UM graduates more than 1,500 postgraduate students　　Ao Ieong U: UM has achieved remarkable results in its developments

The University of Macau (UM) today (2 December) held the Ceremony for the Conferment of Higher Degrees 2023. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Ao Ieong U, acting as the representative of the chief executive of the Macao SAR and UM chancellor, said that UM has achieved remarkable results in various fields and its international reputation has continued to grow. This year, more than 1,500 students graduated from the university’s doctoral programmes, master’s degree programmes, and postgraduate certificate/diploma programmes.

Secretary Ao Ieong officiated at the ceremony in the company of UM University Council Chair Lam Kam Seng Peter, Rector Yonghua Song, Vice Rectors Michael Hui, Rui Martins, Ge Wei, Mok Kai Meng, and Xu Jian. Members of the University Assembly, University Council, and Senate, as well as government officials, prominent members of the community, UM faculty and staff, and student representatives also witnessed the ceremony. In addition, live broadcast areas were set up on campus and live streaming was available for families and friends of graduates to watch the ceremony.

In her speech, Secretary Ao Ieong said that UM has actively implemented the higher education policies of the Macao SAR Government. The university has continuously improved the quality of its faculty, teaching, and research, and achieved significant results in expanding regional and international cooperation, fostering research innovation, and promoting industry-academia collaboration. As a result, UM’s international reputation has been growing steadily. It is worth noting that UM has made an impressive debut in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024, securing the 193rd position and placing it among the top 200 universities worldwide. The Macao SAR Government will support local public institutions, including UM, to explore favourable development opportunities in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, and further support higher education to replenish the talent pool for the development of key industries in Macao. She also encouraged the graduates to demonstrate their love and commitment to the country and Macao, and put into practice UM’s motto ‘humanity, integrity, propriety, wisdom, and sincerity’, so as to contribute their wisdom and strength to the robustness of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ policy, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and the advancement of human civilisation.

In his speech, Rector Song said: ‘UM has successfully adapted to the evolving demands of the new era and positioned itself at the forefront of global higher education. The university has also proactively expanded its network of international collaborations, resulting in continuous improvement in education standards and academic impact, which has propelled UM towards its goal of becoming an internationally recognised university of excellence. Capitalising on the development of the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, the university has been actively formulating strategies to advance research and innovation, and foster industry-academia collaborations. UM’s industry-academia demonstration base in Hengqin has also achieved positive progress.’ Rector Song welcomed the encouraging results achieved by teams of UM faculty and students in research and development. Some of these achievements have already been put to use, making contributions to the development of the health and the high-tech industries in the Greater Bay Area. He also offered three pieces of advice to the graduates: ‘First, rise up to difficulties and dare to tread a challenging path. Second, utilise what you have learned and never cease to innovate. Third, aim high and take on responsibilities.’

In her speech, Lei I Teng, representative of this year’s graduates, expressed gratitude to her parents and professors. She said: ‘There were times when we doubted ourselves after receiving an unsatisfactory grade, felt lost when our efforts went unappreciated, and experienced the distress of failure when we made mistakes. But let us remember and be proud of who we are. As graduates of UM, we will uphold the virtues the university has taught us. We, are the MAX UMers who always maximise our potential and strive for the best.’ She also extended her encouragement to other graduates, wishing them to maintain their passion, positivity, and courage in the face of adversity.

This year, a total of 1,527 postgraduate students graduated from UM’s Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Business Administration, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Health Sciences, Faculty of Law, Faculty of Science and Technology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, Institute of Collaborative Innovation, and Institute of Microelectronics. Among these graduates, 293 are from doctoral programmes, 1,184 are from master’s degree programmes, and 50 are from postgraduate certificate/diploma programmes.