CityU hosts the Forum on Developing Research Talent for Portuguese-Speaking Countries Studies, Strengthening Talent Support for the China–PSC Platform

 

Professor Ip explained that, within the strategic layout of constructing three external economic and trade cooperation pathways — “Brazil–Latin America, Portugal–European Union, and Angola/Mozambique–Africa” — the key to leveraging Macao’s role as the China-Portuguese-speaking countries platform lies in reinforcing the strategic importance of talent. Guided by area studies, the mission is to cultivate more professionals who act as “country specialists”, “region specialists”, and “domain specialists” — combining global vision with deep-rooted national commitment. He highlighted Brazil, the largest Portuguese-speaking country in Latin America, as offering immense potential for cooperation with China in areas such as technological R&D and cultural innovation. At this stage, the focus should be on research into Portuguese- and Spanish-speaking countries, including Brazil, to build a corps of high-level, versatile professionals who master local languages and cultures, understand local customs, and are well-versed in international rules — thereby meeting national strategic needs and providing intellectual support for deepening China-Brazilian and broader China-Portuguese-speaking-countries cooperation.

Professor José Ronaldo Alves da Cunha, president of Brazil’s Darcy Ribeiro Foundation, expressed his appreciation to CityU for organizing this forum under the framework of the “2026 China-Brazil Year of Culture”. Recounting his experience of working alongside Mr. Darcy Ribeiro, he noted that Ribeiro was not merely an outstanding intellectual but also a politician dedicated to turning ideas into action, making remarkable contributions in education, environmental protection, and culture. The foundation’s donation to CityU of the Chinese translation of O Povo Brasileiro: A Formação e o Sentido do Brasil (The Brazilian People: The Formation and Meaning of Brazil) and other works seeks to foster mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of the two nations through cultural exchange. He expressed the hope that this book would help faculty and students dive deeper into Brazilian culture.

Professor Yang Jiemian, Chairman of the Academic Advisory Council of SIIS, remarked that area studies in Macao should be anchored in the motherland, give full play to Macao’s unique characteristics, and consciously serve the national strategy. He offered three key insights: First, from a historical perspective on international exchange in Macao’s area studies, one must acknowledge Macao as the earliest and most enduring convergence point between East and West in modern history, while focusing on drawing new insights from the past to serve the present. Second, looking at the current international communication dimension of Macao’s area studies, the focus should remain on Portuguese-speaking countries and the immediate mission, while simultaneously building a communication network that extends from “Portuguese-speaking countries to the Global South to the entire globe”. Third, Macao shall contribute to setting an international standard as China progresses toward and becomes a global power, while insisting on mutual learning and shared progress throughout this journey.

In her report, Professor Gisele Jacon de Araújo Moreira, vice-president of the Fundação Darcy Ribeiro (Darcy Ribeiro Foundation) in Brazil, reviewed Ribeiro’s life and thought. She pointed out that Ribeiro was not only an outstanding politician but also an intellectual with an independent mind, dedicating his life to exploring the formation of the Brazilian people and their autonomous destiny. She mentioned the integration of his profound insights into the formation of the Brazilian nation stemmed from a decade of ethnographic research living among Indigenous peoples in his early years, highlighting these experiences allowed him to discern the social problems embedded in colonial structures and to propose concepts such as “ethnic transformation” and developing an original theory of development that is independent of European and American frameworks and adaptable to the Latin American context. Vice-President Gisele Jacon de Araújo Moreira expressed the foundation’s hope that the release of the Chinese translation will serve as an opportunity to introduce this important Latin American thinker’s original theory of autonomous development — one that departs from the paradigms of developed countries and is tailored to the Latin American context.

Professor Zhang Hongming, dean of the University International College at Macau University of Science and Technology, stated that in the AI era, language education in Portuguese-speaking regions stands at a critical juncture of profound transformation: one is on the unprecedented opportunities for Portuguese language teaching, including personalized learning, intelligent assessment, cross-regional sharing of educational resources, and more precise support for different varieties of Portuguese; second is on challenges, such as the digital divide, unequal distribution of educational resources, the reshaping of educator’s roles, and the potential weakening of linguistic and cultural subjectivity. Dean Zhang highlighted that future Portuguese language education should not merely treat AI as a technical tool, but rather as an important opportunity to promote educational equity, facilitate cross-cultural communication, and enhance language competence and critical thinking. He emphasized the core topics related to the development of Portuguese-language education in the AI era, including striking a balance between technological innovation and humanistic values, and establishing an educational model that integrates efficiency, inclusivity and cultural diversity.

Professor Huang Guowen pointed out that Macao bears the unique mission in the national strategy of serving as a bridge connecting China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and the cultivation of language talents is a key pillar for deepening cooperation. He highlighted the challenges in training of Portuguese-language talents, such as insufficient scale, a narrow structural and a shortage of high-end professionals. Professor Huang said Macao should leverage its historical, institutional, and educational resource advantages to establish a curriculum system that integrates “language + regional and country-specific studies + specialized directions”, promote industry-academia collaboration, strengthen faculty development and teaching material development, launch targeted training programs for high-end research talents, and use digital tools to expand the reach of educational resources. He mentioned, through systematic reform, Macao can cultivate high-end talents who “understand the language, know the national contexts, excel in communication, and are capable of practical action”, thereby effectively serving China’s broader strategy of opening up and the development of the Belt and Road Initiative.

During the book donation ceremony, Darcy Ribeiro Foundation presented a series of books to IROPC, including O Povo Brasileiro: A Formação e o Sentido do Brasil. Dean Ip Kuai Peng received the donation on behalf of the Institute. Through this initiative, both sides aimed to jointly promote deeper interaction between China and Brazil in the fields of culture and education.