Macao Polytechnic Institute held its graduation ceremony for the academic year 2020/2021
The Macao Polytechnic Institute successfully held its graduation ceremony for the 2020/2021 academic year both online and offline simultaneously at the MPI Multisport Pavilion at 4 pm on June 10th. The graduation ceremony proceeded with the hoisting of the national flag, playing and singing of the national anthem, and awarding of degree certificates. 788 graduate and undergraduate students completed their studies and set sail on new journeys. On behalf of the Chief Executive of the Macao SAR and MPI Chancellor, Ao Ieong U, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, stated that the Macao SAR government will continue to support the Macao Polytechnic Institute in its endeavors to implement the management philosophy of “equal emphasis on teaching and research”, to continue cultivating high-caliber talents for Macao and the country, and to excel in its academic research achievements.
The graduation ceremony was officiated by Ao Ieong U, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Lei Heong Iok, President of the MPI Council, and Im Sio Kei, President of MPI. In attendance were Hong Bo, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office, Zheng Xinyou, Director of the Department of Information and Public Diplomacy of the Commissioner’s Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Jin Wei, Senior Colonel and Deputy Chief of Staff of People’s Liberation Army Macao Garrison, as well as members of the MPI Council, social dignitaries and elites, MPI faculty staff and students, MPI alumni and relatives and friends of graduates. All participants witnessed online and offline the critical moment of graduates’ reaching a new milestone in their life. The ceremony proceeded with strict compliance with the epidemic prevention guidelines of the Health Bureau.
According to Ao Ieong U, the Macao SAR government had issued the “Mid-term and Long-term Development Plans for Macao Tertiary Education (2021-2030)” as the blueprint for the future development of higher education in Macao. The vision is to cultivate high-caliber, all-round talents with a strong sense of national identity and social responsibility for Macao and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. Meanwhile, in alignment with Macao’s positioning and moderate diversification of industries, the SAR government aims to establish more higher education brand disciplines, build a Chinese-Portuguese bilingual talents training base, and a tourism education and training base in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, so as to form a more regionally competitive higher education system. The SAR government will continue to improve mechanisms and efficacy, increase policy support, invest more resources to optimize the allocation of educational resources, promote the long-term and steady development of higher education in Macao, and jointly create an education and talent hub in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. After 40 years of development, MPI has established a comprehensive talent training model comprising undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral education. It has cultivated a large number of talents who cherish the patriotic spirit and the love for Macao, serving in various sectors of the society and making important contributions to the development of the country and Macao. The SAR government will continue to support MPI to implement its management philosophy of “equal emphasis on teaching and research”, thus giving full play to the competitive advantages of cultivating practical talents and conducting applied research, and helping the development of Macao’s four pillar industries of healthcare, financial industry, science and technology industry, and cultural base, so as to cultivate more talents for Macao and China.
Im Sio Kei congratulated the students on successfully completing their studies at the Macao Polytechnic Institute. The graduation of the first cohort of MPI’s postgraduate programs is significant as it ushers in a new milestone for the development of the institute. The president stated that with the auspicious support of the SAR government, the construction of the new building complex has begun, which will certainly create better infrastructure conditions for future development. MPI has now gradually made its way to the Times Higher Education World University Impact Rankings, ranking between 301 and 400, which means its education quality has now reached the international standard. MPI is also the first and only university in Macao to have won the "National Teaching Achievement Award" issued by the Ministry of Education; it has witnessed the establishment of the first engineering research center of the Ministry of Education in Hong Kong and Macao; and the establishment of the “Greater Bay Area Portuguese Language Education Alliance” that will strengthen the coordinated planning for the training of language talents in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, to help Macao strengthen its role in Portuguese-speaking countries and as a training base for Portuguese-speaking talents. Im Sio Kei called on all MPI graduates to adhere to the three convictions and principles. First, to cultivate patriotism and love of Macao. Second, to sharpen their global vision and aspirations. Third, to be committed to hard work and shoulder the mission resolvedly. Graduates were encouraged to seize the opportunities afforded by integrating into the development of the Greater Bay Area and be the pioneers of the epoch by contributing to the development of the country and the society at large.
Huang Junhua, the gold medalist of the Asian Games and a graduate of the master’s degree in sports and physical education, gave a speech on behalf of the graduates. He thanked his family for their unconditional support and caring; thanked the Macao SAR government for its long-term support to tertiary education and sports over the years, and thanked MPI for its help and care for his academic development. Huang Junhua also indicated that he would bravely take up the responsibilities and obligations entrusted on his shoulders by society, contribute his professional knowledge to the development of Macao’s sports industry, continue to strive for honors for the Macao SAR government, and continue his academic research career at his alma mater of MPI.
At the graduation ceremony, Maria Vanessa Leão, program coordinator of MPI’s music program, provided guidance to students from local and Portuguese-speaking countries to sing the song “Auld Lang Syne”, and Wang Xi, lecturer of the music program, sang “I Love You China”together with graduates of the music program, sending their best wishes to all guests and graduates. The ceremony concluded with great joy and happy emotions.