UAUC Joint Meeting held on new campus for the first time Chui Sai On: building a new campus our longtime common wish

The University of Macau (UM) recently held the Joint Meeting of the University Assembly (UA) and University Council (UC) for the 2013/2014 academic year on the new campus. Chui Sai On, chief executive of the Macao SAR, chancellor of UM, and chair of the UA, presided over the meeting and discussed strategies for UM’s future development with the participants. 

At the meeting, Chui first thanked UA and UC members for having put forward many valuable suggestions over the years which contributed to the university’s progress, noting that building a new campus had been everyone’s longtime common wish and attending the UAUC Joint Meeting on the new campus for the first time made him feel a lot of emotions. Chui said that in the process of building the new campus, the central government had provided great support. He particularly thanked Edmund Ho Hau Wah, then chief executive of the Macao SAR, for advocating the construction of a new campus on Hengqin. Chui said looking back, the process of constructing a new campus had been fraught with difficulties, but the goal was achieved in the end. He expressed hope that all members of the UM community would continue to support UM’s development in the future. 

Cheong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of Macao SAR, reported the progress of the revision of the UM Charter. He noted that the revision of the Charter was carried out to keep pace with the international trend in higher education, and the purpose of the revision is to optimise the existing structure of UM and find a more suitable mode of governance to give the university greater flexibility and autonomy in management and operation. Cheong noted that the process of revising the Charter was a complex one, but thanks to the great collaboration between the various departments and the numerous meetings of the cross-departmental task force, an actionable draft plan had been proposed within the legal framework of Macao. Cheong encouraged those involved in the Charter revision to continue to work hard to help UM complete the Charter revision as soon as possible.  

UM Rector Wei Zhao reported the latest developments of the university, including the objectives and progress in student education and scientific research management, the operation of the new campus, the progress of the implementation of the “4-in-1” model of education, the reform of the mode of governance, and the challenges in meeting the expectations of the government and society. Rector Wei Zhao stressed that UM would develop step by step, and would continue to do its best to promote communication and interaction with the public. He said UM would arrange for local and overseas visitors to visit the new campus through the Guided New Campus Tour programme to let them know more about UM’s long-range plan for education, and would also enhance the “software” of the university by optimising the mode of governance, management procedures, curriculum, and campus culture. 

Wei Zhao added that on the academic front, UM would optimise the postgraduate sponsorship programme, and would continue to provide support for the two state key labs, including support in facilities and staffing. Wei Zhao noted that UM would maintain close ties and share resources with the community through various means, including opening sports and cultural facilities to the public, establishing a higher education information centre, and providing professional, high-quality consultancy service. He said UM would continue to cooperate with the Tertiary Education Services Office of Macao SAR on its work on the higher education evaluation system and would provide full support for higher education quality assurance in Macao. 

The UA and the UC consist of prominent members of the community, UM’s management, and representatives of faculty members, students, and alumni. The following people attended the UAUC Joint Meeting: Chui Sai On, Tse Chi Wai, Lei Pui Lam, Lam Kam Seng, Wong Chong Fat, Ng Fok, Vitor Ng, Lei Pang Chu, Siu Yin Wai, Zhou Ligao, Maria Edith da Silva, Ma Iao Lai, Susana Chou, Leong Vai Tac, Joaquim Jorge Perestrelo Neto Valente, D José Lai, Tong Chi Kin, Kou Kam Fai, Au Chong Kit, Leong Heng Teng, Choi Koon Shum, Huen Wing Ming, Leong Lai, Vitória Alice Maria da Conceição, Sou Chio Fai, Ung Chi Keong, Wei Zhao, Fan Xitao, Rui Martins, Haydn Chen, Alex Lai, Hao Yufan, Shijian Mo, Xu Jie, Rose Lai, Ao Peng Kong, Kot Man Kam, Leong Wai Lok, and Wu Wai Heng. Those who sat in on the meeting included Cheong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of Macao SAR; Tam Chon Weng, chief of the Office of the Chief Executive; and Cheung So Mui, chief of the Office of Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao SAR.