News

Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that total merchandise export for July 2012 amounted to MOP639 million, up by 10.8% year-on-year, of which value of re-exports (MOP423 million) and domestic exports (MOP216 million) increased by 15.6% and 2.3% respectively. Total merchandise import amounted to MOP5.91 billion, up by 7.8% year-on-year. Merchandise trade deficit amounted to MOP5.27 billion for July 2012. In the first seven months of 2012, total value of merchandise export increased by 15.3% year-on-year to MOP4.58 billion, attributable to a 22.6% increase in re-exports (MOP3.19 billion) when domestic exports (MOP1.39 billion) rose by 1.4%; meanwhile, total value of merchandise import increased by 22.3% to MOP40.61 billion. Merchandise trade deficit for the first seven months of 2012 amounted to MOP36.02 billion. Merchandise export to Hong Kong (MOP2.26 billion) and Mainland China (MOP741 million) in the first seven months of 2012 was principally re-exports, up by 34.8% and 10.3% year-on-year respectively; meanwhile, merchandise export to the USA (MOP302 million) and the EU (MOP210 million) was primarily domestic exports, down by 13.4% and 14.9% respectively. Exports of Non-textile (MOP3.93 billion) in the first seven months of 2012 expanded by 25.5%, of which exports of Machines & apparatus, parts & accessories thereof (MOP738 million) and Tobacco & wine (MOP465 million) surged by 121.6% and 29.4% respectively year-on-year; however, exports of Textile & garment (MOP650 million) registered a decrease of 22.8%. Domestic exports of Tobacco & wine (MOP329 million) rose by 37.0% year-on-year, while that of Knitted or crocheted garment (MOP218 million) declined by 24.0%. In the first seven months of 2012, merchandise import from Mainland China (MOP12.90 billion) and the EU (MOP9.54 billion) expanded by 25.9% and 15.0% respectively year-on-year. Imports of Consumer goods rose by 24.9% to MOP25.00 billion, with imports of Gold jewellery (MOP4.35 billion), Watches (MOP3.06 billion) and Motor cars & motorcycles (MOP1.90 billion) increasing by 39.7%, 51.7% and 55.7% respectively. Moreover, imports of Capital goods (MOP7.41 billion) registered a year-on-year increase of 21.0%. In the first seven months of 2012, total value of external merchandise trade amounted to MOP45.19 billion, up by 21.5% compared with MOP37.19 billion a year earlier.
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On the 30 August, Institute for Tourism Studies (IFT) organises the opening ceremony of the Exhibition of Photographic Works by Yung Siu Sun and his Students. From 30 August to 30 December 2012 at IFT Educational Restaurant and Team Building, the exhibition showcases some of the best photographic works of the instructor Mr. Yung Siu Sun and students taken IFT's Fine Art Photography course. Public and all interested parties are welcome to come to pay a visit. In September 2011, IFT organised a course in Fine Art Photography with celebrated photographer Mr. Yung Siu Sun as the instructor. In this short photography course, students were deeply inspired by Yung, who helped them transcend tradition with new perceptions and conceptions, thereby stepping out of the conventional photographic framework. This exhibition showcases works created by students during practical training under Yung; some photographs are those submitted for the final examination. Form of art use different mediums and photography is about light. Light is employed to depict the shapes of the subject matter: brightness, darkness and contrast form the tones of the photographs. Beautiful composition, rich and sharp colours, as well as substantive content all help heighten the themes of the photographs, and together constitute the elements of photographs. To cope with Macao SAR Government's policy to develop and promote creative industries, IFT started to offer short and fundamental courses in this area two years ago. During these 2 years, IFT has continuously explored courses which are up-to-date, interesting and practical for the community. Today, courses in the areas of photography, graphic design, multimedia creative design, souvenir production, floral design and many others in various levels and areas are running at IFT. Photography courses are even subdivided and offered such as commercial photography, creative photography, fine art photography, reportage photography and salon photography. In graphic design, we have certificate courses in Corporate Identity Design, Diploma in Advertising Design, Poster Design. In souvenir production we are offering silver clay, model production, mosaic, felt, paper artwork, accessories, etc. Recently we have launched two courses namely Video Production for Events and Production of 3D Animation in the area of multimedia.
