UM’s Master of Social Sciences in Clinical Psychology programme now open for applications

The University of Macau (UM) will offer the Master of Social Sciences (MSocSc) in Clinical Psychology programme in the 2024/2025 academic year, with the aim of training professionals in clinical psychology. Application for the programme is now open until 29 February 2024.

In accordance with the ‘Accredited Criteria for Psychotherapist Professions’, graduates of the programme can conduct psychometric assessments, as well as clinical psychological diagnoses and treatments after obtaining professional registration as a psychotherapist.

The MSocSc in Clinical Psychology programme is a three-year full-time programme requiring a total of 60 credits. The programme comprises 45 credits of compulsory coursework, 9 credits of clinical practicum (1,002 hours in total), and 6 credits dedicated to a master’s thesis, which includes a public oral defence. Students who did not complete the eight core courses specified in the ‘Accredited Criteria for Psychotherapist Professions’ during their bachelor’s studies in psychology must complete six of them during their master’s studies in order to become eligible for registration as a psychotherapist.

Applicants for the MSocSc in Clinical Psychology programme are required to hold a bachelor’s degree in psychology. However, individuals with a bachelor’s degree in related fields from renowned international universities may also be considered. For online application and the admission guidelines, please visit the Graduate School website: https://www.um.edu.mo/grs/en/admissions_regular. For enquiries, please call 8822 4898 during office hours or email gradschool@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/press-release/detail/57411/

Delegation from National Health Commission visits UM

Lei Haichao, vice minister and party secretary of the National Health Commission, led a delegation to visit the University of Macau (UM) today (19 December) and was warmly received by Yonghua Song, rector of UM. During the visit, Song introduced to the delegation the academic structure, research achievements, and development directions of UM. He highlighted that UM has continued to strengthen its cooperation with world-renowned universities in the fields of health sciences and medical sciences, including the establishment of dual degree programmes and research collaboration with Zhejiang University, the University of Toronto, and the University of Lisbon. He also mentioned that the university is committed to nurturing more talent who love the country and Macao and producing more research outcomes to help the Macao SAR promote economic diversification and integrate into national development. The delegation also visited the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and the Faculty of Health Sciences. Lei spoke highly of the development of the Ministry of Education Frontiers Science Center for Precision Oncology of UM, as well as its research achievements in the field of life sciences and Chinese medicine. He also expressed hope that the university will continue to leverage its strengths and contribute to the standardisation and international development of Chinese medicine.

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/57409/

Dennis Lo Yuk Ming gives talk at UM on prenatal and cancer liquid biopsies

The University of Macau (UM) held a Doctor honoris causa Lecture today (19 December). Dennis Lo Yuk Ming, honorary doctor of UM, gave a talk titled ‘Pushing Forward the Frontiers of Prenatal and Cancer Liquid Biopsies’ to discuss the current and future developments of the field of liquid biopsy. The event attracted many experts, scholars, industry practitioners, researchers, as well as UM faculty members and students.

Chuxia Deng, dean of UM’s Faculty of Health Sciences, introduced Prof Lo as a pioneer in non-invasive testing who developed a new prenatal testing technique by utilising the high concentration of foetal DNA in maternal plasma, achieving a breakthrough in the medical field. The new technique can replace the traditional invasive method of amniocentesis and provide safe and efficient prenatal testing for millions of pregnant women around the world. Prof Lo even further applies the relevant technique to a new field—cancer screening. His groundbreaking innovations have made significant contributions to academia, industry, and society, and have been highly recognised and appreciated by people from different sectors of society.

During the talk, Prof Lo introduced his innovative technique, liquid biopsy. Liquid biopsy is a technique for analysing cell-free DNA in blood plasma and is used as a non-invasive screening tool for foetal chromosomal abnormalities and single-gene disorders. He also explained how he and his team transformed this technique to develop a blood test that is effective in the early detection of multiple types of cancer. In addition, he discussed the process of developing the diagnostic technique, as well as the challenges involved in applying liquid biopsies to clinical practice and the subsequent impact. At the end of his talk, Prof Lo encouraged students to broaden their knowledge. He emphasised that in addition to gaining knowledge from textbooks, students should engage with the world, communicate with others, and absorb knowledge from different fields. He also noted that it is inevitable for researchers to encounter countless failures before achieving significant research results, and the key to success lies in understanding the reasons behind those failures.

