The University of Macau (UM) and the University of Lisbon (ULisboa) today (7 December) held a cooperation agreement signing ceremony for their dual doctoral degree programme. The two universities, building on the good foundations of research innovation and academic exchanges, will establish cooperation for the joint training of high-calibre talent, create a new model of cooperation between universities, and jointly promote the high-quality development of higher education in both places.

During the ceremony, UM Rector Yonghua Song, ULisboa Rector Luís Ferreira, and President of ULisboa Instituto Superior Técnico, Rogério Colaço, signed the cooperation agreement for the dual degree programme. Both parties will focus on talent cultivation, as well as academic and research collaboration in the fields of microelectronics, robotics, and ocean science, and recommend their respective doctoral students in the relevant fields to enrol in the dual doctoral degree programme. Students who have completed the required coursework and research, and fulfilled the graduation requirements will be awarded a Doctor of Philosophy degree by UM and a doctorate degree by ULisboa, respectively.

Song said that ULisboa has been an important partner of UM. Over the years, the two universities have deepened their cooperation in student exchanges, joint talent cultivation, scientific research, and the establishment of higher education alliances. In April this year, UM and ULisboa signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement, which elevated their relationship to a strategic partnership. As an international public comprehensive university in the Macao SAR, UM is committed to expanding and deepening its cooperation with universities and research institutes in Portugal, with the aim of promoting the synergistic and innovative development of higher education and talent cultivation, as well as giving full play to its role of as a bridge for higher education cooperation and exchanges between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. He also expressed hope that the launch of the doctoral degree programme will further strengthen and foster exchanges and cooperation in the fields of higher education, science and technology between the two places, so as to create high-quality development opportunities.

Representatives of ULisboa present at the signing ceremony also included João Peixoto, vice rector of ULisboa; Fátima Montemor, vice president of ULisboa Instituto Superior Técnico; and José Santos-Victor, head of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of ULisboa Instituto Superior Técnico. Representatives of UM included Rui Martins, vice rector of UM; Wang Chunming, director of the Research Services and Knowledge Transfer Office; Wang Ruibing, director of the Global Affairs Office; Dai Ningyi, assistant dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST); Xu Jie, interim director of the Centre for Regional Oceans; and Carlos Silvestre, professor in FST.