From left to right: Consul General Miguel Bauzá y More, Director Inma González Puy, Dean Sun Jianrong and Vice President Lin Zhijun
The University International College of Macau University of Science and Technology and El Instituto Cervantes de Pekín (the Cervantes Institute of Beijing) held an agreement-signing ceremony at N101 in the morning of September 10, 2018 to launch the DELE Exam Center at M.U.S.T. This makes M.U.S.T. the only university in Macao to house a Spanish proficiency test center, which provides a better platform and great conveniences for Spanish major students while also advancing the teaching of the Spanish language.
Guests attending the ceremony include Mr. Miguel Bauzá y More, Consul General of Spain in Hong Kong, Prof. Lin Zhijun, Vice President of M.U.S.T., Mr. Inma González Puy, Director of El Instituto Cervantes de Pekín, and Prof. Sun Jianrong, Dean of UIC.
M.U.S.T. started Spanish major undergraduate program and master program in 2012 and 2018, respectively, thus being the only university in Hong Kong and Macao that offers both programs. As of today, the University has successfully trained near one hundred Spanish major graduates, most of whom went on to pursue further studies in universities across Europe and America, and some have finished studies and found engagements in media, education, finance, trade and other fields.
Photo of guests at the symposium
In the afternoon of the same day, historians and scholars from mainland China and Spain gathered at M.U.S.T. and participated in the “Diego de Pantoja, Symposium for the Precursors of Cultural Exchanges between China and the Hispanic World”, in memory of Mr. Diego de Pantoja, who passed away in Macao 400 years ago. M.U.S.T. joined with the Embassy of Spain in China, El Instituto Cervantes de Pekín, and the Consulate of Spain in Hong Kong in presenting the international symposium, which was given great support by organizations and institutions from China, Spain, and Ibero-America. The symposium set up seven roundtable sessions; elite scholars experts in the field of the tripartite relationships of China, Spain and the Hispanic world exchanged views on the history, status quo and future of these states.
Mr. Pantoja was born in the Spanish municipality of Valdemoro; he was a Jesuit missionary, an outstanding humanitarian, and a great sinologist. His works gave accurate depictions of the then Chinese society, life, cultures and customs, and these valuable records were widely spread across Europe and America. Mr. Pantoja was also one of the earliest cultural explorers who were given permission to enter the Forbidden City in the 17th century; there at the heart of the then China, he devoted his life to impart knowledge of western philosophies, music, geography and astronomy, culminating in highly praised works by scholars in the Ming Dynasty.