The talk provided an important learning and exchange platform for participants. It also stimulated students’ interest and passion for cutting-edge research areas and presented a model for research and technological innovations, thereby promoting academic innovation and the cultivation of technology talent in Macao.

Those attending the talk also included Cheong Chok Man, director of the Policy Research and Regional Development Bureau of the Macao SAR Government; Fong Wai Ieng, representative of Conde S Januário Hospital and chief of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the Health Bureau of Macao; Michael Hui and Rui Martins, vice rectors of UM; Katrina Cheong, director of the Communications Office of UM; and Tam Kwong Hang, vice president of the Macau 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/press-release/detail/57408/

Oxford expert gives talk at UM on technology transfer in biomedical engineering

As part of the University Lecture Series, the University of Macau (UM) held a talk titled ‘Technology Transfer and Commercialisation in Biomedical Engineering’ today (14 December), with Cui Zhanfeng, Donald Pollock Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Oxford and founding director of the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research at the University of Oxford, as the speaker. Yonghua Song, rector of UM, said that Prof Cui has focused on regenerative biomedical engineering and in vitro diagnostics in recent years, and has received prestigious fellowships or memberships from several leading professional organisations, including the Institution of Chemical Engineers, the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering, the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Academy of Medical Sciences, and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. During the talk, Prof Cui presented an overview of the research activities in biomedical engineering and medical biotechnology at the University of Oxford and the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research. He also shared some of the mature technologies he and his research team developed, such as 3D cell culture, bioreactor technology, and rapid test of COVID-19. In addition, he discussed the challenges faced in technology transfer and commercialisation, as well as the importance of international exchange and collaboration. Prof Cui actively interacted with the audience during the Q&A and discussion session.

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/57384/

UM honorary doctor Dennis Lo Yuk Ming to give talk on prenatal and cancer liquid biopsies

The University of Macau (UM) will hold a Doctor honoris causa Lecture on Tuesday 19 December. Dennis Lo Yuk Ming, a world-renowned scholar in molecular biology who is also known as the ‘father of non-invasive prenatal testing’, will give a talk titled ‘Pushing Forward the Frontiers of Prenatal and Cancer Liquid Biopsies’. All are welcome to attend.

Prof Lo is currently the associate dean (research) of the Faculty of Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), the director of the Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, a Li Ka Shing Professor of Medicine, as well as a chair professor of chemical pathology at CUHK. His research interests focus on the biology and diagnostic applications of cell-free DNA in plasma. In 1997, Prof Lo discovered the high concentration of foetal DNA in maternal plasma. This discovery led him to develop a new technique which can eliminate the high risk associated with amniocentesis and provide safe and effective prenatal testing for the accurate analysis and measurement of foetal DNA in maternal plasma. This non-invasive method has been quickly adopted by laboratories in more than 90 countries as routine testing for pregnant women, placing Prof Lo and his research team at the forefront of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis.

By analysing traces of foetal DNA in maternal plasma with the use of massively parallel sequencing and innovative bioinformatics technologies, Prof Lo and his research team successfully decoded a foetal genome map for the early detection of multiple genetic diseases. The relevant technique can eliminate the risk associated with invasive biopsies and was then further applied to cancer screening and organ transplant rejection monitoring. Prof Lo’s research has had a profound influence on the global medical and scientific community and earned him numerous international honours. He has been elected as a fellow of the Royal Society, a foreign associate of the US National Academy of Sciences, and a fellow of the World Academy of Sciences.

During the talk, Prof Lo will explain how to unveil the body’s secrets with plasma and discuss the latest developments, current challenges, and future directions in prenatal testing and cancer screening using cell-free DNA liquid biopsies, presenting the audience with new insights into liquid biopsy, a world-changing technology.

The talk will begin at 10:00am in the Multi-function Hall of the UM Guest House (N1-G014) and will be conducted in English. Interested individuals can register at https://umac.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6gSvyzSAuWlhoJ8. For enquiries, please call 8822 4892 or email um_fhs@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/press-release/detail/57382/

UM holds Macao Humanities Forum on development of traditional Chinese culture

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH) of the University of Macau (UM) held the Macao Humanities Forum. The event featured Tian Qibo, executive dean of the Jao Tsung-I Institute of Culture Studies at Shenzhen University and chief expert of major projects of the National Social Science Foundation of China, as the speaker. Prof Tian delivered a lecture titled ‘The Inheritance and Development of Traditional Chinese Culture’. The lecture attracted many on-site and online participants, including faculty members and students of UM.

