To strengthen long-term partnerships between the University of Macau (UM) and Australian universities, UM Vice Rector Rui Martins led a delegation to visit several leading universities in Australia. During the visits, the UM delegation held meetings with representatives of the Australian institutions to discuss potential areas of cooperation, including curriculum design, student exchange, and joint research projects. The UM delegation also presented the latest developments on the UM campus in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.

Martins said that the trip has reinforced the foundation for UM’s cooperation with Australian universities in teaching, research, and talent development. He emphasised that UM will continue to expand its global partnership network, enhance internationalisation, and nurture more globally competitive talent for Macao and China.

In Melbourne, the UM delegation visited the University of Melbourne and RMIT University. Thas Nirmalathas, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Melbourne; Nick Scarborough, director international of RMIT University; Mathews Nkhoma, associate deputy vice-chancellor (strategy, international & engagement, College of Business and Law) of RMIT University; and Charlie Xue, associate deputy vice-chancellor (international, STEM College) of RMIT University, all expressed strong interest in collaborating with UM on electromechanical engineering and computer engineering programmes, with a view to initiating academic collaboration.

The delegation also visited Monash University, Deakin University, and La Trobe University. Sunny Yang, vice-president of Monash University, and David Halliwell, deputy vice-chancellor of Deakin University, praised UM for the latest developments and operational model of its campus in the Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. They also discussed the potential of establishing platforms for student and faculty exchange with the delegation. Martins and Helen Yang, associate dean of La Trobe Business School, reviewed the partnership between the two universities spanning over three decades, and agreed to renew the memorandum of understanding and expand the scale of student exchange.

In Queensland, the UM delegation visited the University of Queensland (UQ) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT). They met with Brett Lovegrove, pro-vice-chancellor of UQ, and Cameron Newton, acting deputy vice-chancellor and vice-president of QUT, to explore the possibility of setting up joint talent development programmes, summer programmes, and semester exchange programmes. Both UQ and QUT agreed to sign a cooperation agreement with UM to further promote research collaboration and academic exchange.

The delegation also visited Griffith University, where both parties expressed their commitment to deepening cooperation in cultivating high-quality talent.

In addition, the UM delegation paid a visit to the Chinese Consulate-General in Brisbane, where they were warmly received by Consul-General Ruan Zongze and Vice-Consul Shi Haoyan. Ruan said that the Consulate-General will support UM in strengthening its cooperation with universities in Queensland.

In addition to Martins, the UM delegation included Yu Jun, dean of the Faculty of Business Administration (FBA); Xu Cheng-Zhong, dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST); Chen Fangyuan, assistant dean of FBA; Dai Ningyi, assistant dean of FST; and Wang Chunming, director of the Global Affairs Office.