• Transport
• Facilities
• Academic Arrangements
• Residential Colleges
• Campus Life
• Miscellaneous

Transport

1. Does one need to go through immigration clearance to access the new campus?
No. The new campus is under the jurisdiction of the Macao SAR. All UM staff and students (both local and non-local), Macao residents, and visitors can access the new campus directly via the underwater tunnel from the Macao side without the need to go through immigration clearance. However, one cannot access the rest of Hengqin Island via the new campus.


2. How many bus routes to the new campus will be available?
Currently the new campus is accessible by taxi and also by three bus routes, MT3U (Areia Preta－Praça de Ferreira do Amaral－new campus), 71 (Praça de Ferreira do Amaral－new campus), and 37U (Taipa—new campus). UM also provides shuttle bus service for its staff and the frequency will depend on the actual demand.


3. How long does it take to get to the new campus from the old campus?
It takes about 15 minutes by bus to get to the new campus from the library on the old campus.


4. How many parking spaces are available on the new campus?
There are about 2,500 parking spaces for light vehicles and 1,300 for motorbikes.


5. Are cars and motorbikes allowed on the new campus?
No, with the only exception of university-authorised vehicles.


6. What means of transport are available on the new campus?
UM has bought some bikes to provide bike rental service to staff and students, in order to promote a bicycling culture. There are 12 bike parking spots, with 1,085 parking spaces to start with. For those who already have a bike, they need to obtain a bike permit application form from the security centre or online, and then collect the bike permit at the security centre (Room G003, E7, Central Teaching Building) upon presentation of the student card or staff card. Also, there is shuttle bus service between the main buildings.


7. Will the new campus be accessible by light rail?
Phase-1 light rail route will not cover the new campus. But there will be a light rail station on the Lotus Bridge for connection.


8. What about transport arrangements inside the new campus?
For environmental protection and energy efficiency, only authorised vehicles are allowed inside the new campus. Access to the various buildings on the new campus can be achieved by (1) walking via the covered walkways, or (2) riding a bike, or (3) using the shuttle bus service provided by the university. According to the current plan, the shuttle route is as follows: 1. Central Teaching Building → 2. entrance of the pedestrian subway→ 3. University Hall → 4. Administration Building → 5. Faculty of Science and Technology → 6. Humanities and Social Sciences Building → 7. Faculty of Law → 8. Shiu Pong College → 9. Postgraduate House S4 → 10. Postgraduate House Bus Stop → 1. Central Teaching Building


9. How long is the underwater tunnel? Is there any pedestrian lane?
The underwater tunnel is 1,570 metres long, with two vehicle lanes, one pedestrian lane, and one pipelines lane. Biking is now allowed in the pedestrian tunnel.

Facilities

1. What recreational facilities are available on the new campus?
There are various recreation areas, including the Learning Commons inside the library, the Central Teaching Building, and the various faculties. There are also the student activity centre and numerous outdoor and indoor sports venues. The green spaces and courtyards inside the buildings are also ideal places for relaxation.


2. What kinds of commercial outlets are available in the University Mall?
There are about ten commercial outlets in the University Mall, including a bank, a restaurant, a cafe, a bakery, a dessert shop, a supermarket, a pharmacy, a laundry, a small bookshop, a travel agency, and a computer shop. There is also a large bookshop in the student activity centre, which provides reference book ordering service for UM staff and students. The number of the commercial outlets will be adjusted in the future according to actual demand


3. Are there more restaurants on the new campus than on the old campus?
Yes. There are more restaurants on the new campus to cater to different needs (Chinese food, Western food, Portuguese food, fast food, snacks). These restaurants are distributed at different locations, such as the University Mall, the Central Teaching Building, the Library and the University Hall. Each residential college also has its own canteen to prepare meals for its residents. Because during the initial stage after the new campus starts operation, the numbers of staff and students are roughly the same as those on the old campus, the restaurants available should be able to meet the demand. The number of restaurants will be adjusted in the future should the need arise. Food Paradise in the Central Teaching Building, and Pacific Cafe on the ground floor in the north wing of the Wu Yee Sun Library, are where most UM members currently go for lunch. The University Mall in the south of the campus has various dining and shopping facilities to meet UM members' everyday needs.


4. Are there any campus clinics or medical centres on the new campus? If yes, do they open 24/7?
There is a medical clinic on the new campus, which provides nighttime service. 24-hour service is not available for the time being. But the university is considering the possibility of extending service hours to 8:00pm. More medical staff will be recruited in the future. with better office hours and scope of service. But 24/7 medical service is not available for the time being.


5. How many bus stops are there on the new campus? Where are they?
The bus terminal is located in the northeast of the new campus. The rest of the bus stops are located near the south of the campus (close to the Postgraduate Houses), Central Teaching Building, University Gallery, University Hall, Administration Building and UM Sports Complex.


6. Are there 15 buildings in the Staff Quarters? How many will be put into use during the early stage of operation?
Yes, there are 15 buildings in the Staff Quarters. Eight buildings offering about 400 units are expected to be put into use during the early stage.


7. How many car parks are there on the new campus? Where are they? Where is the public car park?
There are seven car parks on the new campus, located under the UM Sports Complex, the Administration Building, the UM Guest House, the University Hall, the Central Teaching Building, the Library, the Humanities & Social Sciences Building, the Faculty of Business Administration, the University Mall, and the Staff Quarters respectively. These car parks collectively offer about 2,500 parking spaces for light vehicles and 1,300 parking spaces for motorbikes. Currently, UM members can park their cars in the two visitor car parks, P3 and P5.

Academic Arrangements

1. With a larger campus, does UM offer more academic programmes for students?
Yes, UM offers more academic programmes for students to choose from, through the following faculties, namely Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Health Sciences, and Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences.


