AULP meeting opens in Macau, highlights Greater Bay Area–Lusophone higher education cooperation

On the agenda

The 35th Annual Meeting of the Association of Portuguese Speaking Universities (AULP) opened on June 15 at the University of Macau (UM), bringing together more than 150 representatives from higher education institutions across Macao, Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and Timor-Leste, with a focus on strengthening cooperation in higher education between China, Portuguese-speaking countries, and the Greater Bay Area.

The gathering aims to deepen academic exchange and expand collaboration in education, research, and talent development across the Greater Bay Area and Portuguese-speaking world.

In his opening remarks, UM Rector Yonghua Song said AULP has played a key role in promoting Portuguese language education and cultural exchange, evolving into a leading global academic network linking universities in the Portuguese-speaking world.

He said UM, the first university in Macau to join the association, remains committed to its strategic positioning of being “rooted in Macau, contributing to the Greater Bay Area, serving national development, and reaching out to the world.”

Song added that with support from the central government and the SAR government, UM is entering a period of significant growth, including the development of its campus in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. The expansion, he said, will enhance teaching and research capacity while creating a stronger platform for interdisciplinary cooperation between Chinese and Portuguese-speaking universities.

He also highlighted UM’s role as a bridge between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, noting that its “one university, two campuses” model will help strengthen academic, cultural, and talent exchanges across the Greater Bay Area.

Portugal’s Minister of Education, Science and Innovation Fernando Alexandre, AULP President Astrigilda Silveira, and Secretary-General Cristina Montalvão Sarmento also addressed the opening ceremony, highlighting Macau’s importance as a platform for educational exchange and calling for deeper global cooperation among Portuguese-speaking universities.

The programme also includes a panel discussion on inter-university partnerships and the launch of Camões Poeta, Herói n’Os Lusíadas, a commemorative publication honouring Portuguese poet Luís de Camões.

The three-day meeting was co-hosted by UM, Macao Polytechnic University, and the Macao University of Tourism. Times Reporter