The ‘Clare Hall, University of Cambridge – University of Macau Forum 2025’
The ‘First Clare Hall, University of Cambridge – University of Macau Forum 2025’, co-hosted by the University of Macau (UM) and Clare Hall of the University of Cambridge, took place today (31 March) at UM. The theme of the forum was ‘Interdisciplinary Approaches to Advancing Sustainable Development: Innovative Solutions to Global Challenges’. During the event, UM and Cambridge renewed their cooperation agreement on the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme, which aims to deepen interdisciplinary collaboration in the humanities, social sciences, and technology.
In his opening remarks, UM Rector Yonghua Song highlighted the fruitful partnership between UM and Clare Hall since the inception of the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme in 2006, which has enabled 23 UM scholars to engage in academic exchange at Cambridge. He emphasised that interdisciplinary collaboration and technological innovation are pivotal to promoting sustainable development in the face of global challenges such as climate change and resource scarcity. He also expressed hope that the forum would serve as a bridge for East-West academic dialogue. Alan Short, president of Clare Hall, noted that the forum, as the first interdisciplinary event jointly hosted by the two universities, was a continuation of their long-term partnership and reflected the importance of integrating diverse perspectives and breaking down disciplinary boundaries. He also highlighted that future efforts will focus on collaborative innovation in areas such as sustainable development and artificial intelligence to address global challenges.
In addition, UM and Cambridge renewed their cooperation agreement on the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme to promote joint research projects and enhance talent cultivation and collaborative innovation in scientific research. The renewal of the agreement marks a higher level of cooperation between the two universities.
The forum consisted of two plenary sessions and three parallel sessions. The first plenary session, ‘Sustainable Architecture and Smart Cities’, explored low-carbon technologies and ecological restoration strategies. During this session, Prof Alan Short suggested that sustainable architecture need to incorporate climate-adaptive materials and international cooperation to accelerate the low-carbon transition. Rector Yonghua Song highlighted how extreme climate events strain urban energy systems, and proposed optimising virtual energy storage and air conditioning systems in the Greater Bay Area to mitigate the vicious cycle between heatwaves and energy consumption. He also advocated the integration of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to drive interdisciplinary innovation. Li Baizhan, professor in the School of Civil Engineering at Chongqing University and a visiting fellow at Clare Hall, noted that the energy consumption of air-conditioning systems has increased due to climate change, adding that his team has developed ‘climate-responsive building designs’ and established national standards to promote energy-efficient projects in the Yangtze River region. Maggie Fu Xiaoqing, professor in the Faculty of Business Administration at UM and a visiting fellow at Clare Hall, analysed smart city policies and provided empirical evidence that urban digitalisation drives corporate green innovation. She also called for collaboration among governments, businesses, and universities to promote sustainable transitions.
The second plenary session, ‘Artificial Intelligence’, analysed the potential applications of artificial intelligence in smart cities and green transitions. The parallel sessions covered topics such as ‘Engineering’, ‘Social Sciences and Education’, and ‘Chinese Studies’. The forum brought together more than 20 scholars from UM, Cambridge, and Chongqing University to present cutting-edge research and stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration. It also attracted the participation of UM students and faculty, fostering dynamic discussions.
Since establishing their partnership through the Cambridge Clare Hall Visiting Fellowship Programme in 2006, UM and Clare Hall have made remarkable progress in talent exchange and interdisciplinary research.
