The year 2021 is the 40th anniversary of the University of Macau (UM) to which all university members have been eagerly looking forward. With the local community’s tremendous support, and the hard work of faculty, students, and staff over the past four decades, UM has progressed in leaps and bounds and has developed into a comprehensive international university with a multicultural campus blending Chinese and Western influences. It is now a major force in the promotion of higher education development in Macao.
Upholding the five virtues listed in the university motto, namely humanity, integrity, propriety, wisdom, and sincerity, today’s UM is committed to producing creative and socially responsible graduates with a global mindset and international competitiveness who also love China and Macao. In the past 40 years, the university has nurtured nearly 60,000 graduates, who are now serving as pillars in their respective fields around the world to contribute to the development of society.
Thanks to the support of both the central government and the Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) government, UM continues to expand in terms of faculty size and student numbers. The university implemented a residential college system for whole‑person education when the new campus on Hengqin island became operational in 2013. In addition, UM spares no effort to recruit high‑calibre scholars from around the world, which has led to a growing number of research projects at the university with influential results.
To address social development needs and market demands, UM has actively enhanced its academic structure and research design. In recent years, the university has formulated a ‘3+3+3+3’ strategic research blueprint to encourage interdisciplinary collaboration and promote technology transfer. In addition, UM’s faculty team has provided technical consultancy and professional training in various fields over the years to benefit the community through research and the dissemination of knowledge.
‘Set sail anew on the ruby jubilee’, the slogan for celebrating this special year, implies that UM is ushering in a new era. Although opportunities always come with challenges, the university will build on its strengths by taking advantage of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ policy to provide full support for the development of China and the Macao SAR. Having positioned itself as a university of Macao and for Macao, UM will actively participate in the development of the Guangdong‑Hong Kong‑Macao Greater Bay Area, align with national development strategies, strive to become more international, and continue to strengthen collaboration with partner universities in China and abroad to promote higher education development. I believe that in the future, UM will make new progress and greater contributions to humanity.
Yonghua Song
All articles in Set Sail for New Horizons on the 40th Anniversary:
Providing various services to society
Developing an international faculty team
Milestones of the University of Macau
Source: UMagazine Issue 23
