University of Macau

The University of Macau (UM, Portuguese: Universidade de Macau, Chinese: 澳門大學) is the only public research university in Macau. The UM campus is located in the east of Hengqin Island, Guangdong province in Mainland China, on a piece of land leased to the Macau SAR government, but is under the jurisdiction of Macau.

University of Macau

Universidade de Macau 澳門大學
Latin: Universitas Macaonensis
Former names	University of East Asia (1981-1991)
Motto	Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom, Sincerity [1]
Type	Public Research Coeducational Higher education institution
Established	28 March 1981 (1981-03-28)
Academic affiliations	UMAP, IAU, IAUP, CRUP, AULP
Chairman	Lam Kam Seng Peter
Chancellor	Chief Executive of Macau (Ho Iat Seng)
Rector	Yonghua Song
Vice Rectors	Michael King Man HUI (Academic Affairs) Rui Paulo da Silva Martins (Global Affairs) Wei GE (Research) Billy Kee Long SO (Student Affairs) Mei KOU (Administration)
Academic staff	652
Administrative staff	936 [2]
Students	10,414
Undergraduates	7,141[3]
Postgraduates	3,273[3]
Location	Avenida da Universidade, Taipa , Macau 22.13004°N 113.54579°E / 22.13004; 113.54579
Campus	Suburb and Concession 109 hectares (1.09 km^2)
Medium of Instruction	English
Colours	Blue Red Gold -      -      -      -
Website	www.um.edu.mo

UM is ranked in the 301-350 bracket in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2020, with a global ranking of No 9 in International Outlook, No 37 in the THE Asia University Rankings, No 60 in the THE Asia-Pacific University Rankings, and No 42 in the THE Young University Rankings.In the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Rankings 2021, it is ranked No 367. The university ranks second in the Portuguese-speaking world.

With the approval of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, UM has established three state key laboratories, namely State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed- Signal VLSI, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City.[4]

History

The predecessor of the University of Macau (UM) is the University of East Asia (UEA), a private university founded in March 1981. In the beginning, the majority of the students came from Hong Kong. In 1988, the Portuguese Macao government acquired UEA through the Macao Foundation and renamed it University of Macau in 1991.

Campus of the University of Macau

In 1999, the sovereignty over Macao was returned to China. With the mission of nurturing professionals much needed by the transitional period accomplished, UM entered a new era. The new Judicial Regime of the University of Macau and the new Charter of the University of Macau were officially passed at the Legislative Assembly of the Macau SAR and came into effect in September 2006.

In 2009, the National People's Congress Standing Committee of China officially adopted a decision that authorised the Macao SAR to exercise jurisdiction over the new UM campus located on Hengqin Island, Guangdong province.[5] On 20 December 2009, then Chinese President and General Secretary of the Communist Party Hu Jintao officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus. In early 2013 the Macau Legislative Assembly passed Law 3/2013 providing for the application of Macau Law in the campus effective on opening day.[6] On 5 November, then Vice-Premier of the State Council Wang Yang officiated at the new campus inauguration ceremony. In the 2014/2015 academic year, UM began to conduct all classes on the new and modern campus.

University of Macau

Mission

UM undertakes as its prime mission the advancement of scholarship and education in the realms of humanities, social sciences, business, law, natural sciences, engineering, health sciences, education and other areas.[7]

• Providing higher education in accordance with the University Motto (Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom and Sincerity).
• Promoting academic research and disseminating knowledge.
• Advancing culture, science and technology and promoting Macau's growth.
• Cultivating responsible citizens and leaders of high caliber who possess the sound moral judgment and independent thinking ability necessary to meet the needs of the development of Macau and the region.

Identification

Emblem

The emblem of the University of Macau (UM) features a five-towered crest encircled by golden rings and the name of the university in Chinese and Portuguese.

Logo

The logo of the UM consists of two parts: the emblem and the university's name in Chinese (澳門大學), Portuguese (Universidade de Macau) and English (University of Macau) with assigned colours.

Motto

Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom, Sincerity.

Reputation and rankings

University rankings
Global – Overall
THE World[8]	301-350
QS World[9]	367
Regional – Overall
THE Asia[10]	37
QS Asia[11]	98

UM is ranked #301-350 in 2020 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, No 37 in the THE Asia University Rankings, No 60 in the THE Asia-Pacific University Rankings and the No 42 in the THE Young University Rankings. It is ranked #367 in 2021 QS World University Rankings.

