As technology\nadvances, industries around the world are undergoing significant\ntransformation. Skilled professionals have become the driving force behind\nsocial progress and industrial innovation. With a well-developed education\nsystem and forward-looking educational philosophy, the University of Macau (UM)\nnurtures professionals in the vital field of electromechanical engineering,\ncontributing to the development of related industries.<\/p>
Progressive Learning Across Bachelor\u2019s,\nMaster\u2019s, and PhD Programmes<\/p>
The\nbachelor\u2019s programme in electromechanical engineering at UM features a\ncurriculum that emphasises both diversity and practicality. As an\ninterdisciplinary field, electromechanical engineering focuses on mechanical\ndesign, combining knowledge of mechanics, thermo-fluid engineering, materials,\nand manufacturing with mechatronics and control. Given the wide scope of the\nfield, UM\u2019s electromechanical engineering education is divided into four core\nareas: robotics and intelligent systems, advanced materials and manufacturing,\nthermo-fluid engineering, and building services. \u2018Electromechanical engineering\nencompasses the essential systems of buildings which include HAVC (heating,\nventilation, and air conditioning), fire protection, water supply and drainage,\nand electrical systems,\u2019 explains Prof Kwok Chi Tat, head of the Department of\nElectromechanical Engineering. Undergraduate students are encouraged to explore\nall four areas to develop a broad skill set.<\/p>
The master\u2019s programme in electromechanical engineering focuses on\nspecialised topics such as robotics and control, advanced materials and manufacturing,\nadvanced thermo-fluid engineering, energy, and automotive engineering. Students\ncan choose between a project report or an internship to fulfil their graduation\nrequirement, reflecting the programme\u2019s commitment to connecting theoretical\nknowledge with practical experience. At the PhD level, the emphasis shifts to\nresearch innovation in electromechanical engineering. Students have\nopportunities to collaborate with industry partners to enhance the practical\nvalue of their research. \u2018The bachelor\u2019s, master\u2019s, and PhD programmes are\nclosely connected, allowing students to progressively develop their applied\nprofessional skills at each stage,\u2019 says Prof Kwok.<\/p>
To keep pace\nwith technological advancements, UM launched a master\u2019s degree programme in\nrobotics and autonomous systems in the 2023\/2024 academic year. The programme\ncovers cutting-edge fields such as mobile robotics, sensor technology, and\nartificial intelligence. A related bachelor\u2019s degree programme is also under\ndevelopment, aiming to systematically cultivate related professionals for the\nelectromechanical engineering field.<\/p>
Building\nDiverse Practice Platforms<\/p>
UM currently\nhas 17 electromechanical engineering laboratories, including an intelligent\nunmanned systems laboratory, an automotive engineering laboratory, a robotics\nlaboratory, and a solar energy laboratory. Prof Kwok explains, \u2018The\nlaboratories are essential facilities that support academic research. They also\nserve as platforms for students to practice and develop diverse skills.\u2019<\/p>
UM alumna\nWong Po Kee began her academic journey at UM as an undergraduate and went on to\nearn a master\u2019s degree and a PhD in electromechanical engineering. She is now\nworking as an officer for laboratory and administrative affairs at UM, where\nshe is responsible for laboratory management. Reflecting on her studies at the\nuniversity, Wong credits group projects, presentations, experiments and visits\nwith significantly improving her academic communication, teamwork, and\nproblem-solving skills, all of which are essential skills for her current role.\nShe also gained valuable hands-on experience through internships in Malta and\nMacao, where she worked on system design, production processes, facility\nmaintenance, equipment management, and warehouse operations. \u2018The Department of\nElectromechanical Engineering ensures that every theoretical concept is\nreinforced through practical application, which not only fosters innovative\nthinking and problem-solving skills, but also enables research outcomes to be\napplied in real-world contexts, making research more practical and relevant.\nThis approach highlights the importance of combining theory with practice, and\nshowcases UM\u2019s outstanding achievements in developing students\u2019 professional\nskills,\u2019 Wong shares.<\/p>
As head of the department, Prof Kwok encourages students to improve\ntheir professional skills. Since 2022, the department has organised students to\ntake the National Building Information Modeling (BIM) Skill Level Exam to\nenhance their professional competence. Notably, \nfaculty members who teach this area hold advanced BIM qualifications,\nallowing them to provide targeted student training. Professors also support\nstudents in national and international competitions as well as international\nconferences, where students consistently achieve outstanding results.<\/p>
Diverse and High-Demand Career Opportunities <\/p>
\u2018It is\nnatural for engineering students to aspire to become engineers. However,\nobtaining professional certification requires recognised work experience. To address\nthis, we work closely with industry partners to make it easier for students to\nachieve certification,\u2019 says Prof Kwok. A good example of this collaboration is\nthe success of nine UM graduates currently\nemployed as engineers at Galaxy Macau. These graduates completed the two-year\nScheme \u2018A\u2019 Training Programme developed by the Hong Kong Institution of\nEngineers, where they gained practical experience through job rotations. The\nworking hours they accumulated in the programme allowed them to fast-track their\npath to obtaining the internationally recognised qualification of registered\nengineer.<\/p>
In addition\nto traditional engineering roles, graduates of UM\u2019s electromechanical\nengineering programmes enjoy diverse career opportunities. According to\ntracking data from the past three years, 61% of graduates secured full-time\nemployment within three months of graduation, 31% pursued further studies, and\n1% started their own businesses. The remaining 7% were employed within six\nmonths of graduation. Key employment sectors included engineering contracting\n(42%), facility management (13%), and engineering consultancy (15%). Many\ngraduates work in Macao government departments, public utilities, integrated\nresort engineering departments, and private engineering firms. Others have\njoined multinational corporations such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Arup.<\/p>
Lam Wai I, a second-year doctoral student at UM, sees her studies as a\ngateway to diverse career opportunities in professional equipment and system\ndesign, facilities management and maintenance, technical support, construction,\nlarge-scale electromechanical project design and management, construction\ndrawing design, and on-site coordination. Previously, she interned in the\nsustainability department at Wynn Palace, where she gained valuable practical\nexperience in the field. Now, as a doctoral student, she focuses on research on\nadditive manufacturing, materials characterisation and their applications to\nprepare herself for real-world projects. \u2018UM frequently organises events like\nElectromechanical Engineering Day, alumni sharing sessions, career talks, and\nindustry visits. These activities not only broaden our perspectives but also\nhelp us build industry networks, which are valuable for students, whether they\nplan to enter the job market or start their own business,\u2019 she shares. <\/p>
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Through\nspecialised training and strong industry-academia collaboration, UM is\ndedicated to meeting industry needs. By integrating cutting-edge research and\nadvanced technologies, the university strives to cultivate high-quality,\npractical talent for the engineering sector.<\/p>
<\/p>
Text: Stella Kuan<\/p>
Photo: Jack Ho, with some provided by the interviewees<\/p>
English Translation: Gloria Kuok, Bess Che<\/p>
Source: UMagazine<\/i><\/a> ISSUE 31<\/p> <\/p> Related articles:<\/p> Integrating Engineering and AI: UM\u2019s Innovative Engineering Education<\/a><\/p> Civil Engineering Education in an Era of Transformation<\/a><\/p>