A delegation from Hunan Normal University (HNNU) visited Macau’s University of Saint Joseph (USJ) last week, aiming to promote and strengthen their partnership, according to a USJ statement. 

The HNNU delegation was headed by Chen Yujiang, director of the university’s Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office. USJ Vice Rector Prof. Zhang Shuguang, Faculty of Business and Law Dean Prof. Jenny Lao Phillips, and Department of Languages and Culture Head Prof. Lídia Zhou Mengyuan welcomed the delegation, the statement pointed out. 

The delegation, which was shown various facilities on the USJ campus during last Tuesday’s visit, was “particularly intrigued by the 3D printing equipment”, the statement said, adding that the visitors pointed out that USJ is “small in scale, but internationalised and exquisite.”  

The statement underlined that a memorandum of understanding was signed between the two universities last year to strengthen collaboration in different fields such as developing Portuguese language exchange programmes. 

“During the meeting, both institutions expressed their intention to cooperate and reached a consensus that exchange programmes for students and academics in the fields of Design, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development and International Tourism will gradually be introduced,” the statement said. 

The statement quoted Prof. Zhang as saying that Macau is a “super contact” for exchanges between China and the rest of the world, especially Portuguese-speaking countries,” adding that “USJ has a distinctive multicultural learning environment.”

USJ is co-owned by the Macau Catholic Diocese and the Catholic University of Portugal (UCP). 

HNNU, which was founded in 1938, is located in Hunan’s capital city Changsha. 

According to Wikipedia, the higher education institution is one of the nation’s 100 key universities that enjoy priority in obtaining national funds, and it is particularly reputable for its focus on teacher training, foreign language studies, Chinese literature, and history. 

University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Vice Rector Prof. Zhang Shuguang (left) hands a keepsake to Hunan Normal University’s (HNNU) Taiwan, HK and Macau Affair Office Director Chen Yunjiang) last Tuesday. Photo: USJ