UM Introduction

Teaching units at UM include 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, Honours College, Graduate School, and Centre for Continuing Education. Research institutes include Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Institute of Collaborative Innovation, Institute of Microelectronics, Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management, and Centre for Macau Studies. 

UM has over 15,000 students. For undergraduate education, the university adopts a ‘4-in-1’ collaborative education model, which consists of discipline-specific education, general education, research and internship education, and community and peer education. At the postgraduate level, UM emphasises ‘knowledge integration’ and ‘collaborative innovation’, aiming to promote interdisciplinary integration, foster innovative research, cultivate innovative talent for society, and produce high-impact research results.

With a credit system and a collegiate system, the university offers over 120 degree programmes at bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels in a variety of fields, including literature, language, business administration, marketing, accounting, finance, international integrated resort management, science, education, biomedical sciences, law, history, economics, psychology, sociology, communication, engineering, computer science, and Chinese medical sciences.

UM’s global standing has improved significantly in recent years. The university ranks No 180 in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings, No 14 in the THE Young University Rankings, No 36 in the THE Asia University Rankings, and No 1 among universities in the Association of Portuguese Speaking Universities (AULP). In the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings, UM ranks No 245. In the U.S. News & World Report’s Best Global Universities Rankings, it is ranked No. 262. In addition, UM is among the top 1% in the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database in 15 fields: Engineering, Materials Science, Computer Science, Chemistry, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry/Psychology, Biology & Biochemistry, Social Sciences, General, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Agricultural Sciences, Economics & Business, Environment/Ecology, Geosciences, Mathematics.

Many of UM programmes have received international accreditation. The Faculty of Business Administration is accredited by three major international accreditation bodies: the EFMD Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) of the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD), the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), and the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

UM is an international university featuring a multicultural campus and a modern governance model. English is the primary medium of instruction at the university. The university recruits faculty members internationally, with 80% of them coming from outside Macao. These international characteristics have attracted outstanding students from around the world, fostering a vibrant and multicultural campus. UM continuously expands its international network to promote academic exchange and builds platforms for international collaboration to broaden students’ horizons. The university has signed cooperation agreements with over 320 higher education institutions spanning more than 40 countries and regions. UM students have the opportunity to participate in exchange programmes offered by more than 170 partner institutions of the university in over 30 countries and regions. In addition, the university offers a wide range of local and overseas internship opportunities to enhance students’ employability after graduation.

UM has recruited a team of high-calibre faculty members from around the world. Many of them have earned prestigious titles, such as member of Academia Europaea (Academy of Europe), fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, fellow of the Royal Society of Biology, fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, member of the European Academy of Sciences and Arts, member of the Portuguese Academy of Sciences, fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, fellow of the Society of Photographic Instrumentation Engineers, and Chang Jiang Scholar Chair Professor (Ministry of Education).

The university not only recruits top-notch scholars, but also offers attractive working conditions through the UM Talent Programme to enable faculty members to achieve their full potential and make significant achievements. Furthermore, the UM Macao Fellow scheme, a key component of the programme, aims to nurture young local scholars and encourage talented professionals to develop their careers in Macao.

UM’s residential college (RC) system provides a platform for knowledge integration based on the university’s ‘4-in-1’ whole-person education model, making it unique among universities in Macao. There are currently ten RCs at UM: Chao Kuang Piu College, Cheng Yu Tung College, Cheong Kun Lun College, Choi Kai Yau College, Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College, Lui Che Woo College, Ma Man Kei and Lo Pak Sam College, Moon Chun Memorial College, Shiu Pong College, and Stanley Ho East Asia College. As a complement to the university’s faculty-based system, the RCs serve as a vehicle for whole-person education through systematic planning of experiential programmes to support students in achieving success in both their studies and personal development. The RCs aim to enhance students’ seven competencies: responsible citizenship, global competitiveness, knowledge integration, teamwork and collaboration, service and leadership, cultural engagement, and healthy lifestyle.

UM adopts a research policy that can be summarised as ‘highlighting characteristics, leveraging strengths, creating peaks, and strengthening cooperation’, focusing on supporting academic disciplines that reflect Macao’s characteristics, meet the needs of Macao and the country, and align with international trends. UM has established a ‘3+3+3+3’ strategic research layout, with the four 3s referring to three state key laboratories (State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, and State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City), three emerging research fields (precision medicine, advanced materials, and regional oceanology), three interdisciplinary research fields (artificial intelligence and robotics, data science, and cognitive and brain sciences), and three research platforms for the humanities and social sciences (Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Centre for Macao Studies, and Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management). The university encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, especially the integration of modern technology in the humanities and social sciences.

UM actively expands national and regional research platforms. In chip research, the university focuses on electronic systems, with particular emphasis on analog-to-digital converters and ultra-low-power RF integrated circuits. UM also promotes research in power management and microfluidics. Researchers in microelectronics at UM have received numerous awards, including the second prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, the Xplorer Prize, and a number of Macao Science and Technology Awards. Notably, 15 papers from UM were accepted at the 2023 International Solid-State Circuits Conference, demonstrating UM’s leading position in microelectronics research. In the field of Chinese medicine research, UM is committed to enhancing the quality of Chinese medicine and establishing international standards. The university has established quality standards for more than 20 Chinese medicinal herbs, which are now referenced in authoritative publications such as the United States Pharmacopeia (USP), European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.), and Chinese Pharmacopoeia (ChP). These achievements have received significant recognition, including the second prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, gold awards at the International Exhibition of Inventions of Geneva, over 40 Macao Science and Technology Awards, and the Macao Science and Technology Special Award. Guided by the ‘dual carbon’ strategy and the vision of creating a liveable and resilient smart city, UM’s research in Internet of Things for smart city is committed to strategically fundamental and applied research. The university has produced a number of internationally influential and iconic results, including the second prize of the State Scientific and Technological Progress Award, the Guanghua Engineering Science and Technology Prize, and a number of Macao Science and Technology Awards.

