Education | UM announces this year’s honorary doctorates

The University of Macau (UM) has announced its annual allocation of honorary doctorates to distinguished individuals with outstanding professional achievements and contributions to society. This year, the five individuals are Mario Capecchi, Ma Iao Lai, Pai Hsien-yung, Tsui Lap-Chee and Zhong Nanshan.
Capecchi and Zhong will both receive the Doctor of Science honoris causa degree, while Ma will receive the equivalent qualification for Business Administration, and Tsui for Education. Pai will receive the honorary Doctor of Letters degree.
Capecchi holds a PhD in biophysics and shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine in 2007. He is best known for his pioneering work on the development of gene targeting in mouse embryo-derived stem cells. He has won numerous awards to date, including within the area of cancer research.
Ma is a renowned entrepreneur in Macau. In 2005 he founded the Meng Tak Charity Association, which initiates and participates in a number of charity programs aiming to reduce poverty, improve access to education among children, and increase the availability and quality of aged care schemes.
Pai is an eminent Chinese writer, who has published many works including the short story collections “Lonely Seventeen”, “Taipei People” and “The New Yorker”. His works have been translated into various languages and have also been adapted into plays and films.
Tsui is accredited with helping to grow the University of Hong Kong into a world-class institution during his tenure as its Vice-Chancellor and President, and for his work on the editorial boards of scientific journals.
Zhong spearheaded a number of research projects in mainland China on the prevention and treatment of respiratory diseases. In 2013, he founded a clinical research center for these diseases.