UM students meet Portuguese president in Lisbon

Rebelo de Sousa (center) poses with students and EUAP-M representatives

Last Friday, 15 students and staff from the University of Macau met with the President of the Portuguese Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, as part of the annual study mission to Europe held by the European Union Academic Programme in Macao (EUAP-M).

The delegation also involved three representatives from the Institute of European Studies of Macau (IEEM), including its president, José Luís de Sales Marques.

Rebelo de Sousa’s speech on the significance of European studies in the current international context, delivered during the meeting, was the highlight of the visit to Europe, according to a statement from EUAP-M. At the end of the audience with the president, the group briefly greeted the Prime Minister of Portugal, António Costa, who was arriving at the Presidential Palace for a meeting with Rebelo de Sousa. The group also met the Secretary of State in Charge of European Affairs, Margarida Marques, and other politicians.

On Friday, the delegation visited the permanent exhibition of the National Museum of Ancient Art in Lisbon and attended an international conference about the “One Belt, One Road” initiative, held at the School of Economics and Management of the University of Lisbon.

The study mission to Europe also included a three-day trip to Brussels, where the group visited the European Commission as well as the European External Action Service. The students also visited the Belvue Museum, which features exhibits about the history of the Kingdom of Belgium, and the recently opened House of the European History, established by an initiative of the European Parliament.

Students and staff also attended a conference held at the Institute for European Studies of the Free University of Brussels about the consequences of Brexit for Europe and China. The speakers were researchers of the host organization and Master of European Studies graduates, a qualification jointly awarded by the University of Macau and IEEM.

Yesterday, students went to Coimbra, where they visited the National Museum of Machado Castro. Visits to the University of Coimbra and to the Museum of Serralves are also scheduled.

The annual study mission to Europe is part of the EUAP- M’s outreach activities. The delegation comprises undergraduate and postgraduate students from the programs in European studies, international relations, law and communication. Accompanying them are professors and lecturers from the Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Law.

Also included in the delegation are winners of competitions organized by the EUAP-M, including the Model European Union, a pedagogical simulation in which students play the role of heads of state of the 28 member-states to recreate the decision-making process of the European Council.