Yesterday (25 October) University of Macau (UM) Vice Rector (Academic Affairs) Prof. Simon Ho was invited by the British Business Association of Macao (BBAM) to give a speech at its business lunch. In his speech entitled “UM: One of the World’s Top Universities in the Making?”, Prof. Ho talked about UM’s new visions, its development strategy, and how the new UM campus on Hengqin Island will raise UM to a new height, among other important issues.
Prof. Ho is a world-renowned expert in corporate governance. As a vice rector of UM, he is mainly responsible for leading academic affairs development, which includes reforming the undergraduate curriculum structure, devising the new general education programmes, and reforming teaching and learning qualities as well as faculty management, etc.
In his speech, Prof. Ho talked about UM’s structure and missions, as well as some recent strategic measures, which include establishing new academic units and degree programmes, attracting outstanding students from Macao and overseas, assuring the quality of teaching and academic progammes, increasing the quality and impact of research, internationally recruiting high-calibre teaching staff, establishing international partnerships, developing the new campus plan and residential colleges, and strengthening the international management system. He also stressed the important role of UM’s unique “4-in-1” education model (which consists of discipline-specific education, general education, research and internship education, and community and peer education) in realizing holistic education, as well as what implications this model will have for liberal arts education ideals and the socio-economic development in Macao and the Pearl River Delta region.
The speech attracted many guests, and after Prof. Ho’s speech they asked, among other questions, “How can we increase the overall quality of education in Macao as well as UM’s role in the process?”, “How will the lack of high school common certificate examination affect the quality of university students?”, “How will UM improve the quality of Macao workforce?”, “How will the new campus help the development of the Pearl River Delta region and Hengqin Island?”, and “How does UM nurture future leaders for Macao?”
In answering the questions, Prof. Ho stressed that UM, the SAR Government and the local community have all along had deep mutual trust and close relationships, and will continue to do the best to nurture much-needed high-end talent to lead the development of Macao and the region.
Should you have any inquiries about the press release, please feel free to contact Ms. Kay Lai at（853）8397 4325 or kaylai@um.edu.mo or visit UM webpage www.umac.mo.
