The Residential Colleges (RC) of the University of Macau (UM) serve as a multicultural and multidisciplinary platform for knowledge integration. Each college provides an inspiring environment for students from different academic and cultural backgrounds to showcase their talents. Students are encouraged to use their strengths to support each other, which will help them not only develop their potential but also realise their aspirations.

Sharing Knowledge of Data Software

Vincent Ng, who comes from Malaysia, is a fourth-year student of finance and a member of Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College. On the internet, Ng came across Tableau, a data visualisation tool, which he now uses for his coursework.

Ng not only taught himself how to use Tableau, but also applied for the position of student ambassador of the software. His RC also supported him to organise a workshop on data visualisation this semester. At the workshop, he served as a tutor and taught his fellow students how to use Tableau. ‘One of the students told me that what she learned in the workshop could help her solve problems in her coursework,’ says Ng. ‘At that moment, I realised what I had been doing was very meaningful.’ Ng adds that his communication and time management skills have improved a lot in the process.

Refining Basketball Skills

Zhu Xiyuan, a second-year student of pre-primary education, is the captain of the women’s basketball team in Shiu Pong College (SPC), where she has met students sharing the same love for basketball. Basketball is first and foremost about teamwork. As a team leader, Zhu is responsible for helping the coach guide her teammates and encourage them to improve their skills. ‘Our team members are not very good at controlling the ball with their left hand, so I developed a special training plan for them,’ says Zhu. ‘The training has been effective in improving their skills.’

Zhu loves to share her insights on basketball shooting with her teammates, and they all consider her a helpful and selfless team leader. At a friendly competition this year co-organised by four RCs, members of the SPC womenʼs basketball team won both first and second place, as rewards for their hard work. ‘It feels great to win the award, but I’m most proud of my team members for their improvement on their skills and teamwork,’ says Zhu.

Enhancing Debating Skills

He Jiaqi, a third-year student of finance in SPC, is a member of the Mandarin debating team of her RC. He not only helps manage the team, but also takes the initiative to introduce new members to the debate team and helps them organise their arguments during training. ʻSome new members come to our meeting with arguments that they donʼt know exactly how to present. I would write down their arguments and then work with them to sort out their ideas, in order to put together strong arguments,’ says He. ‘I feel particularly happy and satisfied when they thank me.’ She and her teammates previously won 3rd place in a Mandarin debating competition organised by the Committee on Inter-College Affairs. ‘I am very fortunate to have met a group of friends who love to debate in my RC,’ adds He.

Source: My UM ISSUE 114