The University of Macau (UM) is a comprehensive research-oriented public university of international standing. Since Macao’s return to the motherland, with the care and support of the central government and the Macao S.A.R. government, together with the strong support from the Macao society and the concerted efforts of teachers and students in the University, UM has rapidly developed from a traditional community college to a research university with equal emphasis on teaching and research. Building on new opportunities in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, the groundbreaking ceremony for the UM campus in the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin took place in December 2024, setting the stage for UM to become the first higher education institution in Macao to extend its teaching and research activities in the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. UM has gained increasing international recognition in recent years and is among the top 1% in the Essential Science Indicators (ESI) database in 15 fields: Engineering, Materials Science, Computer Science, Chemistry, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry/Psychology, Biology & Biochemistry, Social Sciences, General, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Agricultural Sciences, Economics & Business, Environment/Ecology, Geosciences, Mathematics. With the advancement of the national development strategy of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, being located on the west coast of the Greater Bay Area, UM has taken advantage of significant development opportunities. The University fully cooperates with the national technological development strategy of the Greater Bay Area and is determined to become an important node in the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Macao Science and Technology Innovation Corridor and a technological innovation hub on the west coast of the Bay Area.
UM is adopting a highly focused and refined path in scientific research. UM adopts a research policy that can be summarised as ‘highlighting characteristics, leveraging strengths, creating peaks, and strengthening cooperation’, adheres to the ‘P.I.C.K.’ strategies (Problem orientation, Interdisciplinary interaction, Collaborative innovation, and Knowledge translation), focusing on supporting academic disciplines that reflect Macao’s characteristics, meet the needs of Macao and the country, and align with international trends. UM has established a ‘3+3+3+3’ strategic research layout that encourages integration of modern technology in the humanities and social sciences, with the four 3s referring to three state key laboratories (State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, and State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City), three emerging research fields (precision medicine, advanced materials, and regional oceanography), three interdisciplinary research fields (artificial intelligence and robotics, data science and cognitive and brain sciences) and three research platforms for the humanities and social sciences (Institute for Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences, Centre for Macau Studies, and Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management).
Looking into the future, the University will, as always, strongly support academic research and technological innovation. By improving and strengthening research policy formulation, establishing scientific research platforms, developing cutting-edge research, cultivating innovative talents, translating scientific research achievements, and guaranteeing research services, UM aims to achieve the “R.I.S.E.” research goals (Relevance, Impact, Significance, and Excellence) and strives to develop into an international research university with distinctive characteristics.
