A delegation from the University of Macau (UM), led by its rector Yonghua Song, recently visited renowned universities in Portugal. The UM delegation met with heads of Portuguese universities led by University of Lisbon (ULisboa) Rector Antonio da Cruz Serra, with the aim of strengthening collaboration between UM and Portuguese universities.

During the meeting, Song said that UM attaches great importance to building a strategic partnership with ULisboa, adding that forging a long-term collaborative relationship with universities in Portuguese-speaking countries is a core part of UM’s global strategy. Antonio da Cruz Serra, rector of ULisboa, gave a warm welcome to the UM delegation and said the university would be happy to carry out full-scale strategic collaboration with UM. Both parties had in-depth discussions on various topics, including teaching, research, and exchange of faculty members and students. Both parties also agreed to strengthen collaboration in areas such as clinical medicine, public health, dental medicine, and psychiatry.

Three vice rectors of ULisboa (João Barreiros, Luís Ferreira, Eduardo Pereira), Faculty of Dental Medicine Dean Luís Pires, and Faculty of Pharmacy Dean Matilde Castro, as well as representatives of UM’s Faculty of Science and Technology (FST), Faculty of Business Administration (FBA), Faculty of Health Sciences (FHS), Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH), and Faculty of Law (FLL), also joined the meeting. The delegation later visited ULisboa’s Institute for Systems and Robotics.

The UM delegation also visited the 700-year-old University of Coimbra (UC) and was warmly received by its vice rector Cristina Albuquerque. During the meeting, Albuquerque expressed hope to strengthen collaboration with UM in exchange of faculty members and students, launching dual-degree programmes, and scientific research. Rector Song told the host about UM’s developments in recent years, adding that priority would be given to finalising the details of its collaboration with UC.

The UM delegation also visited Manuel Heitor, minster of science, technology, and higher education of Portugal; Cai Run, ambassador of China to Portugal; and O Tin Lin, director of Macau Economic and Trade Office in Lisbon. The delegation also visited the University of Porto and the University of Minho.

Members of the UM delegation included Vice Rector (Global Affairs) Rui Martins, FBA Dean Jean Chen, FST Dean Xu Chengzhong, FAH Associate Dean Victoria Harrison, FHS Associate Dean Xu Renhe, FLL Associate Dean Augusto Garcia, Global Affairs Office Interim Director Kevin Zhen, and Cindy Lam, director of the Alumni and Development Office and special assistant to vice rector (global affairs).