In the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2020, UM’s rankings are as follows: 201-250 in Linguistics, 251-300 in English Language and Literature, 351-400 in Computer Science & Information Systems, and Mathematics; 401-450 in Economics & Econometrics, and Engineering - Electrical & Electronic, 451-500 in Social Sciences & Management, and Business and Management Studies; 551-600 in Medicine. In the THE World University Rankings 2020 by subject, UM is ranked No 97 in Psychology; in the 101-125 bracket in Education; in the 151-175 bracket in Computer Science, and Arts and Humanities; in the 126-150 bracket in Engineering and Technology; in the 251-300 bracket in Physical Sciences; and in the 301-400 bracket in Business & Economics, Social Sciences, and Life Sciences.

The university is among the top 1% in Essential Sciences Indicators (ESI) rankings in eight subjects, namely Engineering, Chemistry, Computer Science, Pharmacology & Toxicology, Materials Science, Clinical Medicine, Psychiatry/Psychology, and Social Sciences, General.

Academic organisations

The university has seven faculties in the fields of Arts and Humanities, Business Administration, Education, Health Sciences, Law, Science and Technology, and Social Sciences. The university also administrates Honors College, Graduate School, the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, the Institute of Microelectronics, the Institute of Collaborative Innovation, the Centre for Macau Studies, the Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management and the Centre for Continuing Education. They offer postgraduate and undergraduate programmes with more than 700 academic staff members involved in teaching and research.

Wu Yee Sun Library in new campus of the University of Macau

The Academic Staff Association of the University of Macau (in Portuguese: Associação dos Professores da Universidade de Macau, in Chinese: 澳門大學教師協會) is an association composed of full-time academic staff members of the University of Macau.

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

The Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH) comprises the Department of Chinese Language and Literature, the Department of English, the Department of Portuguese, the Centre for Japanese Studies, the English Language Centre, the English Writing and Communication Centre, and it hosts programmes in Translation Studies, Philosophy and Religious Studies, French, Spanish, German, and Korean.

The faculty has various facilities devoted to student development, including Language Labs where students practice simultaneous translation and machine-aided translation or perfect their skills in Portuguese, Spanish, German, Japanese, or French. A black box theatre hosts various drama productions within the Faculty. [12]

The Department of Portuguese Studies used to be the Institute of Portuguese Studies but was downgraded during the 1999 handover due to the anticipation that interest would decline. In 2001 UM began offering a bachelor's degree programme for Portuguese students. Enrollment grew from nine students in 2001 to about 240 students in 2011. In 2011 the Portuguese department had eight part-time employees and 30 permanent employees, with about three quarters of the permanent ones having PhDs. Michael Taylor of the South China Morning Post wrote that year that the downgrading of the Portuguese department was perceived as a mistake in retrospect.[13]

Faculty of Business Administration

The Faculty of Business Administration is the largest faculty in the university. The medium of instruction for courses offered in the faculty is English. It offers several business programmes through its four departments: the Department of Accounting and Information Management, the Department of Finance and Business Economics, the Department of Management and Marketing, and the Department of Integrated Resort and Tourism Management. The faculty is AACSB accredited.

Faculty of Education

The Faculty of Education offers bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes. The faculty provides degree programmes of Secondary Education in Chinese, English and Mathematics, Primary Education and Pre-Primary Education, Educational Administration, Educational Psychology, School Counselling, Curriculum and Instruction, Physical Education and Sports Studies, etc.

Faculty of Health Sciences

The Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS) has thrived since its establishment in 2013. FHS now offers two undergraduate programmes, one master programme and one PhD programme. The research of FHS focuses on eight major themes: (i) cancer research, (ii) cancer precision medicine (iii) stem cell and development (iv) aging, neural and metabolism disorders, (v) drug development, (vi) data science, (vii) bioimaging and (vii) structural biology. To support these research activities, FHS has established a state-of-the-art infrastructure that includes 35 research laboratories, 4 research centres and 4 core facilities.

Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law offers bachelor's, master's, doctoral and postgraduate certificate programmes in the Chinese, Portuguese and English languages. The bachelor's programmes is to prepare jurists who are familiar with Macau SAR legal system; the master's and doctoral programmes purport to educate knowledgeable and qualified legal professional jurists who are competent to conduct theoretical research and teaching in Macau Law, Comparative Law, European Law, International Law, and International Business Law. The teaching system of the Faculty generally follows the Roman-German regime with strict standards in teaching style, student recruitment, and examination. The faculty members consist of legal experts from Macau, Mainland China, Portugal, Austria, Italy, Brazil, Belgium, India, and other countries.

Classes in law are taught in Portuguese since Macau's legal code is in Portuguese.[13]

Faculty of Science and Technology

The Faculty of Science and Technology was founded in 1989. Four-year undergraduate degree programmes in the following departments have been developed: the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Department of Computer and Information Science, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Department of Electromechanical Engineering, the Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering, and the Department of Mathematics. Increasing numbers of students have been accepted in big firms worldwide, adding to the rising recognition of the University of Macau.

