Dear Colleagues and Students,
I am writing to provide you with a report on the recent progress and near-term plans of the University:
The New Campus Project
Following the groundbreaking ceremony in 2009, the Macao SAR Government further announced the establishment of the "New Hengqin Campus Construction Coordination Committee of the University of Macau" which will facilitate the project progress and coordination work. We have initially confirmed the design proposals of our landmark buildings: the University Library and the Academic Building. And now, we are in the stage of finalizing the design draft of other buildings on the new campus. Many of you have participated in and contributed to defining the specifications of new campus structures. We greatly appreciate your efforts.
Faculty Teaching, Research and Service Awards 2007-2009
As a means to motivate our faculty members to excel in their work performance, and to show appreciation to those who have achieved outstanding accomplishments in different areas, a total of 26 awards in the categories of teaching, research and service, spanning 8 different faculties/institutes/centres, were presented to our faculty members at our annual Chinese New Year Gathering Party held on 26 February 2010. Congratulations to our award recipients!
Definition of Academic Field
To elucidate the expertise of our faculty members, our deans are working with all faculty members to specify, for each faculty member, their corresponding academic field in their position titles. For instance, Professor of Psychology, Associate Professor of Mathematics, etc.
Academic Promotion
The University believes that promotion is an important means to recognize outstanding faculty members. Hence, with the approval of the University Council and the Senate, we have revised the academic promotion guidelines and streamlined the workflow for this year's promotion process. The Administration and Human Resources Office has already announced the academic promotion schedule to all faculties. We will run the promotion process in a fair and transparent manner.
Sabbatical System
With the University Council's approval and support, we have officially commenced our sabbatical system. The system is aimed at providing our faculty members with opportunities to advance their studies and collaborate with scholars in other institutions. Applications are being accepted now. Please see your Dean for details.
Research Strategies and Management Reform
After the management retreat on research strategies and management reform held in November 2009, the Research & Development Administration Office has been collecting relevant data in order to enhance the current system and strengthen our research profile and capabilities. We will solicit more opinions and input on this subject at the next Town Hall Meeting. Further details will be released at a later time.
I hope this mid-semester report helps to detail some of the progress that is in the pipeline. Working together, I am sure that our intensive efforts and an even greater commitment to progress will lead us to stay well ahead of the many challenges facing us, enjoy a steady ascent and propel us towards our goal of becoming a world-class university.
Yours sincerely,
Wei Zhao
Rector |
