Rector’s welcome speech to new students on the first day of the new semester

Dear students:

First of all, welcome to the University of Macau! Today marks the start of a new journey in your life, where everything is unknown and exciting.

Because of the latest developments of the epidemic, we have decided to hold our orientation activities online in order to protect the health and safety of all our students and staff. The 18th of August is the first day of classes and all classes in August will be conducted online. Class arrangements for September will be determined later depending on the changing situations of the epidemic.

The University of Macau is a community where Chinese culture is the mainstream and diverse cultures coexist, with advanced teaching, learning, and research facilities, as well as an outstanding faculty team. It adopts an international governance model and provides students with holistic education through various faculties and residential colleges. I hope you will cherish the opportunity to study at UM, take advantage of the abundant resources we provide for you, and uphold the university motto: ‘Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom, and Sincerity’. I also encourage you to become independent learners, take active part in extracurricular activities both on and off the campus, and compete with yourself every day. By the time you graduate, I would be proud to hear you confidently describe yourself as ‘patriotic’, ‘globally minded’, ‘internationally competitive’, ‘socially responsible’, and ‘innovative’. It is our hope to send you off on your new journey where you can contribute to Macao, China and beyond, and create fulfilling lives for yourselves.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the University of Macau, a time to take stock of the past and set sail for new horizons. UM is a university of and for Macao, it is also an active participant in the development of the Greater Bay Area and the nation, with the ambition to ‘go global’. We want to be an internationally recognised university with learner-centred education, impactful research, and social responsibility. And we will do our best to create better learning, research and living conditions for our students.

Finally, please always stay safe and alert during the pandemic. No matter where you are, keep learning, stay healthy and happy!

Yours sincerely, 

Yonghua Song

Rector