In early November, a CityU delegation led by Mr. Chan Meng Kam, Chairman of University Council, Prof. Yan Ze Xian, Vice Chairman of University Council and Prof. Zhang Shu Guang, Rector of CityU, visited and signed memorandums of understanding (MoU) with universities in the UK (Goldsmiths, University of London; University of Plymouth and University of Edinburgh) and Portugal (University of Évora).

The delegation was warmly received by the partner universities. During the meetings, leadership and representatives from each university expressed strong commitment to developing long-term and sustainable collaborative framework that would advance academic excellence of the universities. Several areas of collaborations had been agreed upon during the discussions. The partner universities will, in particular, work on student exchanges in Arts and Design, Creative and Cultural Industries Management, Urban Planning and Design, Business, Tourism and Hospitality, facilitate faculty exchange and research collaboration and develop joint degree programs with the newly revised Macau Higher Education Act to be in effect next August.

At Goldsmiths University of London, Warden Patrick Loughrey extended welcome to CityU to interact with the international team built in the university and work together to deliver programs that would offer students from both universities with greater global exposure and real world practice. The meeting with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and Faculty of Business at University of Plymouth was very effective in devising a task group to further the current collaboration led by Prof. Robert Brown. The delegation was also delighted to meet with students who were on the exchange program to CityU and to see their progressing work on urban planning research of Macau. During the visit at the University of Edinburgh, Prof. Miles Glendinning shared details on the Scottish Centre for Conservation Studies and the discussions deepened the possible exchanges in the area of architectural conservation. The last stop of the trip at the University of Évora reaffirmed the MoU signed earlier and emphasis was placed on the academic exchange between the partners and their links with counterparts in Portuguese speaking countries. The delegation also visited the Science and Technology Park of Alentejo which is rapidly expanding to support the promotion of initiatives in research and technological development.

The official trip strengthened the ties between the partner universities and brought forward several specific projects and plans. The university will continue to enhance its effort on internationalization and work closely on the upcoming collaborations that would provide students with more diverse learning experience and study choices.

Rector Zhang signing MoU with Mr. Patrick Loughrey, Warden of Goldsmiths, University of London

Rector Zhang signing MoU with Prof. Simon Payne, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of University of Plymouth

Group photo at University of Edinburgh with Prof. Miles Glendinning and Dr. Ruxandra-Stoica

Interaction with student from University of Plymouth who was on the exchange program to CityU and is undertaking urban planning research on Macau

Group photo at University of Évora with Rector, Prof. Ana Costa Freitas; Vice Rector, Prof. Paulo Quaresma and Pro-Rector, Prof. Inês Ruivo