The University of Macau (UM) will establish five science and technology faculties through the restructuring of part of its existing faculties. Student enrolment in science and technology disciplines is expected to reach 14,500 in the future. Yonghua Song, rector of UM, said that the initiative will significantly expand the scope and depth of UM’s scientific and technological innovation capacity and provide strong support for its development into an internationally recognised university of excellence. The five science and technology faculties will officially commence operations on 1 August 2026.
Currently, UM has five faculties in the humanities and social sciences and two faculties in science and technology. To further strengthen its scientific and technological innovation capabilities, and following review by UM’s advisory committee and internal procedures, as well as approval by the University Council, UM will establish five science and technology faculties: the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Information Science and Computing, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Science, and the Faculty of Design.
The Faculty of Medicine will be established through the integration and expansion of the existing Faculty of Health Sciences. The new faculty aims to develop into a world-class medical school that integrates top-tier medical talent cultivation, advanced medical services, and innovative medical research. In addition to the existing Department of Biomedical Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences (to be renamed the Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences), and Department of Public Health and Medical Administration, it will establish the Department of Clinical Medicine, the Department of Medicinal Food and Nutrition Sciences, and the Department of Dentistry. It will also offer a range of professional programmes, including a joint clinical medicine programme with the University of Lisbon in Portugal. The Faculty of Medicine is expected to enrol approximately 4,000 students.
The Faculty of Information Science and Computing will be established on the basis of the existing Faculty of Science and Technology (FST). Building on the current Department of Computer and Information Science in FST, the new faculty will comprise the Department of Computer Science, the Department of Artificial Intelligence, the Department of Microelectronics, the Department of Robotics, the Department of Electronic and Communication Engineering, and the Department of Financial Technology and Business Intelligence. With an anticipated enrolment of around 4,000 students, the faculty will play a leading role in nurturing talent in cutting‑edge fields such as artificial intelligence, microelectronics, financial technology, and computer science.
The Faculty of Engineering will bring together four existing departments from FST and will establish new departments, including the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, and the Department of Biomedical Engineering. With an expected enrolment of about 4,000 students, the faculty will help meet the growing demand for engineering talent and technological innovation in Macao and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
The establishment of the Faculty of Science aligns with the strategic needs of the country and the Macao SAR and will provide foundational support in the basic sciences for technological innovation in Macao and nationwide. The faculty will comprise the Department of Mathematics, the Department of Physics, the Department of Chemistry, and the Department of Biological Sciences, with an expected enrolment of approximately 1,000 students.
The new Faculty of Design will focus on the integration of artificial intelligence and design. It will comprise the Department of Visual Communication Design, the Department of Architecture and Urban Design, and the Department of Industrial Design. The faculty aims to cultivate a new generation of design professionals and enhance Macao’s international influence in design education and the creative industries, with an expected enrolment of around 1,500 students.
The faculty restructuring will also promote the optimisation and integration of UM’s resources. With its main campus and a new campus in the Cooperation Zone, UM will operate under a ‘dual‑campus’ model, under which the two campuses will leverage their respective strengths and support each other. The new Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Information Science and Computing, Faculty of Engineering, and Faculty of Design will offer programmes across both campuses, with their headquarters located on the campus in the Cooperation Zone. This arrangement will strengthen collaboration between science and technology faculties and industry, and facilitate the translation of research outcomes into practical applications. Building on the Faculty of Medicine’s experience in international joint programmes, UM will expand collaborative programmes with world‑renowned universities in the fields of information science, engineering, and design. The university is committed to attracting international students, recruiting high‑calibre teaching and research talent, building international platforms for scientific and technological exchange, hosting major international conferences, and supporting the development of academic journals.
According to Song, by strengthening its science and technology disciplines, UM will enhance its international competitiveness in cutting‑edge scientific and technological innovation, while cultivating and attracting high‑calibre, multidisciplinary talent. The initiative also reflects the university’s commitment to supporting the integrated development of Macao and the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, promoting the application of research outcomes in both places, and developing new quality productive forces in Macao. UM will seize the development opportunities arising from the construction of its campus in the Cooperation Zone, actively implement the Macao SAR government’s ‘Education for Macao, Talent for Macao’ policy, and advance the integrated development of international higher education, high‑quality research innovation, and high‑calibre talent cultivation.
