A delegation from the University of Macau (UM), led by UM Vice Rector (Student Affairs) Billy So, recently participated in the Sixth Educational Forum on Modern Residential College System held at Fudan University, Shanghai. The event attracted more than 380 experts, scholars, faculty members, and students from 56 universities.

In his keynote speech, Prof So said that a residential college is more than just a dormitory; it is also an important vehicle for peer and community education that aims to help students become good persons with both professional skills in their chosen area of study and extensive knowledge across different fields. He added that the RC system provides a good environment for students to put their knowledge into practice. Prof So also talked about the history of residential colleges and explained the RC system and ‘4-in-1’ model of education at UM. Kevin Zhen, master of UM’s Choi Kai Yau College, said that the RC system is an effective system to cope with the sea change in higher education in China, the kind of which has not been seen in over a century. He pointed to the inexorable trend of higher education to evolve from a faculty-based system into a college-based system.

The forum included eight discussion panels on various topics, including management model, service learning and practice, the well-rounded development of students, general education, and peer education, all the in the context of the RC system. This year’s forum received 105 paper submissions, among which 9 papers from UM and 42 from other universities have been compiled into a collection of essays. The event was organised by a university alliance formed by the residential colleges of different universities, including Fudan University, Beihang University, East China Normal University, Xi’an Jiaotong University, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Chengchi University, Tsing Hua University, and UM. During the trip, the UM delegation also visited East China Normal University and the East China University of Political Science and Law to explore opportunities for collaboration between their residential colleges.

Source: Communications Office

Media Contact Information:Communications Office, University of Macau

Albee Lei  Tel：(853) 88228004Kelvin U  Tel：(853) 88224322Email：prs.media@um.edu.moUM Website：www.um.edu.mo