2. Do evening courses take place on the new campus?
Most of the courses take place on the new campus. But some evening courses are conducted at the UM Town Centre on the old campus for the convenience of working people.


3. There is only one Central Teaching Building on the new campus. Do all teaching activities take place there? Can the teaching needs be fully met?
The Central Teaching Building on the new campus can allow 3,000 students to have classes at the same time. It is where first-year undergraduate courses and general education courses are conducted. But every faculty has its own classroom building. So yes, teaching needs can be fully met.

Residential Colleges

1. What are the benefits of living in the residential colleges (RCs)?
RCs allow students to enjoy a colourful university life and to motivate and learn from one another. There will be between eight and twelve RCs on the new campus, and each RC can accommodate between 400 and 500 people. Eight RCs will become operational in the 2014/2015 academic year. Undergraduate students of different majors and years of study are arranged to live in the same colleges. Each college has a college master, a chief of student development, resident fellows and non-resident fellows. Some teachers also live in the RCs.


2. Are all students required to live in the residential colleges (RC)?
Every undergraduate student belongs to an RC. For the 2013/2014 academic year, students have the option to choose whether they want to live in the RCs. But students admitted in or after the 2014/2015 academic year are required to live in the RCs in the first academic year, and this will be one of graduation requirements. Senior-year students can choose whether they want to live in the RCs.


3. What's the fee schedule for the residential colleges (RCs)?
RC fees are MOP 12,500 per person per year for local students and MOP 20,000 for non-locals. The fee includes 15 meals per week, activities, overseas exchange funding (subject to application and fulfillment of certain requirements), water and electricity subsidy, etc. RCs follow the principle of high standards and low fees. The fees RCs charge the students won't even cover half of the cost, and are significantly lower than the actual cost of the quality education students receive.


4. Are students required to dine at the residential colleges (RCs)?
Students are required to eat 15 meals per week in their RCs, but they can choose to eat at different times or request for takeaway in advance.

Campus Life

1. What security measures are in place on the new campus?
The new campus only has one entrance/exit leading to Cotai, with the other three sides securely segregated from the rest of Hengqin Island with fences and artificial river. There is also a police station, a customs office and a fire station in the north of the campus for prompt assistance in case of emergency.


2. Can mobile phones on the new campus receive signals from Macao's mobile service providers?
Yes. As with the old campus, internet and telecommunications services on the new campus will still be provided by Macao service providers.

Miscellaneous

1. What will become of the old campus after UM moves to the new campus?
Cheong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of Macao SAR, earlier said in public that the SAR government had decided that the old campus site would generally be used for higher education purposes to meet the local demand for talent.

Also, UM has received approval to continue to use some of the facilities on the old campus, including the old library building, which will be renamed "University of Macau Town Centre". The Centre for Macau Studies and the Centre for Continuing Education will continue to operate inside the library building. The Centre for Engineering Research and Testing will also continue to operate at its original location.


2. Where is the new campus?
The new campus covers about 1.09 km2, with more than 60 buildings. It is about 20 times the size of the old campus.


3. How big is the new campus?
The new campus covers about 1.09 km2, with more than 60 buildings. It is about 20 times the size of the old campus.


4. What's the source of the food materials for the canteens? Are all the food materials from Macao? Are there any hygiene standards in place?
The canteens are operated by contract suppliers. The underwater tunnel is the only way for food materials to enter the new campus. In other words, all food materials are from Macao. The new campus is governed by the laws of Macao SAR, so food hygiene also follows Macao standards.


5. Are water, electricity and gas supplied by Macao providers or through other means?
Water, electricity, and gas on the new campus are all provided by Macao providers.


6. What's unique about the new campus? What sets UM apart from the other universities?

• The Largest Residential College System in Asia
  

  UM is committed to providing a multifaceted education through a residential college (RC) system, which is modelled upon the successful experience of world-class universities. There will be eight to twelve RCs on the new campus. Each RC can accommodate between 400 and 500 undergraduate students of different majors and years of study. These students live, study and dine together, and through peer motivation and cooperation, they are expected to acquire self-discipline, become more independent, and achieve well-rounded development. Each RC has its own low-density buildings, including dormitories for students, college master, chiefs of student development and some teaching staff, dining hall, study room, consultation room, small library, computer lab, recreational amenities, performance area, gathering and activity room, offices of the college students' union and other student organisations, and green space like courtyard. The RCs provide an interactive and caring environment for the university to conduct non-formal education.

  
  
• Unique Campus Design
  

  The design of the new campus has four characteristics. The first is the sense of space created by the numerous interconnecting walkways and the garden-style layout with architectural elements typically found in riverside cities in Lingnan region. The second is the cluster-style layout of the residential colleges (RCs). Each RC is a learning and residential community interconnected by corridors to facilitate teacher-student interaction as well as peer interaction. The third characteristic is the separate pedestrian and vehicle systems within the campus to suit the unique climate of southern China (lots of sunshine and lots of rain), with learning space on the upper level and green space on the lower level. Walking is encouraged on the new campus. The fourth characteristic is the combination of Lingnan style and South European style, as reflected in the architectural details, like arched corridors and turrets.

  
  
• Environmental Protection and Cooling Systems
  

  The water recycling system, natural gas system and solar water heating system on the new campus constitute the largest environmental protection system Macao has ever seen. In a complete departure from the traditional way of installing a separate air conditioning system in each building, the new campus uses a large underground district cooling system.

7. How many laboratories are there on the new campus?
There are two state key labs (the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, and the State Key Laboratory for Quality Research in Chinese Medicine), one scientific research base and more than 280 labs (dry labs, wet labs, and electronic & computer labs) on the new campus.