Macao University of Tourism (UTM) Rector Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan told reporters on the sidelines of yesterday’s awards ceremony that while the university’s new campus at Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town is slated to be completed in 2030, its transition operations will start in the next academic year, with its primary focus on postgraduate education, marking the initiation of a transition phase for the project.
Vong make her remarks during yesterday’s graduation ceremony for the “Cultural Heritage Specialist Guide Training and Certification Programme” on the UTM campus in the Macau Peninsula’s Mong Ha district.
Vong pointed out that more than 10 postgraduate programmes will be launched on the future campus, requiring both students and faculty to commute between the Macau campus and the campus in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone for classes during the transition period, adding that the new campus involves a multi-phase construction plan in the in-depth cooperation zone. The initial phase will offer teaching facilities for up to 4,000 students.
Meanwhile, science and engineering-related programmes are planned to be introduced that integrate technological aspects, such as hospitality management and tourism, Vong said, adding that student dormitories and comprehensive support facilities will be set up as well, aligning with mainland operational standards to provide complete academic and living support for students and staff.
Moreover, UTM’s new campus will gradually expand its courses and enrolment capacity in the coming years, Vong said, adding that student numbers have seen consistent growth in recent years. She underlined that the project is forecast to have significant room for student recruitment expansion in the future. The students will not be specifically divided into the new campus and the existing one, as the two-campuses will be available for them in line with their educational needs, Vong said.
136 get UNESCO World Heritage cert
Vong said in a speech during yesterday’s graduation ceremony that, as of this year, 136 trainees had obtained the qualification of UNESCO World Heritage Professional Interpreters (Macau) through the UTM “Cultural Heritage Specialist Guide Training and Certification Programme”.
Vong added that the programme innovatively integrated interpretation skills with the concept of cultural heritage conservation and has been recognised by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee as a model project for promoting sustainable community development.
Macao University of Tourism (UTM) Rector Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan poses during yesterday’s awards ceremony for the “Cultural Heritage Specialist Guide Training and Certification Programme” at Macao University of Tourism campus in Mong Ha district. – Photo: Ida Cheong
