Growing Academic Exchange with Portuguese Tertiary Institutions

On 17 to 25 September, Rector Shu Guang Zhang and Pro-Rector Ip Kuai Peng travelled to Portugal with a delegation formed by Macau tertiary institutions leaders. The delegation is led by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao SAR Tam Chon Weng and Director of Tertiary Education Services Office Sou Chio Fai. They visited University of Lisbon, University of Coimbra, University of Porto, Catholic University and other universities to discuss about future collaborations. The trip has been fruitful and has advocated exchange between Portuguese tertiary institutions and CityU.

During the visit in the second highest ranking integrated university, University of Porto, Rector Zhang signed an agreement of cooperation with Rector of University of Porto Sebastião José Cabral Feyo de Azevedo under the witness of Secretary Tam and Director Sou. According to the agreement, both parties will cooperate on Summer exchange programmes, International Hospitality and Tourism Management as well as Cultural and Heritage Management curriculum and scientific research on Portuguese-speaking countries and statistics. After the agreement signing, the delegation visited the Science and Technology Park of University of Porto and learned about the innovation and startup experience of the university.

The delegation also visited the second oldest university in Portugal, University of Evora. Rector Zhang and Pro-Rector Ip met with Rector Ana Costa Freitas and Vice Rector Paulo Quaresma of University of Evora. Agreed on collaborating on short-term student exchange, courses on urban planning and design (landscape science) and research on Portuguese-speaking countries, they planned to sign an agreement of cooperation soon.

Rector Zhang also visited University of Minho under their invitation and conducted a meeting with Rector Antonio Cunha. University of Minho is a high ranking integrated university in Portugal. CityU has signed an agreement of cooperation with them for academic research, talents cultivation, urban planning and application of big data. Both parties exchanged opinions and agreed on the implementation of the recently awarded higher education exchange programme Erasmus 2017-19. It is decided that two students, one teacher and one administrator will travel to University of Minho for exchange in the coming two years.

In recent years, CityU has utilized the advantage of the Special Administration Region’s position and the academic system of our university to promote international exchange and advocate multi-cultural learning. With the lately approved “System of Higher Education”, there is no doubt that cooperation between tertiary institutions in Portugal and CityU will widen.