Students of University of Macau (UMac) who graduated last academic Year (1999/2000) have not yet received their graduation certificates.  Many of them claimed that the delayed distribution of the certificates might affect their competitive edge in the job market.

Normally, graduation certificates are issued in the graduation ceremony held in October each year.  However, the issuance of certificates for last year's graduates has been postponed.

Carmen Wan, who graduated from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities last year, said that they have not yet received their certificates three months after their graduation ceremony. 

"We are told that some changes need to be made on the certificates due to the Handover of Macau," Wan said.
According to the UMac's Administration Department, the delayed distribution of certificates is due to the change in the seal of the Macau Special Administration Region (MSAR) Government.  UMac has to wait for the government's stamp on the certificates.

For the graduates who want to further their studies in foreign countries, they have met some problems in their applications. 

Olivia Lou, a graduate of last academic year claimed that she just got the transcripts of the past four years after the graduation. But they were not enough for her application.

Lou said that she was requested to submit an official proof of graduation by an Australian university.
"Aside from the graduation certificates, we haven't received the yearbook and also the graduation photos," she added.

Lou said that when she contacted departments in UMac for the yearbook and photos, she was told that it was the responsibility of the graduation committee which was organized by graduates themselves. 

However, this graduation committee seems to have "disappeared" after the graduation.

Besides, graduates also complained that the October graduation ceremony each year is too late for many graduates who usually would leave Macau for their further studies in the summer and cannot come back in October to attend the graduation ceremony.