To further develop the career of creative industry talents in Macao, we are producing a training kit in Floral Art and Design for providing a more systematic training and self-learning material for interested parties. Management is the foundation of success among all industries. Concerning the lacking creative art administrative management talents in Macao, IFT has been running an Art Administration programme for the second year and has invited renowned professors from Chinese Taiwan to come on purpose for teaching. Local culture and arts associations and industry talents are welcome to enroll in the course, in order to better the atmosphere of culture and arts development in Macao.
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A new academic year brings new hopes and visions, teaching staff and students once again stand confidently at the starting line of the new academic year. The Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (hereinafter referred as DSEJ) would like to wish all teaching staff a "Happy Teachers' Day" on 10th September, and thank schools and education workers for their long-term efforts. Meanwhile, DSEJ would also like to wish all students an enjoyable and fulfilling academic year. Increase in the number of teachers, a slight decrease in the number of students
In Academic Year 2012/2013, the total number of school is 78. Due to the change in birth rate and population structure in Macao, the total number of students at the beginning of this academic year is expected to be 73,769. Of which, 71,294 are formal education students and 2,475 are recurrent education students, there is a slight decrease in both in comparison to that of the previous academic year. The total number of teachers is expected to be 6,280; there is a significant increase in comparison to that of the previous academic year. The teacher-student ratio and class-teacher ratio of formal education are improved constantly, which are optimized to 1:11.9 and 1:2.5 respectively; the average class size of formal education is 29.5 students. Increase in education investment, reflection of education equity
In order to further promote sustained enhancement of education quality in Macao, the SAR Government will continue to increase investment in education in the new academic year, so as to gradually achieve the goals of the "Ten Year Plan for the Development of Non-Tertiary Education (2011-2020)". To continuously create better conditions for teaching and learning, the SAR Government continues to increase the amount of free-education subsidy. Of which the amount of subsidy for each class of infant, primary, junior secondary and senior secondary education is increased to 605 thousands, 640 thousand, 820 thousand and 930 thousand patacas respectively. For students studying in schools of non-free education school system, the tuition subsidy for each student of infant, primary and secondary education levels is increased to 14 thousand, 16 thousand and 17 thousand patacas respectively. In terms of text book subsidy, the subsidy for infant education level remains 1,500 patacas per year, and that for primary and secondary education levels are both increased from 1,700 to 1,900 patacas. The above-mentioned measures are conducive to providing more quality education for students and promoting education equity. To further promote the development of small class education, assist each and every student to learn successfully, enhance the quality of education, the calculation criteria and amount of subsidies for the "Subsidy Scheme of optimisation of class- teacher ratio and teacher-student ratio" are adjusted from the new academic year. Level 3 and Level 4 are added for secondary education level, the maximum amount of subsidy per class is 244 thousand patacas, so as to further provide teachers and students with quality teaching conditions. Striving to implement the "System Framework", building a high quality teaching team
The "Ten-year Plan" takes "Strengthening the building of teaching team" as an important measure, this reflects that the Government attaches importance to promoting professional development of teaching staff. At present, DSEJ is preparing for the celebration activities of the statutory Teachers' Day. In addition, as the Academic Year 2012/2013 is the first academic year implementing the "System Framework", the DSEJ will issue commemorative stamps for the Teachers' Day, build the Teachers' Day Website for leaving a message for teachers, play special programmes and promotional clips for the Teachers' Day, send congratulation SMS and emails, as well as hold movie sessions, etc., showing respects to teachers in different ways and promoting the prevailing custom of respecting teachers, so as to enhance the social status of teachers. Since the promulgation of the "System Framework", several explanatory sessions and over 50 briefing sessions were held to explain the main contents of the "System Framework" to about 5000 practicing teaching staff from all the schools in Macao, the preliminary level of ranking of teaching staff were confirmed as well. Special briefing session will also be organized for new teaching staff in the new academic year. Meanwhile, the related work of "System Framework" will be followed up orderly, including setting the professional criteria of teaching staff, providing schools with reference guidelines for the work performance evaluation of teaching staff, monitoring schools to abide by the provision of maintaining the expenditure of remuneration and provident fund of teaching staff in each school year occupies 70% or above of the fixed and long-term school revenue. Furthermore, necessary conditions will be created to enable schools to prepare for the implementation of differentials in basic salary within the school. On the other hand, the DSEJ also works in various aspects to enhance the professional standard and abilities of teaching staff. In the new academic year, schools are guided to establish effective teaching and research mechanisms through the "School Operations Guide"; schools are also supported to develop teaching and research activities in different forms to enhance teachers' teaching and research abilities through the "Programme of Introducing Outstanding Teachers from Mainland China to Macao for Exchange", "Award Scheme on Instructional Design", as well as the related workshops and training activities. Moreover, various types of training activities are organized to further strengthen the professional standard of the teaching team, including continuing to organize the Training Programmes for Principals, Middle and Senior Management Personnel of Schools; extending the principal teacher training, principle teacher training for teachers of primary and secondary physical education and information technology education will be carried out in 2013; cooperating with tertiary institutes to provide more places for education degree and diploma promgrammes for the teachers needed; organizing a series of professional development activities for the newly recruited teachers, etc. Furthermore, the DSEJ starts to establish the "Subsidy scheme of Attracting Outstanding Students Taking Education Programme" from the Academic Year 2012/2013, so as to encourage outstanding students taking teacher training Bachelor's degree programme, they can join the teaching and education career after graduation, so as to promote the sustained development of the teaching team. Steady promotion of curriculum reform
