University of Macau leads tertiary drive
[Sponsored Article] First established in 1981 as the University of East Asia, the University of Macau (UMacau) is the leading – and largest – tertiary institution in the city. The University was renamed in 1991 and became public, making it the only public comprehensive university in the special administrative region.
[Sponsored Article]
First established in 1981 as the University of East Asia, the University of Macau (UMacau) is the leading – and largest – tertiary institution in the city. The University was renamed in 1991 and became public, making it the only public comprehensive university in the special administrative region.
In 2007, UMacau launched a ten-year strategic plan for its future development to address issues such as the workforce shortage in Macau and the university’s role in strengthening the city’s regional academic position.
The unique legacy of Macau as a Portuguese colony with strong international ties has been maintained as a key to the uniqueness of both the University and the city.
As a result, boosting student enrolments, increasing its international student ratio, and supporting higher education development on the local and global fronts are high on the University’s agenda. The number of undergraduates has increased by 20 per cent since 2006, while the number of postgraduates has risen by 80 per cent. Between 2009 and 2012, the number of papers by UMacau academics published in top journals doubled.
Meanwhile the University has developed a wider variety of courses, particularly in signature disciplines that it excels in such as Chinese medicine and micro-electronics. It now offers a total of 130 programmes at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It has also strengthened its position as a research institution, while funding a large number of research projects.
Yet perhaps its most significant milestone since 2006 has been to construct a new campus in nearby Hengqin, a special economic zone just over the border, in mainland China. For this to happen, China’s National People’s Congress Standing Committee had to adopt an extraordinary bill, which would not only approve construction, but also give the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government legal jurisdiction over the campus. Covering an area of close to 1.1 square km, literally one thirtieth the size of the Macau mainland, the new campus is connected to Macau with an underwater tunnel to allow 24-hour checkpoint-free public access.
Then Chinese President Hu Jintao officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony in 2009 and the campus was inaugurated in November 2013 by Vice Premier of the State Council, Wang Yang. All departments, students and teaching staff commenced work and study at the new campus in August 2014.