UM celebrates 45th anniversary with Open Day and robotics showcase

[Photo: Nadia Shaw]

The University of Macau (UM) marked its 45th anniversary yesterday with a celebratory opening ceremony at the UM Lakeside Theatre, where government officials, students, alumni, and university leaders gathered to reflect on the institution’s progress under ‘One country, two systems’.

Kong Chi Meng, representative of the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture and director of the Education and Youth Development Bureau, delivered the morning session’s keynote address.

“It is a great pleasure to gather here on this sunny day at the beginning of the new year to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the University of Macau,” Kong said.

He progressed to recount key milestones achieved by the institution, including President Xi Jinping’s 2014 visit to the UM Hengqin campus and the National People’s Congress approval for its construction in 2009. “Since 2013, in particular, the University of Macau has fully leveraged the institutional innovations of its Hengqin campus, utilizing its vast space, advanced facilities, and abundant resources for continuous improvement,” Kong noted.

Emphasizing the SAR government’s commitment to higher education, Kong said, “Institutions of higher learning are key to talent cultivation.” He added that three Macai higher education institutions, including UM, will relocate to Hengqin cooperation zone campuses in August and September. He also states that this initiative will positioning UM to lead the Macau-Hengqin International Education (University) Town and “help Macau integrate into the national development strategy.”

Rector outlines UM vision

UM Rector, Prof. Yonghua Song reinforced the university’s foundational principles, stating, “For forty-five years, we have upheld our school motto of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom.” Song continued, “In recent years, UM has expanded its academic offerings, strengthened research capabilities, enhanced teaching quality, and elevated its global reputation, attracting outstanding talent from around the world.”

Underscoring UM’s pioneering role in cross-border education, Song noted that throughout its 45-year history, the university has advanced higher education in Macau, “Today, the university ranks among the world’s top 1% in 16 disciplines according to the Essential Science Indicators (ESI), and holds 145th place in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026,” revealed the UM Rector.

On multiculturalism, Song said, “UM is committed to fostering an environment that places Chinese culture at its core while embracing multiculturalism.” He added, “The university’s whole-person education model is underpinned by its faculties and residential colleges in an international education setup.”

As a member of the China University Presidents’ Association, UM strengthens collaborations with some of the leading universities domestically and provides “broad platforms for faculty-student exchanges”.

Marine robotic innovations on show

After the official addresses, Prof. Carlos Silvestre, from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, showcased DELMAC – the bright yellow autonomous boat seen zipping across the lake during the opening speeches — alongside its companion ORVIS. Both vehicles, funded primarily by the FDCT, target Macau’s challenging shallow waters with constrained depths, variable currents, and obstacles.

DELMAC, the boat, serves as support on the water’s surface, integrating real-time navigation, control, and mission execution for end-to-end autonomous operations. This spans shore launch, transit to survey areas, path tracking amid currents, and a safe return.

“In shallow water environments like those around Macau, where limited depth, variable currents, poor visibility, coastal proximity, man-made structures, and dynamic obstacles pose real constraints,” Silvestre explained. “Users need accurate, reliable, and cost-effective tools for bathymetry, underwater infrastructure inspections, environmental monitoring, and rapid post-disaster assessments.”

Shifting to ORVIS, a fully UM-developed underwater vehicle extending capabilities to the seabed for interventions and detailed sensing, Silvestre states, “These two robots deliver an integrated stack from platforms to autonomy, mapping, robustness, and fault tolerance.”

Yesterday’s Open Day featured admission talks, research activities, interactive games, workshops, cultural performances, and guided tours.

UM’s Bachelor’s program applications close Jan. 16, and postgraduate deadlines are March 13.

Academic departments restructured to focus on science and technology

The University of Macau (UM) announced on Friday that, starting August 1, it will formally restructure its academic departments, establishing five major faculties focused on science and technology, with projected student enrollment in these fields expected to reach 14,500.

According to its announcement, the five major technology-focused faculties will include the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Information Science and Computing, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Science, and the Faculty of Design.

The restructuring involves expanding the existing Faculty of Health Sciences into the Faculty of Medicine, reorganizing departments, and introducing new ones to establish the Faculty of Information Science and Computing, the Faculty of Engineering, and the Faculty of Science, as well as adding the Faculty of Design, which has already received approval from the Board of Trustees.

The university currently comprises five faculties in the humanities and social sciences, along with two faculties in science and technology.

The university stated that this restructuring aims to optimize and integrate campus resources while aligning more closely with the developmental needs of Macau and the Guangdong-Macau In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Among the changes, the newly established Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Information Science and Computing, and Faculty of Design will all have their headquarters at the Hengqin campus.

“This strategic move will deepen connections between the science and technology schools and industries, facilitating the transformation and implementation of research outcomes,” said Song Yonghua, UM rector, in a statement.

He said that this enhancement of the science and technology disciplinary framework will strengthen the university’s momentum in cutting-edge international scientific innovation.

It is reported that the university’s Hengqin campus project encompasses a total land area of approximately 375,600 square meters, with a construction area of about 831,000 square meters. The construction period is expected to span three years, with partial operations set to commence in 2028 and full completion scheduled for 2029. YL