UM vice rector leads delegation to visit top US universities to promote academic and research collaboration

To deepen cooperation with leading higher education institutions in English-speaking countries, Rui Martins, vice rector of the University of Macau (UM), led a delegation to visit several top universities in California and Nevada, US. During the visits, several cooperation agreements were signed, and discussions were held on establishing cutting-edge research collaboration and the joint cultivation of innovative talent with international competitiveness.

The UM delegation visited Stanford University, where they met with Reed Sprague, executive director of Stanford Medicine Industry Relations, and several faculty members and researchers to learn about the university’s advanced research projects. The two parties also had in-depth discussions on potential medical research collaboration and industry-academia collaboration, particularly in the areas of big data and biostatistics, comprehensive chronic pain management, and clinical acupuncture. Both parties agreed to strengthen cooperation in scientific research and talent cultivation.

At the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), the delegation had a meeting with representatives of the Global Engagement Office and the Summer Sessions Office. Martins mentioned the Visiting Student Researcher Programme that has been in place between UM and UC Berkeley since 2007. He also expressed hope that the two universities will establish more student and faculty exchange programmes, and collaborate in key disciplines such as health sciences and management.

The UM delegation also visited the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and was received by Cindy Fan, vice provost for international studies and global engagement. UCLA is rated the best public university in the US by U.S. News & World Report in their Best Colleges rankings. During the meeting, the two universities held in-depth discussions on research collaboration in key disciplines such as business administration, economics, and Chinese medicine. They also reached several agreements on student and faculty exchange programmes, dual degree programmes, and joint academic seminars.

At the University of Southern California (USC), Martins signed a memorandum of understanding with Anthony Bailey, vice president for global and online initiatives, and Vassilios Papadopoulos, dean of the USC Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, to promote academic collaboration in medicine, pharmacology, and health sciences. The UM delegation then met with faculty members and researchers from the Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Department of Regulatory and Quality Sciences, and Department of Clinical Pharmacy to discuss further cooperation and explore innovative models of cooperation.

At the University of California, Irvine (UCI), the UM delegation met with Alexandre Chan, founding chair of the UCI Department of Clinical Pharmacy Practice, and Robert McCarron, director of education of the UCI Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. UCI tops the list of pharmacy schools for PharmCAS applicants in California. The two parties held in-depth discussions on pharmacology and health sciences and agreed to establish cooperation in research and talent cultivation in the related fields.

At the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), the UM delegation had a meeting with Dean Lisa Ordóñez and Associate Dean Eric Yorkston of the Rady School of Management. The two parties exchanged views on promoting academic collaboration, student and faculty exchanges, and joint talent cultivation programmes.

At San Diego State University (SDSU), Martins signed a student exchange agreement with Cristina Alfaro, associate vice president of SDSU. Martins noted that UM and SDSU have implemented student exchange programmes for nearly 20 years. He expressed hope that the two universities will strengthen research collaboration and organise joint academic seminars in public health and business administration. The UM delegation also met with several faculty representatives to discuss ways to deepen academic collaboration and promote student and faculty exchanges.

In addition, the UM delegation visited the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where Martins signed a memorandum of understanding with Chris Heavey, executive vice president and provost of UNLV. Martins highlighted the long-standing cooperation between UM and UNLV, particularly in the fields of finance, tourism, and business administration. He noted that UNLV’s hospitality management programme ranks among the best globally and expressed hope that the two universities will take advantage of the rich teaching and research resources of both Macao and Las Vegas in tourism and hospitality management to build a cooperation platform, thus supporting Macao’s development into a world centre of tourism and leisure. The delegation also held a meeting with representatives from UNLV’s Lee Business School and Pharmacy School, and reached agreements on research collaboration, joint academic seminars, and talent cultivation.

The visit to the US has significantly expanded and deepened UM’s cooperation with top universities on the West Coast of the US, establishing more concrete cooperation frameworks in business administration, tourism management, pharmacology, and health sciences. Key areas of focus include student and faculty exchanges, research collaboration, and joint academic seminars.

The UM delegation also included: Lai Neng, dean of the Honours College and professor in the Faculty of Business Administration; Chen Xin, director of the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences; Chen Fangyuan, assistant dean of the Faculty of Business Administration; Shao Ningyi, associate professor and programme coordinator of the Faculty of Health Sciences; Li Gang, associate professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences; Cheang Wai San, assistant professor in the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences; and Kiran Lei, functional head of the Global Engagement Team of the Global Affairs Office.