[Sponsored article] The Macau Millennium College (MMC) was founded in 2001 by well-known educators and businessmen from Hong Kong and Macau. The idea was to take advantage of the momentum created by Macau’s return to China, and China’s accession to the WTO. On August 27 of that year, the MMC was recognised by the Macau SAR Government as a private higher education institution. Under the independent management of a group of seasoned executives and scholars, the MMC has become known for its unique style of education. The institution is renowned for its dedication to educating students to an international standard, as well as fostering leadership skills. The college aims to provide educational training of the highest quality to local students in disciplines where talented individuals are most needed, at affordable rates. In response to strategies adopted by the government to open up the gaming industry and drive rapid development, the MMC started developing a flexible school system as early as 2002. This enabled the development of university programmes that would better suit Macau’s needs. The initiative gave birth to the MMC’s special bachelor’s degree programme, and the associate degree programme, which have two scheduled classes, one in the morning and the other at night, with the same teaching content. These programmes include the bachelor of hospitality management, bachelor of commerce majoring in management studies, associate degree of commerce majoring in hospitality management, associate degree of commerce majoring in management studies, and associate degree of arts majoring in comparative cultures. The option of taking day or evening classes enables part-time undergraduates with full-time jobs, and those who work shifts, to define a satisfactory schedule. The hospitality management programmes aim to provide training to those working in the hospitality industry, and increase their management expertise. Developed to address the market needs of Macau, the management programmes prepare those desiring to work in export-oriented economic fields for successful careers. By contrast, the programmes in comparative cultures give students a proper understanding of Macau’s historical and cultural characteristics. These programmes prepare graduates to contribute to China’s strategy of being a culturally strong country. The MMC has an exceptional teaching team comprising experienced professors from globally renowned institutions, including the University of Hong Kong (HKU) and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS). The MMC is always proactive about academic development. To increase international exposure and education quality, the institution has fostered long-standing partnerships with its peers from other parts of the world. For example, it entered into a collaborative agreement with Montgomery College, Maryland in the US, under which the latter would assign seasoned English professors to the MMC to teach English as a second language on an annual basis. MMC also signed a memorandum of cooperation with the CASS Centre for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Studies, the leading research organisation in China. MMC is studying economic projects in Macau in collaboration with the CASS Centre. MMC also cooperates with the Hong Kong Financial Services Institute (HKFSI), an educational institution based in Hong Kong and Shanghai.