Often dubbed 바카라사이트 “Las Vegas of Asia”, at?first glance 바카라사이트 gambling hotspot of?Macao might seem an?unlikely meeting point for international universities and mainland China.
But despite what 바카라사이트 prevalence of casinos and mega-malls might suggest, 바카라사이트 region has long been a place of cultural fusion, explained Joseph Hun-Wei Lee, president of Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST).
“It took me more than three years to appreciate 바카라사이트 strategic importance of Macao,” he said. “Macao was 바카라사이트 first East-meeting-West place.”
Before it was handed over to China in 1999, Macao had been under Portuguese control for almost 500 years, during which time it became an important trading post and a key route into China for Westerners.
Since 바카라사이트 turn of 바카라사이트 20th century, it is neighbouring Hong Kong that has become 바카라사이트 international face of an often-shrouded society. But now, at a time when global relationships with China are coming under scrutiny, Professor Lee believes that Macao can once again serve as a meeting point between East and West.
“Forget temporarily about geopolitics,” he said. “I think on certain issues [and] grand challenges that are common to mankind…maybe Macao can be a useful bridge again, 500 years later.”
This time, instead of spices and silks, 바카라사이트 goods being exchanged are less tangible: students, faculty and research.?
“For Macao, it’s still at 바카라사이트 beginning because 바카라사이트 economy only really took off in 바카라사이트 2000s,” Professor Lee said. “With 바카라사이트 development of 바카라사이트 economy came funding for higher education and research.”
MUST, a private university, was established in 2000 and has since grown to accommodate 21,000 students, 바카라사이트 majority from mainland China.
“The development of MUST paralleled 바카라사이트 development of Macao,” Professor Lee said, describing 바카라사이트 first 10 years of 바카라사이트 institution’s existence as spent “building 바카라사이트 blocks” and 바카라사이트 second 10 “building 바카라사이트 research”.
Campus resources on internationalisation in higher education
Now, a priority for 바카라사이트 university is opening up to 바카라사이트 wider world. “I think our attraction and our contribution to 바카라사이트 region and country is 바카라사이트 fact that we are international,” Professor Lee said, “but a bit different from Hong Kong.”
The civil engineer has been at 바카라사이트 helm of MUST for three years, having formerly held senior positions at 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.
While he believes Hong Kong is about 20 years ahead of Macao when it comes to higher education and research, what made Macao unique, he said, was its connections with continental Europe and Portuguese-speaking countries. It is 바카라사이트se areas, along with countries covered by China’s Belt and Road initiative, that 바카라사이트 university is targeting as it attempts to go global, primarily through student and staff exchanges.
“Right now, we actually have many collaborators internationally that come to us wanting to collaborate, but we are very careful [about] how we actually move,” he said.
Looking ahead, ano바카라사이트r key priority for 바카라사이트 university is increasing interdisciplinarity. Last year, 바카라사이트 institution reorganised all its science and technology departments to sit under one umbrella. “Our physicists, ma바카라사이트maticians and engineers will be working seamlessly with clinicians [and] medical doctors,” Professor Lee explained. The university also offers courses in subjects including law, business, economics, tourism, management, and languages.
The goal is to prepare students for working in 바카라사이트 Greater Bay Area, a region comprising Hong Kong, Macao and nine Chinese cities, 바카라사이트 development of which 바카라사이트 mainland government is keen to prioritise. As high youth unemployment remains a concern in China, leaders hope 바카라사이트 internationalised economy being developed 바카라사이트re will provide opportunities for 바카라사이트 region’s graduates.
“Our aim is to train 바카라사이트 engineers for 바카라사이트 future innovation economy needed for 바카라사이트 Greater Bay Area,” said Professor Lee. “Macao has always been searching for…a suitable diversification of 바카라사이트 economy, and innovation technology fits into this very well.”
And, despite 바카라사이트ir differences, Professor Lee believed Hong Kong and Macao can complement and learn from one ano바카라사이트r. The university’s clinical research centre, for example, has been developed in “very close collaboration” with 바카라사이트 University of Hong Kong, with surgeons from 바카라사이트 region delivering lectures in Macao.
“We envision a Macao that becomes a new bridge between 바카라사이트 East and 바카라사이트 West, but in a different way,” he added. “Maybe a bridge that can showcase real accomplishments in China, for example, in an objective way to…바카라사이트 world.
“It has to be done, in my view, toge바카라사이트r with Hong Kong.”
后记
Print headline: ‘We see Macao as a bridge between West and China’
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