Secretary Cheong U’s Message to MUST Graduates at Congregation 2014:
“to be not afraid of losses, be concerned less about self and more about society, spread positive energy, conduct independent thinking and rational analysis while facing problems, keep a kind heart and do good deeds, and be a happy-go-lucky person”

Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) held the 2014 Congregation at 2:30 pm on June 7 (Saturday) in the University’s Sports Complex – Gymnasium. Nearly 1100 graduates of bachelor’s degree, master’s degree, and doctoral degree attended the ceremony. Mr. Cheong U, secretary for social affairs and culture of Macao SAR, officiated at the ceremony on behalf of Mr. Chui Sai On, Chief Executive of Macao SAR. Other guests attending the Congregation included: Mr. Feng Tie, Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Macao SAR; Mr. Zhang Xiao Guang, Deputy Director of the Culture and Education Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Macau SAR; MUST Foundation members, University Council and Advisory Committee members; representatives from other governmental departments, scholarship sponsors, enterprises, higher education institutions and secondary schools and students’ parents with a total number of over 2300.

President of MUST, Chair Professor Liu Liang encouraged the graduates to continuously regenerate themselves with innovative ideas, persevering spirits, and effusive passion for pursuing intellect and truth so as to better adjust to the new era where challenges and opportunities co-exist. At the same time he also expected the graduates to further foster such important capabilities as adaptation, independent thinking, effective communication and cooperation, and lifelong learning, and to shoulder responsibilities to reward and contribute to the society. He also considered it important for the graduates to equip themselves with a positive mentality, broad vision, openness, integrity and compassion for others. Time passes so swiftly, and it is his concern when the graduates bid farewell to the alma mater and are to embrace the upcoming new challenges that the graduates should never forget and thereby always act on the MUST motto “dedication to practical studies, enhancement of knowledge, ability and quality”.

Over the past year, the university’s comprehensive strength has been further enhanced and it has been raised to the 72nd in the academic rankings of universities across the two straits and four regions, provided by Shanghai Jiao Tong University. The university has installed an academic administration system that can adapt to educational internationalization, opened four new programs and majors, and established the Institute of Systems Engineering, the Research Center on Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, and the Research Center for International Standard of Chinese Medicines. The State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines has successfully passed the assessment test of its construction. Recently, the first offshore partner key laboratory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Partner Laboratory for the Key Laboratory of Lunar and Deep Space Exploration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, found its home at MUST. The university’s research publications at the Q1 zone of international SCI/SSCI academic journals have doubled, and the number of applications for national and international patents is four times that of the previous academic year. In humanities and arts studies, the university has also published a collection of high-quality academic monographs. In terms of developing the university campus, the design chart for the new teaching block has been completed and presented to the government for assessment and approval, while the construction of the fifth student dormitory building has broken ground. These progresses and advancements all indicate that the university is right on its way towards becoming a renowned university in the Asia-Pacific region.

Chairman of the University Council, Prof. Zhou Li Gao presented a summary that ever since the first day of its inception, MUST has been long committed to innovation and openness in fostering talents and in the meanwhile, devoted effusive passion and physical industriousness to the development of the university. Over the past fourteen years, the university has achieved a great leap in its quality of teaching, research, and social services, staff development and managerial development, which remarkable accomplishments have gained the university increasing recognition from all sectors of society. Hence, he expressed his sincere thanks to all of the university staff and gave his congratulations to the University for attaining such achievements. He also pointed out that in the past year, the university has entered a new stage in which its teaching is striving towards excellence, and in which high-level and high-quality research outcomes are booming. Building on their existing achievements, the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines and the Space Science Institute are producing fruitful research outcomes. Meanwhile, the university has also yielded research outcomes in its humanities and arts studies, which are highly recognized by both professionals and peers, and, in terms of new programs, “Doctor in Design” and “Master in Design” programs have been established. This has brought light to the university’s efforts to keep its young vitality by aiming for innovation and always bringing itself to the frontier of the era.

Mr. Cheong U, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, representative of Chief Executive of Macao SAR acknowledged the important role MUST has played in Macao as a private comprehensive university, commended MUST for its continuous optimization in program design and outstanding outcomes in academic research, and was satisfied about MUST’s steady rise in the academic rankings of universities across the two straits and four regions. Mr. Cheong U promised that government support to the development of MUST would continue as before for the purpose of promoting the overall standard of education and academic research in Macao and contributing further to the talent cultivation and social development of Macao. Mr. Cheong U also encouraged the graduates “to be not afraid of losses, be concerned less about self and more about society, spread positive energy, conduct independent thinking and rational analysis while facing problems, keep a kind heart and do good deeds, and be a happy-go-lucky person”.

At the end of the Congregation, two graduate representatives delivered speeches, thanking for the trust and honor bestowed by the university and the nurturing and support offered by teachers and parents. They considered the past four years as the most valuable time during which they have obtained both rich knowledge and practical experience through diversified general education program and numerous opportunities for practice provided by MUST. They fully acknowledged that graduation didn’t mean ending or finishing or completion, rather, it stood for a new beginning, a brand new phrase of their life. They also encouraged their fellow graduates to start a new chapter of their lives with the strength and confidence bestowed by their alma mater. Finally, the ceremony concluded successfully with the graduates’ happy cheers.

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