To advance the internationalisation of Macao’s higher education, Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) Vice Rector Dr Vivian Lei attended the 2026 Times Higher Education (THE) Asia Universities Summit. During the leadership dialogue session for higher education institutions in the Greater China region, Dr Vivian Lei shared MPU’s distinctive teaching and research features, its internationalisation strategy, and the blueprint for its “Global Campus.” She also promoted the development of the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town to presidents and representatives of renowned universities from around the world. Nearly 600 global university leaders attended the summit to explore how the innovative power of Asian higher education is reshaping global paradigms and fostering international academic collaboration.

In her speech, Dr Vivian Lei highlighted that MPU is actively driving the development of the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town as part of its internationalisation strategy. The University is currently establishing joint teaching and research bases with Portuguese higher education institutions and plans to extend this collaborative network to partners across other Portuguese-speaking countries and Europe. By building sustainable multilateral cooperation mechanisms, MPU aims to deepen integration in education, scientific research, and technological innovation. These efforts seek to pool high-quality international resources and top-tier talent for the Education Town, transforming the Hengqin campus into a borderless, trans-regional “Global Campus” and a pivotal hub for educational cooperation between China and the rest of the world.

MPU continues to deepen academic exchange and cooperation with higher education institutions worldwide. During the summit, the University featured a dedicated exhibition booth to showcase its research strengths and achievements in “AI+” interdisciplinary research. MPU actively engaged in discussions regarding academic partnerships, attracting numerous participants for exchange and further enhancing its academic influence and international profile. Representatives from various universities expressed enormous interest in MPU’s unique teaching and research characteristics and its developmental trajectory. Discussions were held on potential collaborations, including faculty and student exchange programmes and joint talent cultivation, further expanding MPU’s international partner network.