UM holds Ceremony for the Conferment of Higher Degrees

The University of Macau (UM) today (23 November) held the Ceremony for the Conferment of Higher Degrees 2024. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Ao Ieong U, acting as the representative of the chief executive of the Macao SAR and chancellor of UM, said that UM is committed to reflecting new trends in international higher education development in its teaching and research activities, and its educational quality has gained international recognition, further highlighting the strength of Macao’s higher education. This year, over 1,900 students graduated from UM with doctoral degrees, master’s degrees, or postgraduate certificates/diplomas.

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 and Ge Wei. Members of the University Assembly, University Council, and Senate, as well as government officials, representatives of the agencies of Portuguese-speaking countries in Macao, prominent members of the community, UM faculty and staff, and student representatives also attended the ceremony. In addition, live stream viewing areas were set up on campus and live streaming was available on the internet for families and friends of the graduates to watch the ceremony.

Secretary Ao Ieong said in her speech: ‘The SAR government is working to expand the development platform for higher education in Macao in multiple dimensions. We will continue to harness Macao’s distinctive strengths under the “one country, two systems” policy to highlight the international feature and resource advantages of Macao’s higher education institutions. We will continue to bring in world-class educational resources and innovative elements to optimise the talent cultivation system. Meanwhile, we will continue to promote industry-academia integration and innovation through the platforms of the state key laboratories to solidify higher education’s role in providing talent and technology for high-quality social development. UM is committed to reflecting new trends in international higher education development in its teaching and research activities. In recent years, the university has actively explored innovative educational models in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Through measures such as establishing a research and education base and the Hengqin University of Macau Advanced Research Institute, UM seeks to further advance research and innovation. The university has also been actively engaged in the inauguration of the Macao Centre for Testing of Chinese Medicine to support the development of the Chinese medicine industry. In the meantime, UM has worked with Portugal’s science and technology department to build a Sino-Portuguese science popularisation platform. The university has joined professional alliances such as the Association of University Presidents of China to continuously expand its international cooperation network with prestigious universities at home and abroad. This year, UM successfully completed its institutional quality accreditation. The university’s educational quality and operational effectiveness have once again gained international recognition. Moreover, in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2025, UM has risen to 180th place, further highlighting the strength and influence of Macao’s higher education. The SAR government will continue to support the high-quality development of local higher education institutions, contributing to Macao’s goal of becoming an international hub for high-calibre talent.’

Rector Song said in his speech: ‘This year marks the 10th anniversary of UM’s relocation to the Hengqin campus, and the university has made substantial progress over the past decade. As UM has continued to improve the quality of its education and international collaboration, its reputation has been significantly enhanced, and its competitive advantage and attractiveness to high-calibre talent continues to grow. This year, UM made a major breakthrough in cross-border teaching and experimentation in the Cooperation Zone. Today, more than 15,000 students are studying at UM.’ Rector Song also expressed his delight that UM alumni have gained international recognition for their achievements in technology and innovation, and have commercialised their research outcomes in the Cooperation Zone. He added that UM will continue to strengthen strategic coordination and high-level planning, pursue excellence, seek breakthroughs, and strive to reach new heights. He also gave three pieces of advice to the graduates: ‘First, keep learning and develop interdisciplinary skills. Second, foster resilience in times of adversity and thrive amidst challenges. Third, pursue innovation and shoulder responsibilities.’

In her speech, Un Su Kei, representative of the graduates, expressed her gratitude to the professors and parents for their guidance, care, and love. She said that she found her direction at UM and that her decision to study at UM is one of the best decisions she has ever made. Un also shared how she has managed to maintain a balance between her studies and work, while still having some time to develop her personal interests. She highlighted the importance of setting achievable goals and turning challenges into opportunities, as dreams can only be realised through concrete actions. She also encouraged other graduates to remain persistent, determined, and enthusiastic, and looks forward to meeting them at the pinnacle of success in the future.

This year, a total of 1,910 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, 309 were awarded doctoral degrees, 1,551 received master’s degrees, and 50 obtained postgraduate certificates/diplomas.