Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) held the 2015 Congregation at the MUST indoor gymnasium Block J at 2:30 p.m. on June 6th (Saturday). Over 1,150 undergraduate and postgraduate graduands attended the graduation ceremony. Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of Macao S.A.R., Dr. Alexis Tam Chon Weng officiated at the ceremony and other guests included Mr. Zhang Xiaoguang, Deputy Director of Department of Culture and Education, Liaison Office of Central Government in Macao, Mr. Li Nan, Director of Department of Public Diplomacy and Information, The Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China in Macao, Mr. Sou Chio Fai, Director of Tertiary Education Services Office, members of MUST Foundation, members of the University Council and Advisory Board, and representatives from local government organs, scholarship sponsors, enterprises, colleges and secondary schools.
While addressing the audience, President Chair Professor Liu Liang first extended warm congratulations to all the 2,500 graduating students, both undergraduate and postgraduate, who have completed their studies and are about to get their degrees. He also expressed his heartfelt gratification and happiness for what the graduating students have achieved with years of diligence and hard work.
According to President Liu, for the past 15 years, MUST has closely adhered to its mission “to promote cultural exchange, nurture intellectual growth, foster economic development, and further societal progress”, has assumed the responsibility of producing outstanding talents with both professional knowledge and humanistic qualities, and has devoted itself to delivering high-quality whole person education responding to the needs of social development and demands of the evolving times. The University has made significant progress in teaching, research, management and social services in the recent years. In this academic year, a number of new undergraduate, Master, and doctoral programs have been launched, and several research and service platforms, including “Macau Institute of Environmental Studies” and “Macau Academy of Cinematic Arts” have been newly established. The Lunar and Planetary Science Laboratory of MUST has become a partner laboratory of Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, being the first offshore key partner laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The partner laboratory has already published papers in top international journals such as “Science”. The research team of the University’s State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine has also won several prominent awards this year, one of which is the First Class Prize, Natural Science Award by the Ministry of Education, P.R. China (2014). This academic year has seen an over-30% increase in the number of research papers published in national and international journals, a 40% rise in the number of approved patents, and the publication of quite a few high-quality monographs and paper collections in humanities and social sciences. All the development and achievements have added to the growing momentum for the University to reach higher goals.
President Liu also offered graduates words of encouragement, “the road ahead is long and difficult. How to overcome obstacles, solve problems, or eliminate barriers to your life dreams, depends not only on how much professional knowledge you possess, but more importantly on your personal values and moral qualities, which means whether you possess such humanistic qualities as gratitude, humility, gentleness, communicativeness, cooperativeness, accommodativeness, generosity and dedication, commitment, and perseverance. Only with professional knowledge, noble character and solid integrity can you claim leadership in your time, can you lead a fulfilling and exciting life. And I wish each one of you a fulfilling and exciting life!”
Chairman of the University Council of MUST, Prof. Zhou Ligao also delivered a speech. In his speech, he expressed his sincere gratitude to all students and teachers for their hard work and warm congratulations to MUST on its tremendous achievements. Chairman Zhou stressed the fruits MUST has reaped in teaching, research, social services, faculty team building, management enhancement, and campus construction in the past 15 years and the wide recognition MUST has won from all sectors of Macao society. He promised that the University Council will continue to collect brilliant ideas and suggestions to assist and ensure the further development of MUST. It’s his belief that with the enthusiastic support from Macau society, what awaits MUST is sure to be a bright and promising future.
Chairman Zhou reminded the graduates that graduation doesn’t mean the end of learning; instead, it is the start of a new leg of their life’s journey, which will be mixed with challenges and great possibilities. He sincerely hoped that the graduates will embrace the challenges with arduous efforts and fearless spirit, and strive for success by putting what they’ve learned into practice and by exerting themselves to the utmost.
Secretary Alexis Tam Chon Weng addressed the audience too. According to him, ever since its establishment, the Macau SAR government has given a high priority to education, implemented policies of “letting Macau thrive through education” and “nurturing talents for the future of Macau” , placed great emphasis on the development of local higher education and improvement of educational quality, actively engaged itself in implementing the development blueprint of Macau, that is, building Macau into a world tourism and leisure center and a commerce and trade service platform between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, and established the long-term mechanism for talent cultivation in response to the need for promoting adequate diversification of the economy, regional synergies, sustainable development and societal progress.
Secretary Tam assured the audience that the MASR government will continue to support the development of MUST, and hoped that MUST will adhere to its motto “dedication to practical studies, and enhancement of knowledge, ability and quality”, build on its past achievements and forge ahead in a pioneering spirit. He also hoped that in the course of pursuing quality professional education and outstanding academic research, MUST is able to make newer and greater contributions to Macau and China as a whole, by fostering more quality talents with both ability and integrity, both professional knowledge and noble character, and quality talents that meet the demand of economic and technology globalization. Finally Secretary Tam wished all MUST graduates a promising career and a bright future!
