annually selected a group of young leaders under the age of 35 who are the most innovative and influential in the field of technology, forming the ‘35 Innovators Under 35’ list. Over the past two decades, many of the winners have gone on to become industry leaders. They include Zhuang Xiaowei, a bio-imaging technology pioneer; Larry Page and Sergey Brin, founders of Google; JB Straubel, co-founder of Tesla; and Zhang Feng, inventor of CRISPR gene editing technology.

Prof Sun was selected for his dedication to the precise construction of atomic-scale confinement channels and the experimental elucidation of the mechanisms and novel phenomena of mass transport processes therein, as well as the application of the new membrane separation technology he has developed to solve common separation problems such as high energy consumption and low efficiency in the fields of energy and environment. His research primarily focuses on the development of novel two-dimensional separation membranes and the solution of fundamental scientific problems associated with two-dimensional separation membranes. Prof Sun’s research findings have been published in leading scientific journals such as Nature, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), Nature Communications, and Science Advances. He has also received many  awards, including the Excellent Young Scientists Fund (Hong Kong and Macao) from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Materials Research Society (MRS) Graduate Student Award, Top Scholarship from Tsinghua University, First Prize in the China International Graphene Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition, and Grand Prize in the Tsinghua-Dow Sustainable Development Innovation Challenge Competition.

Over the past decade, the global technology landscape has become increasingly diverse. With its unique cultural heritage, strong research strengths and talent pool, as well as vast market potential, China has also emerged as a major force in the global technology arena. In 2017, MIT Technology Review and DeepTech jointly launched the ‘35 Innovators Under 35’ for China to identify and recognise the innovative forces in China’s emerging technology fields.

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/58653/

UM volleyball tournament promotes Sino-Lusophone cultural exchange

The ‘Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China and the 25th Anniversary of the Macao SAR: University Women’s Volleyball Invitational Tournament’, organised by the University of Macau (UM), was held at UM. The two-day tournament featured women’s volleyball teams from UM, Hong Kong Baptist University, Lanzhou University and the Pedagogical University of Maputo in Mozambique, promoting exchanges and friendship.

The tournament was sponsored by Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU) and supported by the University of Macau Development Foundation. Rui Martins and Mok Kai Meng, vice rectors of UM; Carlos Álvares, chief executive officer of BNU; Aurélio de Jesus Chiconela, acting consul general of the Republic of Mozambique in the Macao SAR; and Chris Leung, secretary-general of the University Council of UM, officiated at the opening ceremony.

Speaking at the event, Martins said that in order to strengthen cooperation and cultural exchanges with Portuguese-speaking countries, and to support the SAR Government’s plan to develop Macao into a ‘City of Sports’, UM had, for the first time, invited a volleyball team from Mozambique to play in the invitational tournament. The tournament not only promoted sports exchanges among the participating universities, but also provided a platform for UM students to develop international friendships. He added that UM will continue to promote inter-university sports exchanges to foster the holistic development of students.

Vanessa Muianga and Júlia Fulaho, students from the Pedagogical University of Maputo, both said that they enjoyed the beautiful environment of UM and were very honoured to be able to take part in the tournament in Macao. Yan Wenlu, a student from Lanzhou University, said that this year marks the double celebration of China and the Macao SAR, and she was happy to be able to compete with university teams from different places, which not only enabled her to improve her volleyball skills but also to make friends. Hody Chow, a student from Hong Kong Baptist University, said that the UM campus is very big and the tournament was very well organised, leaving her with great memories.

After two days of intense competition, Lanzhou University won the championship with excellent team cohesion and overall coordination; Hong Kong Baptist University came second; the Pedagogical University of Maputo came third; and UM came fourth. In addition, the women’s volleyball teams from Hong Kong Baptist University, Lanzhou University, and the Pedagogical University of Maputo visited the University Gallery, the UM Wu Yee Sun Library, and the Wall of Great Wisdom to learn about UM’s developments and latest achievements. They also participated in a series of cultural activities and exchanges, including tasting local specialities and visiting heritage sites in Macao, to deepen their understanding of Macao’s culture.

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/58644/

Torneio de Voleibol da UM promove intercâmbio cultural Sino-Lusófono

O Torneio Universitário de Voleibol Feminino organizado pela Universidade de Macau (UM) que celebra o 75º Aniversário da República Popular da China e o 25º Aniversário da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau, realizou-se na UM por dois dias consecutivos, nele participaram para além da UM equipas de voleibol feminino das seguintes universidades: Universidade Baptista de Hong Kong, Universidade de Lanzhou e Universidade Pedagógica de Maputo em Moçambique para promover o intercâmbio e a amizade.

