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| Wei Zhao explains new campus planning concepts |
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| Cheong U and media representatives visit the construction site of the underwater tunnel |
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| Media representatives visit the library |
The Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR today (23 April) invited the media to visit the construction site of the new University of Macau (UM) campus—a project considered to be another milestone in higher education development in Macao and expected to help produce more outstanding graduates for the local community—to stay abreast of the construction progress and planning concepts. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Cheong U said the new campus planning is very well-thought-out, and expressed his confidence that the excellent teaching environment of the new campus will certainly help to produce outstanding graduates much needed by Macao, adding that the SAR government will provide greater support to new-campus-related work.
During the media’s stay on the new campus site, Assistant Coordinator of the Infrastructure Development Office of Macao SAR Chau Vai Man and UM Wei Zhao explained the construction progress and planning concepts concerning the new campus. Wei Zhao said that the new campus has been planned in accordance with “new campus, new concepts, new faculties, new residential colleges, new services, and new contributions”. Wei Zhao noted that granting a piece of land on Hengqin Island to UM for the construction of a new campus is a strategic national decision made by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, shows how much the central government cares about UM and Macao, and has a significant and far-reaching social impact. Wei Zhao added that in order to achieve the goal of producing world-class graduates, UM has introduced a set of new concepts, such as the new “4-in-1” pedagogical model that consists of four dimensions, namely discipline-specific education, general education, research and internship education, and community and peer education. Wei Zhao said UM will make full use of the excellent environment of the new campus and mobilize—through implementation of the new pedagogical model—various kinds of on-campus resources, including resources inside and outside of class, on-campus activities, dining and accommodation resources, etc., in order to implement a multi-pronged, around-the-clock education so that students can grow into both generalists and specialists with an open mind. Wei Zhao further added that UM will build between eight and twelve residential colleges on the new campus—so that UM can fully transform into a residential-college university—as well as four new faculties, namely Faculty of Life Sciences, Faculty of Design, Faculty of Arts, and Faculty of Social Sciences. He said UM will provide new services and open, to an appropriate extent, some on-campus facilities, such as the cultural centre, the stadium, and the library, to the public, and will carry out training courses.
In response to the opportunity brought by the new campus, UM has set a clear goal of becoming a world-class university with distinctive character, getting off to a good new start. Wei Zhao disclosed that UM plans to establish an undergraduate research and internship system so that all undergraduates can effectively experience scientific research and participate in internship programmes. He said over the past two years, UM has spared no effort to try to establish first-rate teaching and research facilities, and after prudent planning, UM submitted an application to the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China to establish two state key laboratories, which was approved in 2011. Wei Zhao said the two state key laboratories, namely the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, and the State Key Laboratory for Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, will come into full operation after relocating to the scientific research base on the new campus in 2013.
Cheong U said to the media after his visit to the new campus site that having a piece of land to build a new UM campus, which is thanks to the support of the country, is truly a blessing for Macao people. He praised the new campus planning as very well-thought-out, and said that in the future Macao people will have a better learning environment where they can expand horizons, enhance international competitiveness, and train to be outstanding graduates much needed by Macao. Cheong U also mentioned that the new campus is scheduled to be put into use in the autumn of 2013, and after the construction is completed by the end of this year, UM still needs some time for campus improvement, trial operation, and relocation; and the SAR government will provide greater support to facilitate the large amount of work involved in the process.
In addition to Cheong U, Chau Vai Man and Wei Zhao, the media were also accompanied by Chief of the Office of Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR Cheung So Mui, Director of the Tertiary Education Services Office of Macao SAR Sou Chio Fai, Chair of UM’s University Council Tse Chi Wai, Chair of the Campus Development Committee under UM’s University Council Lam Kam Seng, Advisors of the Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR Wai Cheng Iong and Iao Man Leng, and President of Guangdong Nanyue Group Cao Dahua, among others.
Construction of the new campus, which was proposed by the Macao SAR government and approved by the central government, began in 2009. On 12 December of the same year, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Macao SAR Chief Executive Chui Sai On visited the new campus site and presided over the groundbreaking ceremony. President Hu expressed his hopes for the university with five “first-rates”, and encouraged UM to produce more outstanding graduates for Macao and China. The new campus is considered a demonstration project which reflects the “One Country, Two Systems” policy, and is expected to lead UM towards a new starting line.
For enquiries, please contact Ms. Albee Lei at（853）8397 4325 or albeelei@um.edu.mo, or visit www.umac.mo.
