Education | UM launches research center for Chinese history

The University of Macau (UM) on Friday launched the Centre for Chinese History and Culture, a new research center to promote the influence of Chinese history and culture in Portuguese-speaking countries.

The UM said in a statement that the new center is also intended to enhance local residents’ understanding of the same topics.

Sonia Chan, Secretary for Administration and Justice, commented that the new center will enable UM to consolidate its resources and maximize its strengths in order to contribute to the study of the field.

Xue Xiaofeng, deputy director-general of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macau, remarked that Macau’s culture shares an origin with mainland Chinese culture, Lingnan culture and Xiangshan culture.

Xue added that since its establishment as a trading port, the MSAR has been an important hub for economic and cultural exchange between mainland China and the Western countries. Macau, as a city where Chinese and Western cultures coexist in harmony, is highly significant from a research perspective.

Xue expressed his hopes that the center could provide courses in Chinese history and geography for local primary and secondary schools.

The Ministry of Education has designated the center as a key platform for the research of humanities and social sciences. UM said it would jointly develop this state-level research platform with Tsinghua University and East China Normal University.

At the ceremony, representatives of the three universities signed a letter of intent under the witness of some 100 guests. The universities will collaborate to promote academic exchange and research activities on Chinese history and culture.