The legislation of the "Formal Education Curriculum Framework" is carrying out smoothly in accordance with the plan. In the new academic year, the infant education curriculum guidelines will be improved, and the elaboration of the statute of the "Requirements of Basic Academic Attainments" of infant education will be advanced. In terms of curriculum pilot projects, the connotation of the pilot project of infant education will be deepened in the Academic Year 2012/2013; on the basis of last year's project, the five learning areas of infant education will be integrated into teaching activities in full range. In addition, the curriculum pilot project for primary education will also be implemented; the participating schools will put into effect the concept and requirements of the new curriculum in implementation of the various standards of the curriculum framework and requirements of basic academic attainments. Through organizing different types of teaching and research activities, teachers are allowed to master the essential curriculum development abilities, so as to enhance the effectiveness of teaching and learning. Matching with the Ten Year Plan, promoting student development
In accordance with the policy direction of the "Ten Year Plan for the Development of Non-Tertiary Education (2011-2020)", the "School Development Plan" of the Academic Year 2012/2013 will take "Enhancing students' language proficiency" and "Promoting students' happy and effective learning" as the key subsidized items, so as to assist schools to create good language learning environment, enhance students' reading literacy, as well as written and oral expression abilities. Student associations are subsidized so as to encourage and promote the development of student associations; training for core members of student associations, good deed award scheme, inter-school exchange and volunteer work, etc. are encouraged to be organized to enhance the positive role of student associations. In order to strengthen the building up of the Moral Education Work Team, DSEJ supports schools to establish the "Moral Education Work Team"; provides trainings for coordinators of moral education work and counselling teachers of student associations, as well as develops the inter-school interaction platform. In addition, the junior and senior secondary "Sex Education Teaching Resources" are published to enrich the teaching resources of Moral Education. Meanwhile, schools are promoted to develop a series of sports activities in the new academic year to enhance students' physical fitness. Schools are subsidized to establish the multi-fitness centre in the available indoor space of the school, in order to enhance students' interest in joining sports activities. Schools are encouraged to arrange sports activities of not less than 150 minutes for students per week, develop different types of physical exercise activities in accordance with the need, so as to develop students' habit of doing exercise in a sustained manner. Attaching importance to parent education, promoting home-school cooperation
Systematic parent education programmes can effectively assist parents to master parenting skills, assisting parents to deepen the knowledge of bringing up children. Hence, DSEJ will cooperate with institutions in organizing parent education courses in Academic Year 2012/2013, taking the "Parent Education Teaching Materials" as the basis, professional mentor teams are invited to develop the activities. On the other hand, in order to enhance the effectiveness of the operation of parents associations and improve the organization and coordination abilities of the secretaries in charge of parents associations, training for persons concerned will be organized timely, so as to allow the core members of parents associations to learn the related contents of home-school cooperation and the operation mode of parents associations. Besides, the DSEJ will cooperate with Hong Kong and local institutions to organize parent education seminars of different themes by applying the related contents of the "Parent Education Teaching Materials" and combining with the issues that the society requires parents to concern. Schools are supported and encouraged to develop school-based parent education activities in the form of cooperation or sending tutors to support. At the same time, the "Award Scheme of 100% Parents" will be launched in the Academic Year 2012/2013, so as to encourage parents to actively participate in the foresaid activities and to promote the creation of parent education atmosphere from various aspects. Carrying out the consultation work of "Youth Policy" in an orderly manner
Young people are the future and hope of the society. The SAR Government has been attaching importance to the holistic development of young people since its establishment. To this end, the DSEJ carried out research and preparatory work for more than a year, in which youths of different backgrounds, related experts and scholars, as well as social non-government organizations were invited to discuss and study together in order to understand the development needs of young people, and in accordance with the 15 areas defined in the "Whole-person Development Strategy of Macao Youth" and integrated with the advantageous factors of gradual implementation of the "Ten Year Plan for the Development of Non-Tertiary Education (2011-2020)", the "Youth Policy" is formulated. To further improve the contents of the Policy, public consultation began from 21st August, a series of consultation activities is going to be carried out; all sectors in the society are invited to participate in the discussion of the contents of the consultation document to jointly frame the "Youth Policy". Conclusion
Education makes a better world. In the new academic year, the DSEJ will actively carry out the policy objective of "developing Macao through education", ensure the effective use of the public resources, enable steady sustained development of schools, create more conducive conditions for teacher professional development and cultivate talents of all aspects for the development of Macao.
