The University of Macau (UM) today (15 August) held a seminar for new students from the Greater Bay Area on career opportunities in the region. During the seminar, UM Rector Yonghua Song encouraged new students to study hard and prepare themselves for taking part in the development of the Greater Bay Area in the future. Mi Jian, chief advisor to the Policy Research Office of the Macao SAR government, said that Macao residents will start to feel the convenience of living in the Greater Bay Area as its urban areas grow.

This year UM accepted more than 270 top students from Guangdong province and Hong Kong, which are essential parts of the Greater Bay Area. The number has doubled compared to last year. Rector Song said that the Greater Bay Area is an important part of the national development blueprint. Therefore, UM will continue to nurture outstanding students with a creative mindset in line with the region’s development strategies. Song added that UM places an emphasis on student entrepreneurship and will continue to provide support for entrepreneurial teams formed by UM students, so that they will be able to serve the region in the future. Mi said that the Greater Bay Area provides an opportunity for young adults in Macao to develop their careers and pursue their dreams.

During the meeting, a PhD student from the Faculty of Business Administration shared his experiences of starting a business in the Greater Bay Area. He thanked UM for nurturing him and helping him find the right career path. A new student from the Department of Portuguese said that she loves the freedom in UM’s academic environment, which offers an opportunity for her to meet people from different countries and regions and develop interpersonal communication skills. Guests in the event included representatives of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government, Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, and the Economic Bureau, as well as UM Institute of Collaborative Innovation Interim Director Jerome Yen, Dean of Students Paul Pang, Communications Office Director Katrina Cheong, and Global Affairs Office Director Cindy Lam.