Graduate degree programmes in the faculty have been developed since 1993, in the fields of Civil Engineering, Computer Science & Information Engineering, E-Commerce, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Electromechanical Engineering, and Mathematics.

There are various kinds of enriched laboratories for teaching and research purposes in various science and engineering fields.

Faculty of Social Sciences

The Faculty of Social Sciences consists of the Department of Communication, the Department of Economics, the Department of Government and Public Administration, the Department of Psychology, and the Department of Sociology. The Faculty provides a number of courses every semester, including Economics, Statistics, Econometrics, Political Science, Public Administration, Contemporary China Studies, Sociology, Communications, Journalism and Public Communication, Psychology, Historical and Cultural Relations between the East and the West, etc. The Faculty also offers a variety of master's and doctoral programmes. They also have a Russian Centre.

Honours College

The Honours College selectively recruits high-calibre undergraduates to nurture them into future leaders. They have access to the best research activities at UM and can study abroad at a world-renowned university to gain an international perspective on their disciplines.

Graduate School

Professor Wei Ge is the interim Dean of the Graduate School.

Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences

The Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences (ICMS) was established as the first research-oriented institute in Macau in 2002.

ICMS offers the PhD degree programme in Biomedical Sciences, and Master of Science degree programmes in Chinese Medicinal Science and Medicinal Administration, respectively.

Institute of Applied Physics and Materials Engineering

IAPME offers PhD programme in applied physics and materials engineering.

Institute of Microelectronics

IME offers programmes in the area of microelectronics.

Institute of Collaborative Innovation

ICI encourages the multidisciplinary academic cooperation within university. Currently it hosts the Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, the Centre for Artificial Intelligence, the Centre for Data Science and the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

Center for Macau Studies

Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management

Residential colleges

UM has 10 residential colleges, namely Chao Kuang Piu College, Cheng Yu Tung College, Cheong Kun Lun College, Choi Kai Yau College, Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College, Lui Che Woo College, Ma Man Kei and Lo Pak Sam College, Moon Chun Memorial College, Shiu Pong College, and Stanley Ho East Asia College.

The colleges accommodate around 5,000 students of different majors and in different years of study. College masters, associate masters and resident fellows also live in the RCs. Each college has a group of about 40 fellows from various faculties to support the personal development of the students.

Campus

The UM campus is separated from Taipa by a river, with the Hengqin Hill serving as a backdrop with trees. It covers 1.09 km2, with an area of 820,000m2 and more than 60 buildings. Faculty, students, and Macau residents can enter and exit the campus through the underwater tunnel.

The campus was designed by He Jingtang, an architect and member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering.

The campus is divided into four parts- east, south, west and north. The library, Central Teaching Building, facilities and Student Activity Centre are in the east. The Postgraduate Houses and Staff Quarters are in the south. The residential colleges are in the west, while the research buildings, Administration Building, sports facilities and University Hall are in the north.

Due to the Covid-19, the campus has been closed at the start of 2020. The University also has security guards checking people's temperatures at entrances and people have to show their health certificate on their phone.

Notable alumni

• Cheong Weng Chon
• Francisco D'Souza

See also

• Education in Macau
• List of universities and colleges in Macau
• St. Paul's College, Macau

References

1. "Elements of the University Identity". University of Macau. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
2. "Quick Facts - Staff". University of Macau. 31 Dec 2019. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
3. "Quick Facts - Student". University of Macau. 26 Oct 2018. Retrieved 20 June 2019.
4. "University of Macau - State Key Laboratories". University of Macau - State Key Laboratories. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
5. Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Assembly of the People's Republic of China on the delegation of powers to the Macau Special Administrative Region to exercise jurisdiction on the new campus of the University of Macau to be installed on Hengqin, also published via Chief Executive Notice No. 19/2009 in the Official Bulletin No. 35/2009. See Aviso do Chefe do Executivo n.º 19/2009
6. see Lei n.º 3/2013 Estabelece as normas fundamentais para a aplicação do Direito da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau no novo campus da Universidade de Macau na Ilha de Hengqin published in the Official Bulletin No. 8/2013.
7. "University of Macau - Vision and Mission". University of Macau - Vision and Mission. Retrieved July 5, 2019.
8. "University of Macau". Times Higher Education (THE). 5 February 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
9. "QS World University Rankings 2019". Top Universities. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
10. "Asia University Rankings". Times Higher Education (THE). 5 February 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
11. "QS University Rankings: Asia 2019". Top Universities. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
12. "About the Faculty of Arts and Humanities". Fah.umac.mo. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
13. Taylor, Michael (10 June 2009). "Portuguese makes comeback in Macau". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 3 September 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2018. ()

External links

• University of Macau