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Information from the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) indicated that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for the second quarter of 2012 expanded modestly by 7.3% year-on-year in real terms, as affected by decelerating growth in exports of gaming services, total visitor spending and investment. Economic growth was underpinned by the increase in exports of services and private consumption expenditure, of which exports of gaming services rose by 6.2%, total visitor spending increased by 2.5% and private consumption expenditure went up by 12.8%. Meanwhile, the implicit deflator of GDP that measures overall changes in prices increased by 8.1% year-on-year in the second quarter. In the first half year of 2012, GDP expanded by 12.6% in real terms, and economic growth for the first quarter revised upward from 18.4% to 18.6%. Increase in private consumption expenditure sustained, up by 12.8% year-on-year, on the back of favourable employment conditions, rising total employment and working income. Household final consumption expenditure in the domestic market increased by 11.5%, and consumption expenditure abroad rose by 11.1%, of which spending in Mainland China amounted to MOP 1.81 billion. Government final consumption expenditure increased by 5.2% year-on-year, with compensation of employees and net purchases of goods and services rising by 4.1% and 7.5% respectively. The gauge of investment, increase in gross fixed capital formation narrowed substantially to 11.6% year-on-year. Private investment decreased by 6.3%, as construction and equipment investment shrank by 8.1% and 0.6% respectively. Government investment soared by 187.9%, attributable to the construction of the Hengqin Campus of the University of Macau and the public housing projects that drove up public construction investment to register a notable increase of 193.9%; besides, equipment investment also rose by 104.1%. Merchandise exports rose by 19.1% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2012, moderating from 23.9% in the previous quarter. At the same time, increase in merchandise imports receded from 26.1% in the first quarter to 15.5% in the second quarter of 2012 due to growth deceleration in investment and visitor spending. Regarding trade in services, with declining visitor arrivals, slower growth in gross gaming revenue and per-capita spending of visitors, exports of services increased by just 5.7% year-on-year, far lower than 19.2% in the first quarter; in particular, exports of gaming services increased by 6.2% and total visitor spending rose slightly by 2.5%. In addition, imports of services edged up mildly by 1.2% year-on-year.
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Macau International Fireworks Display Contest is organized by Macau Government Tourist Office. The Student Drawing Competition and Photo Competition are held annually in conjunction with Macau International Fireworks Display Contest. MGTO hosted the related award ceremony today (August 30) and awarded the prizes to the winners last year. The Ceremony of 23rd Macau International Fireworks Display Contest Photo Competition and 23rd Macau International Fireworks Display Student Drawing Competition was held at the ground lobby of Macau Tower. Director of MGTO, João Manuel Costa Antunes, Deputy Director of MGTO, Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Acting Deputy Director of Cultural Affairs Bureau, Ieong Chi Kin, Head of Department of Cultural Activities and Recreation, Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau, Choi Chi Hong, Representative of Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, Chan Wun San, Representative of Maritime Administration, Kuan Chon Chun as well as photography, art and media representatives awarded the prizes. The list of winners is published on MGTO website. The awarded works are displayed at the ground lobby of Macau Tower effectively from today to September 6. Macau International Fireworks Display Contest is a spectacular annual event in Macau. The marvelous fireworks displays have attracted both local and foreign spectators and have gained an internationally acclaimed reputation for Macau. Through photography and drawing, Macau citizens can capture the beauty of the fireworks lighting up the night sky. This year, MGTO will add new categories to Macau International Fireworks Display Contest Student Drawing Competition and Photo Competition. Besides the two existing categories, a new category of 15 – 18 years old will be added to the student drawing competition. On the other hand, a high-school plus college student category of 17 – 24 years old will be added to the Photo Competition besides the existing public category. 24th Macau International Fireworks Display Contest Photo Competition and 24th Macau International Fireworks Display Student Drawing Competition are now open for entries and welcome all residents' participation.
