On 27 February, the Macao University of Tourism (UTM) and the UN Tourism jointly held a Scholarship Presentation Ceremony at the Taipa campus. The ceremony was officiated by Mr. Antonio López de Ávila, Director of Innovation, Education and Investments at UN Tourism, and Rector Dr. Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan of UTM. The event recognised the first outstanding student to receive a scholarship for the co-branded Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Analytics programme.
In late 2024, UTM signed a Partnership Agreement with the UN Tourism. Starting from the 2025/2026 academic year, the two sides have introduced collaboration in the Master of Science in Digital Marketing and Analytics programme. Upon successful completion of the programme, students will be awarded a Master of Science degree certificate by UTM, as well as a jointly issued certificate of programme completion by UN Tourism and UTM, enhancing the programme’s international recognition and strengthening graduates’ competitiveness for employment or further studies.
In her remarks, Rector Fanny Vong expressed her gratitude to Director Mr. López de Ávila for officiating at the ceremony and reflected on the more than decade-long partnership between UTM and UN Tourism. She expressed hope that both sides would further expand co-branded programmes in the future and extend them to the Guangdong–Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. Rector Vong encouraged faculty members and students to seize the new opportunities arising from the integrated development of culture and tourism in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as from technology-driven transformation in the tourism industry. She emphasised the importance of broadening regional perspectives, enhancing technological literacy, understanding human needs, and anticipating change in order to create sustainable value for tourism destinations and communities.
Director Mr. López de Ávila affirmed the achievements of the partnership and congratulated the scholarship recipient. Following the ceremony, he delivered a keynote lecture entitled “Smart Tourism Destinations: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Tourism Competitiveness”, sharing insights on how artificial intelligence and digital transformation are reshaping global destination management and competitive dynamics. Participants expressed that they greatly benefited from the lecture and gained deeper understanding of trends in smart tourism development.
The first recipient of the full tuition waiver scholarship, student Jason, Zhang Jiexuan, achieved the highest semester Grade Point Average (GPA), demonstrating outstanding academic performance. Jason remarked, “I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition. It not only acknowledges my past efforts but also motivates me to devote myself even more fully to my academic pursuits. I hope to continue pushing my limits in UTM’s international learning environment and lay a solid foundation for my future development”.
UTM will continue to deepen its partnership with UN Tourism, promote innovation in tourism education, and nurture more outstanding professionals equipped with international perspectives and professional expertise, contributing to the sustainable development of the global tourism industry.
