The numbers are quite encouraging. This year, UM admitted 343 students from Macao through the Principals’ Recommended Admission Scheme. Of these students, 45 were ranked No 1 in their high school classes. Mainland students admitted this year scored an average of 17 per cent higher than the admission marks of first-tier universities in their respective provinces and cities. The number of international students applying to UM also increased, up 56 per cent compared to last year. What drew these outstanding students to UM? For some, it is the language of instruction. For others, it is the international faculty team, with over 80 per cent of the members from overseas. For still others, it is the multicultural environment, the residential college system, and the chance to make their dreams come true. In the following, we interview seven freshmen, who share with us their reasons for choosing UM.
‘I want to be an accountant.’
For William Fok Hei from Yuet Wah College (English Section), UM was his first choice. His excellent scores in the joint admission examination administered by the four universities in Macao earned him the University of Macau Golden Lotus Scholarship. Faced with a dizzying array of academic programmes offered by UM, Fok didn’t have any difficulty picking a major, because his cousins influenced his goal of becoming an accountant when he was still in high school.
‘My two cousins are both accountants. We would hang out and I would often hear them talk about their jobs,’ he says. ‘The more I heard about it, the more appealing the profession sounded.’ He became even more convinced that he made the right choice after learning about the diverse backgrounds and the impressive credentials of the UM professors that teach in the accounting programme, as well as the advantages of the programme itself. ‘For instance, graduates of this programme are eligible for exemption from all or part of the papers of the CPA Australia and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, which made the programme even more attractive to me,’ he says.
‘I love the multicultural environment.’
Like Fok, Kelly Chen from Pui Ching Middle School also received the Golden Lotus Scholarship. A language lover, she started learning Portuguese in middle school and enjoys talking to people from dif ferent cultures. So she was thrilled when she learned that her school decided to recommend her for direct admission to UM’s Department of Portuguese. ‘UM’s multicultural environment is a perfect fit for me. It also provides a lot of opportunities to study in Portugal,’ she says. ‘Its big campus and residential colleges also match my imagination of what an ideal university is like.’ Another draw for Chen is the home-like atmosphere in the RC. She is a shy, reserved person, but the orientation activities organised by her RC made her feel welcome and relaxed. She also feels thankful that the senior students are warm and friendly, and have helped her solve many problems.
‘I feel it makes more sense to study education in Macao.’
Winnie Wan Cheng Ieng from the Sacred Heart Canossian College (English Section) believes it makes more sense to study education in a local university if one intends to pursue a career in the field in Macao. So when presented with the option of being recommended for direct admission to the primary education programme at UM, she leapt at the opportunity. Later, she was also pleased to find out that there are many research centres in the Faculty of Education, and that FED students have the opportunity to intern for an entire year during the four year study period. She believes these opportunities will greatly benefit her future career.
She also looks forward to going on exchange programmes to learn about the status of education in other places. ‘UM has signed collaboration agreements with more than 200 higher education institutions in over 33 countries and regions. Every year, UM students can choose from 143 higher education institutions around the world for exchange programmes to experience different cultures and broaden their horizons,’ she says.
‘I love the all-English environment.’
The number of outstanding mainland students applying to UM also increased this year, up 35 per cent from 2017. The 467 mainland students admitted this year scored an average of 17 per cent higher than the admission marks of key mainland universities. Among them, over 270 are from Guangdong and Hong Kong.
Eileen Zhu Xiaolin, a graduate of Zhuhai No 1 High School and now an English studies major, chose UM because English is the main language of instruction at UM. ‘Courses at UM are mostly taught in English, which can help me develop confidence when speaking English,’ she says. She also loves the overseas exchange opportunities provided by the university, and the various activities organised by the RCs and the student clubs, which she believes will help improve her interpersonal skills, leadership skills, and other soft skills.
‘I look forward to living in an RC.’
UM hit a new record this year in terms of the quantity and quality of international students, who mostly come from the United States, South Korea, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Japan, Laos, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Malaysia, Guinea-Bissau, and Sao Tome and Principe. Among them, 18 are top students from Chinese independent high schools in Malaysia.
Emily Soo Xiao Xuan from Malaysia graduated from Chong Hwa Independent High School, Kuala Lumpur , which is a top school in Malaysia known for its outstanding academic performance. At first, Soo was drawn to UM because of the scholarships it offers, which she learned from her school. Curiosity led her to google UM. As she learned more about UM’s beautiful campus, advanced teaching and research facilities, and the RC system, she decided to apply to its computer science programme. Soo especially looks forward to living in an RC. ‘It will allow me to participate in different activities and meet friends from different places and backgrounds, which is wonderful,’ she says.
‘I want to experience the culture of an Asian university.’
Olivia Kim Hyebin from South Korea graduated from Birmingham International College of Canada. Now a business administration major, she chose UM because she wanted to experience the culture of an Asian university. She has not been disappointed. Having experienced firsthand the advanced teaching facilities and the warm and friendly professors, Hyebin feels she has made the right choice. She has also joined several student clubs, including the Magic Society and the Photography Society, through which she has made many new friends. She says, ‘Talking to other students in the student clubs helps me improve my Chinese and learn more about the Chinese culture. I currently speak Korean and English. I want to learn to speak Chinese too, because being a trilingual will give me a competitive edge on the job market.’
‘I am passionate about learning different languages.’
Isuru graduated from Royal College in Sri Lanka, which is hailed as the ‘Eton of Sri Lanka’. He loves to travel around the world, and makes a point of visiting different universities when he travels. He got to know UM on a trip to Macao. Impressed by the advanced teaching facilities, he decided to apply to the electromechanical engineering programme at UM, hoping to fulfil his ambition to become an engineer. Apart from the courses in his major, he also enjoys the language courses at UM. ‘I am learning Portuguese and Chinese, because I want to be able to talk to more students at UM,’ he says. ‘I enjoy my life at UM. I go to classes in the morning, and I study and do exercise in the evening. UM has excellent sports facilities. I want to join the Badminton Team.’
Source: My UM
