The Macao Polytechnic University held the opening ceremony for the academic year 2022/2023 at 3 pm on August 16 and welcomed more than 1,600 new students enrolled in undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degree programmes from Macao, the Greater Bay Area and other regions of the country, Portuguese-speaking countries, and other overseas regions. The national anthem was sung at the opening ceremony in a solemn atmosphere. MPU Rector Professor Im Sio Kei delivered the very first lesson to all freshmen students, calling upon them to uphold the spirit of patriotism and love for Macao, set goals, work hard, and broaden their horizons. Professor Im also encouraged students to have the whole world in view and undertake the role of pioneers of the time to make contributions to the development of Macao and the country, and the building of a community with a shared future for humanity. MPU faculty staff and students and people from various sectors of the community gathered online to welcome the new academic year.
Diversified talent-cultivation system
In his speech, Prof Im Sio Kei indicated that MPU has established a diversified talent-cultivation system at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. Most degree programmes offered by MPU have obtained accreditation reviews or professional certifications from internationally recognized authoritative organizations, and the high teaching quality has been recognized not only in China but the whole world. Adhering to its long-standing commitment to quality and student-centred education, MPU has obtained remarkable achievements in many fields. MPU is home to the first, in Hong Kong and Macao, Engineering Research Centre of Applied Technology, Ministry of Education. It is the first higher education institution (HEI) in Macao to have a successful institutional review by the UK’s Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education, the first and only HEI in Macao to win the National Teaching Achievement Award, and the only HEI in China to receive the Asia-Pacific Quality Awards twice from the Asia-Pacific Quality Network.
Scientific innovation and coordinated development
MPU strives to contribute to intellectual scholarship through interdisciplinary research and innovation, to enhance applied research output, and to promote knowledge and technology transfer. Research teams in MPU cooperate with world-renowned universities and the Macao SAR Government in establishing joint research labs and testing centres and have obtained remarkable achievements in diverse fields. With the joint effort of all “MPU People”, the University has achieved outstanding performance in talent cultivation and scientific research. MPU is ranked 201 – 300th, 100 places higher than last year, in the scope of Sustainable Cities and Communities in the Times Higher Education World University Impact Rankings 2022.
Student-centred education and all-round development of students
Prof Im Sio Kei encouraged students to participate actively in scientific research and competitions. MPU PhD Students in Computer Applied Technology won the Best Student Paper Award for their research on COVID-19 prediction at an international conference. Research by a PhD student in Public Policy was published in a top international journal. Students from Information Science and Technology won the highest prize in Macao and the second prize in the global final in the Huawei ICT Competition, which has more than 150,000 participants. Students from the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Technology programme and the Bachelor of Business Administration programme won the Silver Prize in the China International College Students’ “Internet +” Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition. All these honours demonstrate the spirit of MPU students who dare to dream big and work hard to overcome obstacles.
Live the day to the full and strive hard to forge ahead
A martial arts athlete and representative of the new students from the Bachelor of Physical Education programme, Wong Weng Ian, shared her reason to choose the programme at MPU. Against the backdrop of Macao SAR Government’s efforts to promote a moderately diversified economic development and boost the culture and sports industry, she believes that the excellent learning environment and professional faculty at MPU will help her realize her dream. She expressed her wish to win more medals in future sports events, especially the 15th National Games in 2025 which will be co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao, and to win honour for the University and promote the development of the sports industry in Macao. She is determined to establish good interpersonal relationships and become a kind-hearted, open-minded, and high-calibre talent who can maintain personal integrity and contribute to the nation. She also called upon her fellow students to study hard and pursue excellence, keep on exploring the world with curiosity, live each day to the full, and strive hard to forge ahead.
Deans from affiliated faculties and academies of MPU spoke at the opening ceremony to welcome new students, and held orientation activities to introduce the programmes and study arrangements.
