To strengthen Macao’s role as a platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries and to advance the internationalisation of its higher education, Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) and the University of Coimbra (UC) have inaugurated the Artificial Intelligence Joint Laboratory for Healthy Longevity in Coimbra, Portugal on 6 October, 2025. The ceremony was presided over by Professor Marcus Im Sio Kei, Rector of MPU and Professor AmílcarFalcão, Rector of UC, who jointly unveiled a plaque to mark the laboratory’s official establishment. Both universities signed agreements aimed at enhancing collaborative education provision and academic exchange.

Rector Marcus Im Sio Kei highlighted the achievements stemming from the long-lasting partnership between MPU and UC, particularly in academic collaboration, researchinnovation, and talent development. The inauguration of this cross-disciplinary laboratory marks a significant step forward, injecting fresh momentum into both Sino-Lusophone cooperation and the global smart health industry. Rector Amílcar Falcão emphasised that the major projects underway between UC and MPU represent a profound endeavour, driven by a shared vision. He further noted that the laboratory will integrate academic and industrial resources to create a dynamic hub for active technological and cultural exchange.

Building on over three decades of collaboration between the two universities, this new laboratory leverages their combined academic strengths to pioneer AI-driven solutions for healthy longevity. Dedicated to interdisciplinary research with the integration of AI, biomedical science and healthcare, the laboratory will focus on developing nutraceuticals and traditional Chinese medicine through cutting-edge technology. A core mission is to cultivate international research talent, thereby contributing to regional development and advancing wellness in Macao and worldwide.

During the ceremony, the rectors signed agreements to elevatethe strategic partnership. These agreements encompass collaborative education, student and staff exchanges, joint research initiatives, and infrastructural co-development across Macao and Portugal as well as in the Guangdong-Macao In-depth Co-operation Zone in Hengqin, China. These initiativesfurther promote educational and scientific cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, solidifying Macao’s pivotal role as a Sino-Lusophone platform. They also mark the latest milestone between the two universities, building on the success of the “Joint Research Laboratory in Advanced Technologies for Smart Cities” and the dual PhD degree programme in information technology.

During the visit to UC, the MPU delegation held productive meetings with key UC affiliates from Multidisciplinary Institute of Aging (MIA), Department of Informatics Engineering (DEI), and the Pedro Nunes Institute Incubator (IPN), gaining insights into research collaboration models between the university and local enterprises. UC representatives include Professor Manuel Santos, Director of MIA; Professor João Malva, Director of Healthy Aging Hub; Professor Edmundo Monteiro, Director of the Faculty of Sciences and Technology; Professor Jorge Henriques, Directorof DEI; Professor António Mendes, Director of the MPU-UC Joint Research Laboratory in Advanced Technologies for Smart Cities, and Professor João Gabriel Silva, President of the Board of IPN. MPU delegates include Professor Joaquim Carvalho, Associate Dean of Faculty of Languages and Translation, and Dr. Christy Cheong, Head of Academic Affairs Department.