The graduation ceremony for a diploma programme in business management co-organised by UM and Sands China
A one-year diploma programme in business management, co-organised by the University of Macau’s (UM) Centre for Continuing Education (CCE) and Sands China Ltd, has ended with success. Recently, the CCE and Sands China held a graduation ceremony for the fifth (2018-2019) and sixth (2019-2020) cohorts of students who completed the programme. A total of 46 graduates received certificates.
The graduates come from different departments at Sands China, including table games, facilities, and concierge. The programme was tailor-made to meet the needs of Sands China staff based on experience with previous cohorts of students.
Prof Michael Hui, UM’s vice rector for academic affairs, expressed his gratitude to Sands China for its support and trust, as well as to all the lecturers for their professional guidance, which enabled students to acquire useful knowledge and skills in business management. He expressed his hope that graduates would apply their knowledge to the challenges they face in their workplace, his eagerness to listen to the training needs of different industries, and his commitment to promoting continuing education in Macao.
Sean McCreery, Sands China’s senior vice president of resort operations, said that the company would continue to collaborate with local universities to nurture talent for Macao. According to McCreery, this programme aims to provide an opportunity for Sands staff to upgrade their professional knowledge and develop their talents, to the benefit of both the individual employees and the company. He hopes that the staff make the most of this unique diploma programme and continue to learn and enhance their skills. Last year, in line with the Macao SAR government's guidelines on epidemic prevention, the fifth graduation ceremony could not be held as expected; he said he felt glad that the epidemic in Macao was now under control, which enabled them to hold the ceremony for the fifth and sixth cohorts of students.
Chao Ut Wa, one of the graduates, said that through the one-year programme, she and her colleagues not only acquired useful knowledge and skills in business management, but also made many friends. Another student, Elimar Regala Deopante, said that the past year was a challenging one, which made him realise the importance of team collaboration and how to support each other during testing times while making sure that everything is running smoothly. Both expressed gratitude to Sands China, the company’s management team, UM, as well as their family members, lecturers, and classmates.
Launched by the CCE in the 2014/2015 academic year, this diploma programme has graduated more than 200 students. The next edition is under planning, and is expected to begin in September this year.