O torneio foi patrocinado pelo Banco Nacional Ultramarino (BNU) e apoiado pela Fundação para o Desenvolvimento da Universidade de Macau. Rui Martins e Mok Kai Meng, vice-reitores da UM; Carlos Álvares, CEO do BNU; Aurélio de Jesus Chiconela, Cônsul-Geral interino do Consulado-Geral da República de Moçambique em Macau; Chris Leung, Secretário-Geral do Conselho Universidade da UM, participaram na cerimónia de abertura.

Rui Martins afirmou que, para reforçar a cooperação e o intercâmbio cultural com os países lusófonos, bem como apoiar o plano do Governo da RAEM de construir uma ‘Cidade Desportiva’, a UM convidou pela primeira vez uma equipa de voleibol de Moçambique para jogar num torneio. O torneio não só promove intercâmbios desportivos entre universidades, como também proporciona uma plataforma para os estudantes da UM melhorarem a amizade internacional. A UM continuará a promover intercâmbios desportivos interescolares e a promover o desenvolvimento integral dos alunos.

Vanessa Muianga e Júlia Fulaho, estudantes da Universidade Pedagógica de Maputo, afirmaram que gostam do belo ambiente da UM e sentem-se muito honradas por poderem participar na competição em Macau. Yan Wenlu, estudante da Universidade de Lanzhou, disse que este ano é um ano de dupla celebração, e está feliz por poder competir com universidades de diferentes locais, melhorar as suas capacidades no voleibol e também fazer amizades. Hody Chow, estudante da Universidade Baptista de Hong Kong, disse que o campus da UM é enorme e todos os arranjos têm sido muito bons, o que a deixou com boas memórias.

Após dois dias de intensa competição, a equipa da Universidade de Lanzhou venceu o campeonato com um excelente entendimento tácito e cooperação geral; a equipa da Universidade Baptista de Hong Kong ficou em segundo lugar; a equipa da Universidade Pedagógica de Maputo ficou em terceiro lugar; a equipa da UM ficou em quarto lugar. Além disso, as equipas de voleibol feminino da Universidade Baptista de Hong Kong, da Universidade de Lanzhou e da Universidade Pedagógica de Maputo visitaram também a Galeria da Universidade, a Biblioteca Wu Yee Sun da UM, a estátua “Anel do Conhecimento”, etc., para compreender o desenvolvimento e as últimas realizações da UM; assim como participaram numa série de actividades de experiência cultural, incluindo a cozinha de Macau, visitas a atracções históricas, etc., que aprofundaram a compreensão da cultura local.

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/58644/

UM rector attends Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance Annual Meeting

The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance Annual Meeting 2024 was held in Guangzhou. During the meeting, Yonghua Song, rector of the University of Macau (UM), together with more than 100 representatives from universities and support units in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, had discussions on how to promote high-level external exchanges and cooperation and build a strong education system, and shared their insights on the development of the alliance.

At the President’s Forum, Song chaired a discussion session on ‘deepening exchanges in education, technology and the humanities between China and foreign countries and opening up new horizons for global development’. He concluded that the universities in the alliance have achieved remarkable results in transforming themselves into world-class research universities or in pursuing unique paths of development. He also expressed hope that the universities will continue to make full use of the alliance to deepen external exchanges and join hands to open up new horizons for global development. In addition, representatives of the universities shared their insights on the establishment of a global cooperation network and the cultivation of education and technology talent.

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/58632/

UM summer camp attracts outstanding students from around the world

The 5th Summer Camp for Outstanding Students, jointly organised by the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) and the Institute of Collaborative Innovation (ICI) at the University of Macau (UM), attracted applications from over 800 outstanding undergraduate and postgraduate students from around the world. Nearly 100 students from renowned universities worldwide were selected to participate in the camp.

The selected students came from prestigious institutions such as the University of Manchester, University of Washington, University of Liverpool, University of Toronto, University of Malaya, Peking University, Nanjing University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, the University of Science and Technology of China, Harbin Institute of Technology, and Zhejiang University.

According to Dai Ningyi, assistant dean of FST and coordinator of the summer camp, the event marks an important step in FST’s efforts to promote international collaboration and exchanges, as well as to cultivate future technology talent. As the faculty celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, Prof Dai expresses her gratitude for the long-term support of various UM units, including the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City, State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Centre for Regional Oceans, Centre for Data Science, Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, and Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences. These units, along with FST, have collectively built a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and high-quality learning and exchange platform that enables international students to gain a deeper understanding of UM’s unique characteristics and strengths.

