In line with the national “Belt and Road Initiative” and to commemorate the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Portugal, a delegation led by the Vice-Rector of the Macao Polytechnic University (MPU), Vivian Lei, visited the University of Lisbon (ULisboa) in Portugal on March 19th, and signed an agreement on the cooperation between the two universities with the Rector of ULisboa, Luís Ferreira. The two parties reached a consensus on various issues, including enhancing exchanges between professors and students in the fields of language, science and technology, health and other fields, developing scientific research projects, jointly organizing academic seminars and lectures, exchanging academic publications, and many other aspects. This marks a new stage in Sino-Portuguese academic cooperation.

Vivian Lei said that the collaboration between MPU and ULisboa has spanned nearly twenty years. MPU has been steadfast in deepening cooperation with higher education and scientific research institutions in Portugal and other Portuguese-speaking countries, aiming to foster synergistic innovation and talent development in higher education. Additionally, they aim to leverage Macao’s role as a bridge in Sino-Portuguese higher education cooperation and exchanges. She anticipated further enhancing and promoting of exchanges and cooperation between the two regions in higher education and technology fields to cultivate high-quality talents for the appropriate economic diversification of Macao.

Ferreira warmly welcomed the delegation from MPU and accompanied them to visit the teaching and research facilities of ULisboa. He said that, through the integration of the respective academic strengths and resources, the two universities have promoted academic exchanges and cooperation between higher education institutions in Macao and Portugal. ULisboa values its cooperation with higher education institutions in China, especially in the Macao SAR, and looks forward to new opportunities arising from the construction and development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Ferreira also anticipated that the future cooperation between the two universities would be developed in diverse directions.

During the signing ceremony, the MPU delegation met with the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Filipa Afonso. The Faculty of Languages and Translation (FLT) of MPU and the Faculty of Arts of ULisboa have a long history of cooperation. The two sides exchanged views on research cooperation between teachers and students of master's and doctoral programmes, collaboration in organizing LAPE Portuguese language proficiency tests, and other matters. The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Vice-Rector of ULisboa, João Peixoto; the Director of the External and International Relations Department, Isabel França; the Acting Dean of the FLT-MPU, Zhang Yunfeng; and the Coordinator of the Portuguese Doctoral Programme at FLT, Joaquim Carvalho.