At the forum, Joaquim Kuong, assistant dean of FAH, highlighted the significant role of Macao as an ‘exchange and cooperation base with Chinese culture as its mainstream and coexistence of different cultures’. He emphasised the city’s crucial role in promoting and transmitting cultures, as well as integrating Chinese and Western values. Additionally, Prof Kuong briefly introduced the close connection between UM and Prof Jao Tsung-I, a master in the study of Chinese culture, as well as FAH’s contribution to the development of Chinese literature and history studies in Macao. He also introduced Prof Tian’s academic accomplishments in the fields of ecological philosophy and political philosophy.

During the lecture, Prof Tian first provided an overview of the values, humanistic spirit, and moral norms inherent in traditional Chinese culture, before discussing how these values, such as the belief ‘Tian-Ren-He-Yi’, prioritise responsibility over freedom, obligations over rights, community over individuals, and harmony over conflict. By comparing traditional culture with modern values, Prof Tian highlighted their differences and the limitations of traditional Chinese values. He also cited examples to illustrate the minimal attention given to individual rights in traditional values. In addition, Prof Tian discussed topics such as the cult of power, the rule of law, and scientific and rational thinking. Towards the end of the talk, Prof Tian discussed the modern and contemporary changes in traditional Chinese culture both within China and abroad by dividing the period from the second half of the 19th century to the present into four stages. He emphasised the importance of promoting the modern civilisation of the Chinese nation through a forward-looking approach, integrity, and innovation.

During the Q&A session, Prof Tian engaged in in-depth discussions with UM students, faculty, and online participants, bringing the forum to a successful conclusion. This was the second lecture of the Macao Humanities Forum for the 2023/2024 academic year. The forum, which is held every academic year, aims to provide a platform for world-renowned scholars in different fields of the humanities to share their latest research findings with local teachers and students. The themes of the previous editions have covered a wide range of fields, including literature, linguistics, history, translation, and arts.

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/57372/

UM, Nanjing University establish strategic partnership

Tan Zhemin, president of Nanjing University (NJU), led a delegation to visit the University of Macau (UM) today (13 December) and was received by Yonghua Song, rector of UM. The two parties signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement with the aim of jointly promoting talent cultivation and research innovation in Jiangsu and Macao, thereby making contributions to the development of higher education in China.

Song emphasised that NJU has been a crucial partner of UM, and both universities have launched various programmes over the years to deepen their cooperation. The signing of the cooperation agreement signifies the elevation of the relationship between UM and NJU to a strategic partnership. Moving forward, the two universities will continue to leverage their research strengths and resource advantages to strengthen cooperation and exchanges. Tan expressed hope that NJU and UM will leverage the strategic partnership to promote talent cultivation and research innovation in Jiangsu and Macao, which can also contribute to the shared goal of establishing both universities as first-class universities with Chinese characteristics. The NJU delegation visited the University Gallery , Wu Yee Sun Library, the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, the State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City and Moon Chun Memorial College. They spoke highly of the research development and the residential college system of UM.

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/57373/

UM invites Oxford expert to give talk on technology transfer in biomedical engineering

As part of the University Lecture Series, the University of Macau (UM) will hold a talk titled ‘Technology Transfer and Commercialisation in Biomedical Engineering’ on Thursday 14 December. Cui Zhanfeng, Donald Pollock Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Oxford and founding director of the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research at the University of Oxford, will be the speaker. During the talk, Prof Cui will present an overview of the research activities in biomedical engineering and medical biotechnology at the University of Oxford and the Oxford Suzhou Centre for Advanced Research. He will also discuss the challenges faced in technology transfer and commercialisation, as well as the importance of international exchange and collaboration.

The talk will start at 9:30am in the Auditorium of UM’s Wu Yee Sun Library (E2-G012) and will be conducted in English. Interested individuals can register at https://isw.um.edu.mo/evm/register/uls_1214. For enquiries, please call 8822 4504 or email uls@um.edu.mo. All are welcome to attend.

