On 16 April, Dean Claire Jollain of HIM Business School (HIM), Switzerland visited the Macao University of Tourism (UTM) and held exchange talks with Rector Fanny Vong and faculty team. The two sides explored ways to further deepen their cooperation, jointly promote the internationalisation of tourism higher education, and enhance the development of the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town project. The visit aimed to familiarise HIM with UTM’s learning and living environment, preparing for its first batch of students to go on exchange to Macao and Hengqin.

HIM ranks 8th globally in the 2026 QS World University Rankings by Subject for Hospitality and Leisure Management. The two institutions have complementary strengths in the field of tourism education and hope to enhance exchanges and mutual learning in the future. UTM introduced its plan to extend postgraduate programmes to the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin in the new academic year, with the aim of bringing quality international education resources into the Cooperation Zone and Greater Bay Area.

Dean Claire Jollain strongly affirmed the importance of collaboration between the two institutions. She welcomed more students from Macao and Mainland China to study in Switzerland through the exchange programme offered by the two universities, where they can experience Swiss hotel management education and broaden their international perspectives.

Dean Jollain then delivered a talk to UTM students and faculty, offering practical suggestions for developing soft skills and enhancing leadership abilities. Participating students expressed that the sharing session was rich in content and that they found inspiration for equipping themselves for the future and stepping onto the international stage. UTM will leverage the opportunities arising from extended education in the Cooperation Zone to expand further international collaborations.