Macao SAR accelerates university town plans

The Macao Special Administrative Region is accelerating plans to build the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town, aiming to integrate education, technological innovation and talent development, officials said.

The first phase is scheduled to begin operations in August, with about 1,300 postgraduate students from three public institutions — University of Macau, Macao Polytechnic University and Macao University of Tourism — set to study and live on the new campus.

O Lam, Macao's secretary for social affairs and culture, said the SAR is working to become a hub for international high-end talent by leveraging its role as a bridge between China and the world.

The university town is designed to support cross-border educational expansion. Under a pilot arrangement approved by the Ministry of Education, academic programs offered in the town will be recognized through a special "whitelist" administered by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange, allowing students to access internationally oriented education closer to home, she said.

"Apart from simply extending Macao universities into Hengqin, institutions will work with leading overseas universities to introduce joint degree programs, research platforms and laboratories, creating a more international academic environment," she said.

The second phase, centered on a new campus for the University of Macau in Hengqin, Guangdong province, is expected to become operational in 2029. By 2030, the university town is expected to accommodate about 20,000 students.

Song Yonghua, rector of the University of Macau, said construction of the Hengqin campus is progressing steadily, with the campus projected to host about 4,000 students in 2029.

"It will adopt the university's existing academic structure, admissions system and faculty recruitment, creating a truly integrated model across the border," Song said.

To strengthen internationalization, the university plans to expand dual-degree programs with overseas partners, recruit leading global researchers, and increase enrollment of students from countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and BRICS economies, he added.

This year, the university launched 23 postgraduate programs, including courses in artificial intelligence and microelectronics. More than 900 master's and doctoral students have been admitted.

"Some courses will be taught in the first phase of the university town, while laboratory-based classes will remain on the main Macao campus, supported by dedicated cross-border transportation arrangements," he said.

Si Jianing, a doctoral student in computer science at the university, lives in Hengqin and commutes daily across the border.

Free shuttle buses transport students from residential communities in Hengqin to the port during peak hours. A pedestrian bridge linking the port area with the university has further reduced travel time, she said.

"If I don't have to wait for a bus, it usually takes less than 30 minutes from the time I leave home until I arrive for class," Si said, adding that travel will be more convenient when the new campus in Hengqin becomes fully operational.

The higher education sector in Macao has experienced rapid growth over the last five to six years, said Kong Chi-meng, director of Macao's Education and Youth Development Bureau.

The total student population has risen from more than 30,000 to over 67,000, with about 50,000 coming from outside Macao.