Number of applicants to UM and admitted top students both hit new high
With the steady increase of its international reputation and the quality of its teaching and research, the University of Macau (UM) is attracting more and more students from around the world. In this academic year (2019/2020 academic year), UM received more than 13,000 applications for its undergraduate programmes, up nearly 30 per cent from last year, hitting a new high in the university’s history. The number of applicants from the nine cities in Guangdong province, which is part of the Greater Bay Area (GBA), increased 46 per cent from last year. Through a merits-based selection process, 2,041 of the applicants were accepted, which is similar to the number from last year. In addition, the number of outstanding students admitted by UM also hits a new high this year. 348 outstanding students were admitted this year through the Principals’ Recommended Admission Scheme. Mainland students admitted by UM this year scored an average of 18.6 per cent higher than the admission marks required by tier-one universities for their respective provinces and cities, which is also a record number in the university’s history.
UM is currently ranked among the top 400 universities in the world by both Times Higher Education and Quacquarelli Symonds. The university has three state key laboratories and the largest residential college system in Asia. This year, more outstanding students from Macao, mainland China and abroad have chosen to study at UM. Among the 348 outstanding students admitted through the Principals’ Recommended Admission Scheme, 37 are ranked No 1 in their secondary school classes. All students admitted through the scheme will receive scholarships. Five students will receive the University of Macau Grand Lotus Scholarship; 94 will receive the University of Macau Golden Lotus Scholarship; 147 will receive the University of Macau Silver Lotus Scholarship; and 102 will receive the University of Macau First Year Scholarship. Recipients of the Grand Lotus Scholarship and the Golden Lotus Scholarship are eligible for direct admission to the Honours College in their first year of study.
UM will continue to nurture Chinese-Portuguese bilingual professionals to support China’s strategy to develop Macao into a world centre of tourism and leisure and a service platform for trade cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. In addition to launching the Chinese and Portuguese Bilingual Talent Nurturing Scheme under the Principals’ Recommended Admission Scheme, UM has increased admission quotas for academic programmes in related fields. For instance, the Bachelor of Arts in Portuguese Studies Programme and the Bachelor of Law (Conducted in Chinese and Portuguese) Daytime Programme this year admitted 82 and 44 new students, respectively, up 20 per cent and 30 per cent, from last year.
Many outstanding students from mainland provinces and cities applied to UM this year, up 58 per cent from last year. The 351 mainland students admitted by UM scored an average of 18.6 per cent higher than the admission marks required by tier-one universities for their respective provinces and cities, hitting a new high in the university’s history. This year, the number of applications from the nine GBA cities in Guangdong province increased 46 per cent compared to last year, a sign that the university is held in high regard in the GBA. Among these applicants, 52 were admitted. This year, UM also launched a new scholarship for outstanding students from GBA cities in Guangdong province, in order to promote exchange among GBA cities and nurture more professionals to contribute to the development of the area.
UM also strives to recruit more international students and strengthen academic exchange and collaboration with regions covered by the Belt and Road initiative. This year, a total of 570 students from 31 countries and regions applied to UM, with an increase in both the number of applicants and the number of countries. Among them, 24 are top students from Chinese Independent High Schools in Malaysia. Half of them are ranked among the top 10 per cent in their school classes. Five of them received Grade A in eight subjects in the universal examination of Chinese Independent High Schools in Malaysia. The number of students admitted from these high schools and their quality are also the highest in UM’s history.
This year, UM launched five new bachelor’s degree programmes. They are Bachelor of Science in Business Intelligence and Data Analytics, Bachelor of Education in Integrated Science, Bachelor of Science in Bioinformatics, Bachelor of Science in Mathematics (Statistics and Data Science), and Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics and Chemistry. The new programmes aim to answer local demand for professionals in these fields and to support the Macao SAR government’s strategy to build a better Macao through education. The new programmes admitted a total of 146 students this year.
The new cohort of outstanding students is expected to help enhance UM’s academic quality. UM will continue to seize the opportunities brought about by the rapid development of the GBA and will support the strategies of the SAR government by nurturing well-rounded professionals with a global mindset.