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The Macao SAR Gazette issued today announcement the appointment of three director grade officers who will head the newly established Protocol, Public Relations and External Affairs Office. They are Mr Fung Sio Weng, who is appointed Director, and Mr Tong Wai Leong and Ms Lei Ut Muim who are appointed deputy directors. The Office will come into operation on September 1 and valid for one year, subject to renewal by the Chief Executive. Mr Fung obtained his master degree in public administration from the University of Macao. He joined the public service in 1987 and has held the post of Advisor of the Office of the Chief Executive from 1999. He is mainly responsible for co-ordinating and planning concierge and public affairs of the SAR Government. Mr Tong obtained his bachelor degree in software engineering from the Huaqiao University. He joined the public service in 1988 and had been the Chief of the Administration and Finance Division of the Macao Sport Development Board from 1988 to 2009. Ms Lei Ut Mui has obtained one master degree in business administration from the Asia Macau International Open University and one master degree in public administration from the Macau University of Science and Technology. She joined the public service in 1995 and has been serving in the public relations department of the Government Headquarter from March 2007.
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The Government of the Macao Special Administrative Region is ready to submit the second periodic report pursuant to the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (hereinafter referred to as the Convention), and the stated report will be incorporated into the sixth report submitted to the Committee Against Torture by the People's Republic of China pursuant to the provisions of the Convention. The content of the second periodic report mainly includes the relevant information of the latest development of the implementation of the Convention since the period of coverage of the first report submitted in 2004 and the responses to the things to note and suggestions raised by the Committee Against Torture during its delivery of concluding observations in 2008. Should anyone or any organisation have any opinion or comment on the implementation situation of the Convention in the Macao SAR, please submit your opinions to the Law Reform and International Law Bureau in writing through the following mean between 30 August and 28 September 2012: E-mail : info@dsrjdi.ccrj.gov.mo
Address : Alameda Dr. Carlos D'Assumpção, no. 398, Edf. CNAC, 6˚ andar, Macau
Fax : (853) 28750814 The Law Reform and International Law Bureau will put all the opinions collected into careful consideration. For those who plan to have your opinions kept completely or partially confidential, please clearly indicate your wish upon your raise of opinions in writing. The Chinese text and the English translation of the draft of the second periodic report have already been uploaded to the webpage of the Law Reform and International Law Bureau: www.dsrjdi.ccrj.gov.mo. The first report (CAT/C/MAC/4), the list of issues of the Committee Against Torture (CAT/C/MAC/Q/4), the Macao SAR's reply to the Committee's list of issues (CAT/C/MAC/Q/4/Add.1) and the Committee's concluding observations (CAT/C/MAC/CO/4) mentioned in the draft of the second periodic report have already been uploaded to the webpage of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights : http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cat/cats41.htm.
