The City University of Macau (CityU) held its Convocation for Academic Year 2026/2027 today to welcome over 4,000 new students. The event was live streamed online, attracting over 20,000 views. The ceremony took place at the Cultural Centre, Taipa campus.
The ceremony was officiated by Cen Jiayi, director of the Education and Youth Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region; Lei Im Kei, acting department head of the Education and Youth Development Bureau; Chan Meng Kam, CityU Chancellor and Chairman of the University Council; Ung Choi Kun, vice chairman and Kong Fanqing, vice chairwomen of the University Council; Rector Liu Jun and Vice Rector Zhou Wanlei. Representatives of middle schools, social elites, faculty members and student representatives also attended the ceremony.
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At the ceremony, the Portuguese version of the university anthem was premiered. Accompanied by the melodious tune, the choir and students majored in Portuguese studies sang along with passion, demonstrating the diverse and inclusive campus culture and the achievement of the students.
In his speech, Rector Jun Liu extended a sincere welcome to the new students from all over the world and shared four principles for learning in the rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI):
- First, Question: Be curious, don’t be satisfied with the first answer, and dare to ask further questions;
- Second, Verify: Analysis and verify the information, ask for evidence, examine the source, and face the unknown and challenges with an open heart;
- Third, Connect: Break down disciplinary boundaries, actively learn from different fields, and exchange ideas with people from different cultural backgrounds;
- Fourth, Create: Don’t passively consuming knowledge, expand the boundaries of human cognition.
Rector Liu emphasized that the essence of university education lies in cultivating independent and critical thinking, and regarded that as the valuable skills in the rapid development of AI. He said that CityU provides students with high-quality faculty, advanced facilities, and an international development platform, but true growth and transformation stem from proactive exploration. He expressed hopes that freshmen will dare to challenge themselves, read widely to learn, embrace diverse perspectives, dare to innovate and practice, face setbacks and challenges with an open heart, and make their journey at CityU fulfilling.
Professor Arman Eshraghi of the Faculty of Finance delivered a speech as a faculty representative. He stated that CityU, under overall national and Macao’s diversified development strategy, is a forward-thinking, young and growing university. He said that Macao needs interdisciplinary international talents to develop diversified industries such as FinTech and digital economy, which is precisely where CityU matters. He encouraged new students to not only pursue academic performance, but also maintain their curiosity, independent judgment and critical thinking skills, develop a well-rounded character, dare to explore and try new things, and grow into talents who are difficult to replace and can empower Macao and serve social development with their knowledge.
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This morning, the University also held a flag-raising ceremony for the new academic year at the Taipa Campus. University leaders and representatives from faculties, administrative departments, and students attended the event, opening the new academic year with full enthusiasm.
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Photo credits: CityU Reporter
