The Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Macau (UM) recently held a ceremony for the second cohort of students of the Doctor of Public Administration (DPA) programme. Launched in 2021, the DPA programme has become very popular among students and the number of applicants has increased by 77 per cent from the previous year. This year, the programme has admitted 28 new students who come from different sectors and work in various positions, including civil servant, corporate executive, administrator of state-owned enterprises, lawyer, and journalist.

In his welcome speech, Yonghua Song, rector of UM, said that both the central government and the SAR government expect the university to be globally oriented to serve the needs of professionals from all walks of life. Therefore, the university has launched a professional doctoral programme, which is practice-oriented and is the first professional doctoral programme in public administration taught in Chinese in Macao and also in the world. According to him, the university is fully committed to delivering the programme despite the challenges it faces in terms of curriculum design and the diversity of students’ backgrounds. He also encouraged students in the programme to acquire different international experience, theories and methods through the programme, to reflect on and enhance their management experience, and to provide new ideas for their work and contribute to the country and society.

During the sharing session at the ceremony, four members of the first cohort of students in the DPA programme, namely Li Haiming, Xie Xuyang, Lei Choi Hong, and Zhang Xinyu, shared their learning and research outcomes with the new students. Their sharing covered four topics: Public Management Theory and Current Practice, New Development of Public Administration in China, Development from Guangdong Free Trade Zone to Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area - Implications for Macao's Economic Diversification, and Analysis of Social Organisations in Macao, respectively.

The main objective of the DPA programme is to nurture senior public administration professionals who can combine theory and practice for Macao, the Greater Bay Area, and the Greater China Region. The programme also aims to train public policy researchers and think tank analysts. Courses in the programme cover a wide range of topics, such as public administration and policy analysis, public administration theory and practice, public administration in China, Hong Kong, and Macao, and public affairs. Classes are held on weekends in an intensive mode to accommodate the work schedule of the students.

Guests attending the ceremony include Michael Hui, vice rector of UM; Richard Hu Weixing, dean of the FSS; Song Weiqing, head of the Department of Government and Public Administration; Chan Kin Sun, programme coordinator of Master of Social Sciences in Public Administration; Pan Chengxin, programme coordinator of Master of Social Sciences in International Relations and Public Policy; and Wang Chengli, assistant professor in the Department of Government and Public Administration.