Hengqin’s Dezhi Plaza to transform into transitional campus for Macau universities

A major redevelopment is planned at a commercial complex situated near Macau’s designated “New Neighborhood.” The Hengqin complex, formerly known as the Hengqin German Town project, is set to be transformed into a transitional university campus aimed at addressing Macau’s higher education needs.

The Guangdong Province Public Resources Trading Platform announced a tender last Friday detailing plans to convert 13 buildings across 49,000 square meters of Dezhi Plaza’s site, with a total built-up area of approximately 65,000 square meters.

The project will be fully funded by state-owned capital, with bidding scheduled to open April 29, 2024, according to the tender notice.

According to mainland reports, It is understood that the project’s short-term goal is to ensure a smooth transition for teaching and research activities at Macau’s universities.

The redevelopment will feature a high-rise teaching and office complex, a high-rise apartment building, a multi-story hotel, and 10 low-rise buildings for teaching. The revamp will also preserve the site’s original “German-influenced” architectural.

The new campus will be organized into three integrated systems: nearly 32,000 square meters for academic teaching; over 15,000 square meters for living accommodations and support facilities; and roughly 15,000 square meters dedicated to academic exchange.

Additional plans include a 76,000-square-meter area in eastern Dezhi Plaza reserved for cultural facilities that will link with Hengqin’s ecological park, providing high-quality sports and leisure spaces for students, faculty, and residents.

This project complements the University of Macau’s (UM) new campus in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, which initiated construction on December 9, 2024.

According to prior statements by UM and the Macau Government Information Bureau (GCS), the new UM campus is located in the southwest of the island, with a total area of approximately 370,000 square meters, about half the size of UM’s current campus, and is expected to commence operations in August 2028.