The University of Macau (UM) Honours College (HC) recently signed collaboration agreements with two universities in the United States – The George Washington University, and Washington University in St. Louis. The first batch of HC students to study at these two universities is expected to leave in the spring of 2015. They will study at the two universities for one semester. So far seven overseas universities have signed collaboration agreements with HC.
The collaboration programme with the George Washington University (GW) is supported by the Friedman Fund, which was created with Mr. David Friedman’s donation to GW for the purpose of promoting academic collaboration between UM and GW. The fund will cover costs associated with the first batch of HC students studying at GW under the Macau Friedman Scholars Programme.
Mr. Friedman, who encouraged HC students to study hard and make a contribution to society during his visit to HC in October 2013, noted that the donation shows not only his continued support of GW, but also his recognition of UM for its excellent work. UM Rector Wei Zhao expressed sincere thanks to Mr. Friedman’s generous donation, saying that the agreement contributes to the mission of “nurturing future leaders with global perspective, an ideal all three parties firmly believe in”, and he looks forward to “a fruitful cooperation with the George Washington University for years to come.”
UM’s HC was founded in 2009. The first of its kind in Macao, HC offers a three-year parallel programme to a selected group of academically gifted undergraduates with leadership potential and a strong sense of civic responsibility. HC students have ample opportunities to participate in university-funded research projects and creative activities, and every HC student can study at a first-rate overseas university for one semester in the third year.
HC has established partnerships with many well-known universities around the world, including the University of Coimbra in Portugal, and the University of Michigan, Boston College, the University of Rochester, and the University of Illinois in the United States.