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Macau Government Tourist Office, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province co-organized joint promotion activities in three Indian cities to promote Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau tourism as well as travel itineraries with multi stops among their local media and trade. The event is aimed at developing new visitor sources and attracting Indian quality visitors to Macau in order to diversify the tourist market to further extent. The three tourism departments joined hands with Tourism Administration of Guangzhou Municipality, Zhongshan Municipal Tourism Bureau and Shenzhen Municipal Bureau of Culture, Sports and Tourism to co-organize promotion activities successively in Chennai, Mumbai and New Delhi, India. Nearly 300 Indian media and trade representatives were invited to participate in the activities. Director of Macau Government Tourist Office, João Manuel Costa Antunes, Deputy Director of Tourism Administration of Guangdong Province, Mei Qi Jie and General Manager for Business Development of Hong Kong Tourism Board, Patrick Kwok attended the joint promotion event in New Delhi today (August 29) and delivered a speech at the luncheon. Director João Manuel Costa Antunes expressed that Macau has always attached importance to India as a potential market; that Macau Government Tourist Office co-organized the joint tourism promotion event in India with Guangdong and Hong Kong for the first time to promote itineraries with multi stops in one trip, to further extend Indian visitor source and build the reputation as a regional travel destination. He stated that it not only benefits Macau tourism development but also strengthens regional tourism, bringing long-term profits to the entire Pearl River Delta Region as a travel zone; in addition, it also manifests the advantage of complementary resources among Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, maturing the cooperation among the three regions. The three tourism departments first introduced their unique tourist attractions and resources during the promotion session followed by jointly promoting itineraries which include all three destinations. The heads of the three tourism departments also met with local media to conclude this joint promotion event. The number of India visitors to Macau increased from nearly 10,000 in 2003 to 170,000 in 2011. During the stay in New Delhi, Director João Manuel Costa Antunes made a courtesy visit to Chinese Ambassador to India, H.E. Zhang Yan, Cabinet Minister of Tourism of India, Subodh Kant Sahai, and met with Secretary, Ministry of Tourism of India, R.H. Khwaja and Director of China National Tourist Office in India, Liu Shijun individually. Director João Manuel Costa Antunes also joined the Executive Director of Macau International Airport Co. Ltd., Suning Liu and the representative of Civil Aviation Authority to meet with Directorate General of Civil Aviation of India.
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The working group on food prices released its latest specific price survey on instant noodles. Prices of 10 brands of instant noodle were surveyed and significant price differences were recorded. The highest price difference recorded was almost 78 percent. Instant noodles are very common in consumers' daily lives, the current specific price survey covered products such as instant noodle, vermicelli and macaroni. The working group on food price collected prices of 10 brands of instant noodle products from 24 retail outlets on 23rd August. Survey result showed that 3 out of the 10 surveyed brands recorded price differences of over 60 percent. 'Nong Shim Shin Ramyun Noodle Spicy Mushroom Flavour (120g)' was sold at $4.2 to $7.5 in various outlets, which amounted to a price difference of 78.57 percent; 'Doll Instant Mifun (70g)', which was sold at $2.6 to $4.5, recorded a price difference of 73.08 percent, and the third highest price difference was recorded in 'Doll Instant Noodle - Sesame Oil Flavour (100gx5)', which was sold at $12.0 to $20.0, with a difference of over 66 percent. The specific price survey on instant noodles is now available on Consumer Council's website (www.consumer.gov.mo) and in the Council's 'Supermarket Price Information Platform' iPhone and Android apps.
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At the start of a new academic year, the University of Macau (UM) welcomed over 1,500 first-year students. The students showed a deep interest in the new friends they met, the environment of the campus they were shown around, and the unique campus culture of UM. UM Rector Wei Zhao said the new students injected a new vigour into the university. He encouraged the students to make good use of the four years and to try to achieve well-rounded growth through the best academic programmes, facilities and learning environment offered by UM. Everywhere on the campus was swarming with people. This year, UM admitted over 1,500 students from nearly eight thousand applicants. Rector Wei Zhao said he felt very proud of the students and expressed his hope that the students can realize whole person development during the four years through UM's "4-in-1" pedagogical model that consists of discipline-specific education, general education, research and internship education, and community and peer education. Rector Wei Zhao noted that with the start of the new academic year, UM will focus primarily on several areas, including the new campus construction progress and the relocation plan, the expansion of the residential colleges, the Charter revision, the further improvement of the "4-in-1" pedagogical model, and the improvement of the academic and student affairs structure, in order to create the best possible learning environment for the students, nurture more outstanding graduates for society, and achieve more results in scientific research. Chui Ka I, first-year student of the Faculty of Business Administration, said: "I look forward to the residential college education at UM, which I believe will not only allow me to discuss academic questions with the professors more frequently, but will also give me the opportunity to learn from their life experiences. I think the four years at UM will benefit me greatly." Chui also said she hopes to enter the Honours College (HC) so she can take full advantage of the unique programmes and overseas exchange opportunities provided by HC. Wong Ka Chon, who majors in computer sciences, shows a deep interest in the "4-in-1" pedagogical model at UM. He believes that general education as well as research and internship education, in addition to the traditional discipline-specific education, will help expand students' knowledge and stimulate their creativity, thereby better preparing the students for future challenges upon graduation. He also looks forward to the residential college arrangement, which he thinks sets UM apart from many universities in Asia, and which he believes will let him experience his university life to the fullest.
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