MUST Conferment Ceremony of Honorary Doctoral Degrees, as one of the 15thAnniversary celebration events, was held at D Hall of Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) at 3pm on March 27th, 2015. Representative of Dr. Chui Sai On, Chief Executive of the Macau Special Administrative Region (SAR), Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Dr. Tam Chon Weng officiated at the ceremony, brightened up the MUST Conferment of Honorary Doctoral Degrees.
At the ceremony, the university conferred honorary doctoral degrees upon five outstanding scientists in the world, Professor Zhu Dao Ben, Professor Xu Zhi Hong, Professor Xue Qi Kun, Professor Chen Zhu and Professor Jean-Marie Pierre Lehn. Professor Zhu Dao Ben, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, has made tremendous contributions to higher education and scientific research and has been widely recognized and honored in both national and international academic and scientific communities. Professor Xu Zhi Hong, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, is an eminent botanist whose research results have played a significant role in the advancement of his research field. In the meantime, he is also a leader of China’s post-secondary educational reform. Professor Xue Qi Kun, Academician of Chinese Academy of Sciences, is a world-renowned experimental physicist. He has been active in the international academic community and invited to deliver over 100 keynote speeches at the international conferences. Professor Chen Zhu, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, foreign member of the Academy of Sciences of both the United States and France, has long been respected internationally for his prominent academic achievements and many people who suffered from leukemia around the world have been rescued by his research findings. Nobel laureate Professor Lehn, American and French Academician, has won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Always searching for new findings, he has developed new lines of research in the recent decades and also made significant breakthroughs. Due to the schedule constraints, Professor Chen Zhu and Professor Jean-Marie Pierre Lehn will receive their honorary doctoral degrees on a later date after the ceremony.
The guests attending the ceremony mainly included Mr. Sun Da, deputy Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau SAR, Ms. Xu Ting, head of the Department of Culture and Education, Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macau SAR, Mr. Cai Siping, Deputy Commissioner, Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China in the Macau SAR, Dr. Tam Chon Weng, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Mr. Sou Chio Fai, Director of Tertiary Education Services Office, Mr. Lou Pak Sang, Acting Director of Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, Mr. Cheang Kun Wai, Administrative Committee Member of the Science and Technology Development Fund, members of MUST Foundation, members of the University Council and University Court, and representatives from some government organs, scholarship sponsors, colleges and secondary schools. Guests and MUST teachers and students present at the ceremony witnessed the special moment together. The honorary degree recipients set shining and lasting examples for MUST teachers and students with their ambition and dedication, perseverance and hard work, spirits of exploration and innovation, noble characters and extraordinary achievements.
President Chair Professor Liu Liang indicated in his address that these five distinguished recipients of honorary doctoral degrees have achieved extraordinary successes in their own academic or professional areas. Well respected in the academic circle from home and abroad, and regarded as the pride of the country, they are the role models for MUST teachers and students. President Liu also encouraged MUST teachers and students to be guided by the university motto, led by the five honorary degree recipients, addicted to constant self-improvement and passionate about personal and professional pursuits. When recalling the 15-year journey of MUST, President Liu pointed out that MUST was built from scratch—from the site originally covered by seawater and marshes, and has progressed into the youngest among the “Top 100 Universities” across the Strait, and formed the campus culture featuring harmony and excellence, pragmatism and development. He also remarked that the University will continue the policy of attaching equal importance to both teaching and research, and further attract teaching and research talents to join the university family, so as to ensure quality education, excellent research and international outreach. He also promised the university will provide more talents, technology and products for the realization of a diversified and sustainable economy and foster generations of young talents for the betterment of Macau.
In his acceptance speech, honorary degree recipient Dr.Xu Zhihong admitted a sense of pride in being conferred the honorary doctoral degree together with the other four fellow recipients. He also expressed his heartfelt thanks to the officiating guests, MUST management, all teachers and students. To share his concern on education, he quoted remarks of President Xi Jinping at the Gathering Marking the 15th Anniversary of Macau’s Return to the Motherland, “continue to be future-oriented and strengthen the education of upbringing of the younger generation.” He also expressed his hope that MUST could cultivate more talents for Macau and China as a whole, and MUST could make greater contributions to the economic diversification and sustainable development of Macau, to passing the glorious tradition of “patriotism and love for Macau” onto the future generations, and to the revitalization of the Chinese nation and human civilization.
Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Dr. Tam Chon Weng also delivered a speech. He considered it a great honor to represent Dr. Chui Sai On Chief Executive of the Macau SAR to attend this MUST Conferment Ceremony of Honorary Doctoral Degrees. He also extended his sincere congratulations to the five honorary degree recipients-- Professor Zhu Dao Ben, Professor Xu Zhi Hong, Professor Xue Qi Kun, Professor Chen Zhu and Professor Jean-Marie Pierre Lehn. Secretary Tam complimented on MUST’s achievements and contributions to the community by acknowledging the progress MUST has made in the past 15 years, especially in nurturing talents, raising the quality of education and research, enhancing the ability to serve the society. Secretary Tam also encouraged MUST to continue attaching equal importance to teaching and research, and pursuit of outstanding research. With the continuous efforts to improve both education and research, MUST will continue to make great contributions to the Macau SAR and China as a whole.
The ceremony ended with a dialogue between the honorary doctorates and MUST students, in a very lively and harmonious atmosphere. Three honorary degree recipients were invited to share their perceptions of university, profession and life experiences with the students. The MUST 15th Anniversary Celebration Gala (Opera)was held at 7pm in Block J, the Gymnasium of MUST.
