The Bachelor of Arts in Visual Art programme of the Macao Polytechnic Institute (MPI) has successfully passed a programme validation exercise by the Higher Education Evaluation and Accreditation Council of Taiwan (HEEACT), the second bachelor’s degree programme of arts in Macao to be academically accredited after the Institute’s Music programme in 2015.  HEEACT, a renowned academic accreditation institution in Asia, announced the review report of this exercise on its website, providing very positive comments on the programme and acknowledging its contribution to the Macao SAR Government’s strategy of developing the city’s cultural and creative industries. HEEACT’s report also commended the programme for its excellent contents, educational resources, support for teaching and learning, as well as quality assurance and enhancement.

HEEACT conducted a comprehensive validation exercise of the Visual Art programme. The scope of this exercise included teaching objectives, programme design, faculty quality, learning resources, student support, research, professional services, performance of graduates and continuous improvement mechanisms. Besides examining the self-evaluation report and more than 100 other relevant documents, the validation panel conducted a three-day site visit in November 2016 to evaluate various teaching and learning facilities of the programme, and to meet with management, teaching staff, students and alumni of the programme. The validation panel acknowledged the overall teaching quality of the programme, noting that its teaching and learning objectives are closely aligned with the strategy of the Macao SAR Government to develop its cultural and creative industries.  The panel also commended the programme for its comprehensive learning support system which is crucial in cultivating the students’ artistic talents. In addition the programme’s academic staff has yielded significant academic and professional achievements which ensured high quality in teaching.

Macao Polytechnic Institute, being a base of nurturing professionals in the arts and cultural and creative industries, is the first tertiary institution to offer arts programmes in Macao.  The Bachelor of Art in Visual Arts programme, which aims to cultivate excellent arts teachers and artists, is very popular with local secondary graduates.  Students, teachers and alumni of this programme play an active role in Macao’s art scene, gaining spectacular achievements in various contests and exhibitions, thereby contributing to the arts and culture and creative sectors. The successful accreditation of MPI’s Visual Arts programme recognises the quality and standard of its educational provision. MPI will continue to make relentless efforts to enhance its teaching and learning. The Institute will also continue its commitment to provide high-calibre education to nurture art and education professionals in Macao and neighbouring regions.