UM delegation visits top universities in Germany and Belgium to forge research and academic collaborations

A delegation from the University of Macau (UM), led by Rector Yonghua Song, recently visited the Technical University of Munich, Constructor University, and Leibniz University of Hannover in Germany, as well as KU Leuven in Belgium, to forge research and academic collaborations between UM and universities in Europe, in order to expand the university’s international network and exchange experience in higher education.

Song said that the visit was an important initiative to implement UM’s strategy of internationalisation. As an internationalised university, UM will continue to promote academic exchanges and cooperation with renowned universities around the world, with the goal of improving its academic quality and global impact as well as creating more exchange opportunities for its faculty and students. Through collaborating with internationally acclaimed universities, UM can improve its capacity in education and benefit the development of Macao as well as the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as an international education demonstration zone.

The UM delegation first visited the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Constructor University, and Leibniz University Hannover in Germany. All three universities are known in their country and the international higher education sector for their distinctive features and strengths in different fields. During the visit to TUM, the UM representatives visited the campus and laboratories of the university. Dongsheng Wen, chair of thermodynamics at TUM, gave an introduction to the university’s latest developments and research results in the field of thermodynamics. The two parties also held a meeting to discuss interdisciplinary collaboration in fields such as energy and materials science.

During their visit to Constructor University in Bremen, the UM delegation was warmly received by its President Stanislav Protasov and other representatives of the university. Both parties signed a memorandum of understanding and an agreement on student exchange, and had in-depth discussions on exchange programmes for faculty and students. At the Leibniz University Hannover, the UM representatives met with Leibniz University Hannover President Volker Epping and other representatives and had in-depth discussions on academic exchanges, research collaboration, and talent training. The two parties also reached a consensus on how to strengthen exchange programmes for doctoral students and promote collaborative research in the areas of strength of the two universities.

In addition, the UM delegation visited KU Leuven, a world-renowned university in Brussels, Belgium. Members of the delegation visited the Faculty of Economics and Business, as well as the Department of Electrical Engineering of the Faculty of Engineering Science, to learn about the academic structure of the two faculties. Representatives of the two universities also held a meeting to discuss the possibility of establishing student exchange and ways to enhance collaboration in the training of doctoral students and research.

Members of the UM delegation also included Rui Martins, vice rector; and Wang Ruibing, director of the Global Affairs Office.