Moreover, UM houses five key research institutes affiliated with the Ministry of Education, and has established five joint laboratories with the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The university has also obtained approval to set up 12 Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratories. Currently, UM operates over 20 joint laboratories in collaboration with various businesses, institutions, and universities, which further expands the scale and impact of its research.

UM actively supports entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer to enhance the social impact of its research. The Hengqin University of Macau Advanced Research Institute (HUMRI), Zhuhai UM Science & Technology Research Institute  and UMTEC Limited are among the key units that support the university’s industry-academia collaboration initiatives.  As UM’s first industry-academia demonstration base in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), ZUMRI serves as a collaborative hub for transforming the GBA into an international technology and innovation centre. It leverages the research strengths of UM’s three state key laboratories and institutes with competitive disciplines to integrate into the GBA, participate in national research projects, promote technology transfer, and foster emerging industries. In addition, the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at UM, which was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology in 2019 to serve as a national co-working space, has incubated over 50 start-ups. It is committed to assisting faculty and students in transforming their research results into tangible products. In 2023, UM obtained approval to establish HUMRI, which can contribute to the industrial development in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

UM has established strong strategic partnerships with leading academic institutions worldwide, including those in mainland China, Portuguese-speaking countries, and the English-speaking world.  The university has launched joint training programmes with world-renowned universities, including Imperial College London, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Bristol, the University of Leeds, Queen’s University Belfast, Temple University, the University of Lisbon, Tsinghua University, Fudan University, Zhejiang University, and South China University of Technology.

In addition, UM has established five joint laboratories with institutes under the Chinese Academy of Sciences to carry out joint research and development projects in five areas: brain sciences, artificial intelligence, spatial information, ocean environment and engineering, and precision medicine.

UM is dedicated to studying Macao across a range of fields, including literature, history, society, law, education, and commerce. By providing empirical data and theoretical analyses, the university aims to enrich the cultural life and enhance the well-being of Macao residents. For example, UM has established the Macao Base for Primary & Secondary Education in Humanities & Social Sciences, and the Macao Base for Primary & Secondary STEM Education to support the development of basic education in Macao and serve as a fundamental platform for talent cultivation for the city. Moreover, UM leverages its strengths to build platforms to contribute to Macao’s development into ‘One Centre, One Platform, and One Base’. The university is committed to nurturing Chinese-Portuguese bilingual professionals, as well as talent in Chinese history and culture, data science, innovation and entrepreneurship, physics, chemistry, and biology, thus injecting impetus into Macao’s development.

Aligned with the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government’s policy ‘Education for Macao, Talent for Macao’, UM continually launches new degree programmes to cultivate high-calibre professionals to support economic diversification in Macao. In 2020, the university set up the Public Administration Training Centre to help develop a talent pipeline for the Macao SAR Government.

With the support of the central government and the Macao SAR Government, UM received approval in 2009 to build its new campus on Hengqin Island in Guangdong province of China, and the Macao SAR was authorised to exercise jurisdiction over the campus in accordance with Macao SAR laws. On 20 December 2009, the then President of China Hu Jintao officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the campus. Five years later in 2014, UM fully relocated to the Hengqin campus. Separated from Taipa by a river, the Hengqin campus covers approximately one square kilometre—20 times larger than the original campus in Taipa. Nestled against the scenic Hengqin Hill, the campus was designed with a people-centred approach, providing an ideal environment for academic pursuits. It also features a wide array of academic and sports facilities, including a well-stocked library, the University Hall, the Museum of Art, a swimming pool, a sports complex, an archery range, basketball courts, climbing walls, and fitness rooms.

Thanks to the support of the central government, the Macao SAR Government, and various sectors of society, UM has made notable strides in recent years. The current Chinese President Xi Jinping has visited UM and provided key guidance on the university’s development. Moreover, in 2018, President Xi replied to a joint letter from UM and another higher education institution in Macao, urging them to cultivate more talent who love both the nation and Macao while achieving more scientific and technological advancements.

As a public comprehensive university in Macao and with the chief executive of the Macao SAR as its chancellor and chair of its University Assembly, UM enjoys tremendous support from the Macao SAR Government. In 2016, the university was awarded the Medal of Merit—Education by the Macao SAR Government in recognition of its contributions to education, becoming the first higher education institution in Macao to receive this honour.

Building on new opportunities in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, UM will continue to broaden its educational reach and enhance its global influence, thus injecting fresh impetus into the development of Macao and the GBA. During this period of unprecedented expansion, UM remains committed to its motto—Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom, and Sincerity—while constantly pursuing improvement and innovation. As a university firmly rooted in Macao, UM aims to contribute to the development of the GBA, integrate with the nation, and go global. UM aspires to become an internationally recognised university of excellence through high-quality and student-centred education, high-impact research, and outstanding community services.