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/57355/

UM holds seminar on envisioning China and the world from GBA perspective

The Third Academic Committee of the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI (SKL-AMSV) of the University of Macau (UM) held its first meeting. During the meeting, committee members reviewed the development of the laboratory. They recognised the laboratory’s development direction and provided suggestions for its future development as well as the industrialisation of its research results.

Officiating guests at the opening ceremony included Che Weng Keong, president of the Administrative Committee of the Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) of Macao SAR; Ip Kuai Lam, member of the Administrative Committee of FDCT; Yonghua Song, rector of UM; Rui Martins, vice rector of UM; Mak Pui In, director of SKL-AMSV; and Liu Ming, chair of the Academic Committee of SKL-AMSV, director of the Frontier Institute of Chip and System of Fudan University, and member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Members of the Academic Committee who attended the meeting included Franco Maloberti, professor at the University of Pavia; U Seng Pan, chief strategy officer (Signal Chain & South China Development) of Silergy Corp; Massimo Alioto, professor at National University of Singapore; Chan Chi Hou, chair professor at City University of Hong Kong; Li Qiang, professor at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Howard Luong, professor at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Wang Zhihua, professor at Tsinghua University; Wang Yu, professor at Tsinghua University; Wu Nanjian, professor in the Institute of Semiconductors of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Yin Shouyi, professor at Tsinghua University.

The meeting included presentations of research findings, closed-door sessions, and discussions on evaluation reports. Mak reported on SKL-AMSV’s recent developments and achievements. He also gave an updated overview of the laboratory and its future development plans. Liu praised the achievements of the laboratory and encouraged it to continue its collaboration with the State Key Laboratory of ASIC and System of Fudan University. Members of the Academic Committee suggested that SKL-AMSV should continue to strive for the best balance between state-of-the-art research and support for high-tech activities by expanding the team and industrialisation in a gradual manner, and by ensuring that the research results and student quality are of international standard.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/campus-news/detail/57341/

Leading expert in microelectronics gives talk at UM on research experience

The University of Macau (UM) held a Doctor honoris causa Lecture titled ‘A Long Journey with the Fascinating (Micro)electronics’, with Franco Maloberti, member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Division I Director (2022-2023) of IEEE, and honorary doctor of UM, as the speaker. During the talk, Prof Maloberti shared his experience in microelectronics research. He also met with UM’s management and researchers to discuss the development of cutting-edge research.

In his speech, Rui Martins, vice rector of UM and director of the Institute of Microelectronics (IME), shared his first encounter and interactions with Prof Maloberti during his PhD studies, and said that Prof Maloberti always maintains close interaction and communication with students in the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI (SKL-AMSV). He also spoke highly of Prof Maloberti’s pragmatic and approachable demeanor, and looks forward to further collaborations with him in research and journal publications. Moreover, Martins highlighted that Prof Maloberti’s research career, which has spanned more than half a century with extraordinary achievements, is best described as the journey of an accomplished marathon runner.

During the talk, Prof Maloberti reviewed his 56-year research career in (micro) electronics, including his post-graduate experience, his first encounter with microelectronics, his first visit to China to attend a conference, his collaborations with the industry, and his representative inventions at different times. He also described his journey as a process of exploring slowly in a forest rather than driving on a highway. He stressed that curiosity is the foundation of creativity and innovation, and encouraged researchers to be passionate and resilient in their research endeavours, and focus on medium- and long-term goals. Meanwhile, he pointed out that while computer tools can improve the effectiveness and efficiency of information management, it is still crucial to maintain independent thinking. Finally, he encouraged the audience to enjoy the wonderful adventure of life to the fullest.

In addition, Prof Maloberti visited microelectronics-related research facilities at UM, attended the Fifth Academic Committee Meeting of SKL-AMSV, and IME’s Distinguished Lecture Series of Microelectronics. He exchanged views with UM’s management and researchers and learned about the latest developments of the university. He highly praised UM students for their innovative and proactive attitude.

Prof Maloberti is the author of more than 620 papers and 10 books, as well as the holder of 41 patents. In recognition of his significant contributions to the development of microelectronics at UM, the university conferred on him an honorary professorship in 2009. Prof Maloberti maintains a close partnership with UM. In 2010, he co-authored a paper on analogue-to-digital converters. The paper has been cited more than 600 times, making it the most cited paper in SKL-AMSV.

To read the news on UM’s official website, please visit the following link:
https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/campus-news/detail/57337/