Speech by Ms. Ao Ieong U, Representative of the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR and MPU Chancellor, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Government
The Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) Graduation Ceremony for academic year 2021/2022 was held at 4:00 p.m. on August 11th 2022, during which 800 students graduated from postgraduate and undergraduate programmes. Due to another round of the outbreak of COVID-19, the graduation ceremony was held online. Ms. Ao Ieong U, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, officiated and delivered a speech expressing her best wishes to all the graduates on behalf of the Macao SAR Government.
In her speech, Ms. Ao Ieong U indicated that in cooperation with the Macao SAR Government in the development of education, MPU continues to take advantage of its teaching and research resources in languages to assist Macao in playing its role as a platform between China and Portuguese speaking countries. In addition, MPU has cooperated with famous universities from mainland China and other parts of the world. For example, the ‘Peking University Health Science Center-Macao Polytechnic University Nursing Academy’ has been established, offering the Bachelor of Science in Nursing programme. In order to enhance the cultivation of innovative talents in science and technology, MPU, in cooperation with an Italian University, has launched the first dual doctoral degree programme in computer science in Macao. MPU continues to strengthen its work on production, education and research, and has launched and optimized a number of applied products in the field of Chinese-Portuguese translation. After having recently passed the International Quality Assurance and Institutional Accreditation assessment review by the Higher Education Quality Assurance Agency of the United Kingdom, MPU has, once again, been awarded global accreditation for its quality teaching and research. The development of scientific research and the cultivation of talents were highly praised and valued. The successful operation of MPU has further enhanced the regional competitiveness and the influence of tertiary education in Macao. The Macao SAR government actively encourages higher education institutions, including Macao Polytechnic University, to consolidate their strengths, highlight their distinctive characteristics, further improve academic disciplines, and strengthen the joint nurturing of talents and the development of projects concerning production, education and research, so as to steadily develop towards the direction of high quality, diversification, innovation and sustainability. Ms. Ao Ieong U encouraged the graduates to continue to carry on the spirit of patriotism and love for Macao and their motherland, to explore more opportunities for their development, to become outstanding young talents with international vision, and to contribute to the stability and development of the practice of ‘one country, two systems’ in Macao.
During the ceremony, Prof. Im Sio Kei, Rector of MPU, expressed his thanks to the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR, the agencies of the Central Government in the Macao SAR, the Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, the President and members of the Council of MPU, and the community for their support. Thanks to the great support of the central government of China and the Macao SAR government, MPU has achieved tremendous development. In terms of teaching, most of the degree programmes have been accredited by international authorities, providing students with excellent teaching and learning. In terms of scientific research, the Engineering Research Centre of Applied Technology on Machine Translation and Artificial Intelligence of the Ministry of Education and the Super Intelligent Computing Centre have been established at MPU, creating the advantageous platform for diversified innovation and development. In terms of social services, the Chinese-Portuguese machine translation system provides high efficiency and top quality products to the public sector and the community, with a great number of local and international users. In terms of student development, MPU students have achieved excellent results in many competitions around the world and in the region, and many postgraduate students have published academic papers in top academic journals and received many international awards. In line with the needs of Macao's social and economic development, while cooperating with the development of Macao's four major industries, namely big health, finance, science and technology and culture, MPU helps Macao play its role as a platform between China and Portuguese speaking countries to cultivate more outstanding talents for Macao and the motherland. Prof. Im Sio Kei expressed his wish for graduates to think about their home country with a global vision, to grasp the opportunities given by the times, to bravely face challenges and to remain innovative. Prof. Im also encouraged them to be optimistic and enthusiastic to create a better future.
Mr. Fong Chan Chong, graduate representative of the Master’s degree programme in Business Administration (Gaming Management), delivered a speech, expressing his great thanks to the SAR Government for supporting the development of higher education and attaching considerable importance to the growth of young people and university students. Mr. Fong also extended his gratitude to MPU for providing a high quality learning environment, which enables students to lay a solid foundation for their future academic and career development with a global and forward-looking vision. Their experience at this University has made them realize the opportunities of the national policy in the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-DepthCooperation Zonein Hengqin. The graduates are also grateful to the society, friends, relatives and classmates for their love, help, guidance and encouragement, and to their parents for nurturing them with great care. In the future, they will continue to study and work hard to put their knowledge into full play to promote the sustainable development of different industries in Macao, and to contribute to the moderate diversification of Macao’s society and economy.
During the graduation ceremony, the graduates shared their thoughts about their lifeat MPUand expressed theirgratitudeto their alma mater, families andclassmates.Members of the community, teachers, and friends and relatives of the graduates watchedthe ceremony onlineand gave their blessings to the graduates.