During the camp, under the guidance of renowned professors from various fields, students visited multiple state key laboratories and research centres, gaining deeper insights into cutting-edge research areas and experiencing frontier technologies. Seminars and exchange sessions were also organised, where students engaged in discussions on trending topics in science and technology with faculty members. They also received valuable advice on academic and career development. In addition, UM campus tours and Macao cultural experience tours were arranged for the students, allowing them to immerse themselves in UM’s international learning environment and explore the rich historical and cultural landscape of Macao.

FST and ICI are accepting applications from around the world for their 15 master’s degree programmes and 5 doctoral degree programmes. The two units remain committed to the mission of cultivating high-quality technology talent and contributing to the development of a smart future.

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/58620/

UM rector visits top universities and government departments in Brazil to deepen cooperation in research and education

To further expand the international cooperation network of the University of Macau (UM), UM Rector Yonghua Song and Vice Rector Rui Martins led a delegation to visit Brazil. During the trip, they signed cooperation agreements with several renowned higher education institutions and established plans for cooperation, deepening the cooperation and coordinated development between UM and Brazilian institutions in the field of research and education.

The UM delegation travelled to the state of São Paulo and visited the University of São Paulo (USP), one of Brazil’s leading universities. Song and Sergio Persival Baroncini Proença, provost for international cooperation of USP, signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement to formally establish a strategic partnership between UM and USP. According to the agreement, the two universities will focus on deepening cooperation in the fields of ocean science, biorobotics, and computer science, and will establish a range of cooperation initiatives, such as dual degree programmes, student and faculty exchange programmes, and joint seminars. The delegation also visited the Numerical Offshore Tank, the Unmanned Vehicles Laboratory, the Center for Artificial Intelligence, and the Law School at USP, and engaged in in-depth discussions with representatives of these units on cooperation.

During their visit to the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), the UM delegation met with Antonio José de Almeida Meirelles, rector of the university, and other representatives. The two parties signed a cooperation agreement aimed at promoting student and faculty exchanges and joint academic activities, and also discussed the feasibility of launching dual degree programmes. The delegation also visited the Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and the laboratories in the Institute of Biology and the Institute of Chemistry at Unicamp to learn more about the university’s key research projects and have in-depth discussions on research collaboration.

At São Paulo State University (UNESP), Song had a meeting with Maysa Furlan, executive vice rector of the university, and other representatives. The two parties reached a consensus on establishing a memorandum of understanding, launching student and faculty exchanges as well as research collaboration. They also explored ways to strengthen cooperation and exchanges in the fields of law, the humanities, science and technology, and engineering.

The UM delegation also travelled to Brasília, the capital of Brazil, and visited the University of Brasília (UnB). Song exchanged views with Enrique Huelva Unternbäumen, acting rector of the university, as well as representatives from various academic disciplines. The two parties signed a memorandum of understanding to strengthen cooperation in areas such as food safety, law and computer science, and held discussions on related cooperation projects. The delegation also visited the Faculty of Information Science and the Faculty of Law at UnB to actively explore plans for cooperation in the disciplines concerned.

During their stay in Brazil, the UM delegation visited the Brazilian Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, where they met with Alexandre Brasil Carvalho da Fonseca, secretary of higher education of the Ministry of Education, and Leandro Pedron, director of thematic programs at the Secretariat of Strategic Policies and Programs of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. During the meeting, the delegation learned about Brazil’s policies on the development of higher education and technological innovation. The two parties also shared experiences and exchanged views on promoting international cooperation in higher education and research innovation.

The delegation also met with Zhu Qingqiao, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Federative Republic of Brazil; Li Qi, minister counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Brazil; and Wang Zhiwei, education counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Brazil. Song gave them an overview of UM’s development in recent years and its research collaboration with Brazilian institutions. He added that Macao is an important platform for economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and that cooperation between UM and Brazilian universities will help the Macao SAR cultivate high-quality Chinese-Portuguese bilingual talent, thus contributing to economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between China and Brazil. Zhu acknowledged UM’s rapid development and said that, in recent years, China and Brazil have achieved remarkable results in cooperation in various fields, such as economy and trade, education, and cultural exchanges. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Brazil diplomatic relations, the cooperation between the two countries is entering a new stage of development. He expressed hope that UM will continue to actively support the development strategies of the SAR and the country and establish closer cooperation with Brazilian universities, adding that the embassy will fully support UM in deepening its cooperation with Brazilian universities.

The UM delegation also included Tong Io Cheng, dean of the Faculty of Law; Wang Ruibing, director of the Global Affairs Office; and Carlos Silvestre, professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology.

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/58515/