A total of 26 Macao students is taking part in this year’s scheme. The 14-day exchange trip to the Mainland key city of Tianjin is helping them to learn more about the development of that metropolis, and to deepen their knowledge of China’s history and culture
The Tianjin Exchange Programme for Macao University Students is already a fixture in the local education calendar. The annual event is now in its eighth edition, with each one sending a group of local students to Tianjin to get to know more about that Mainland city and the motherland overall. The exchange programme is jointly organised by: the Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC); the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR; and the Tianjin Municipal Committee of the CPPCC; as well as Macao Foundation. It is co-organised by UTM and the College of Tourism and Service Management at Nankai University in Tianjin.
The latest edition of the exchange had an official launch ceremony at UTM’s Mong-Há Campus on 21 June, prior to the group setting off for Tianjin. This year, a total of 26 students from five higher education institutions in Macao is taking part in the fortnight-long programme, which runs from 23 June to 6 July.
The overall Tianjin Exchange Programme series aims to boost exchanges between young people from the two places, providing fresh impetus for mutual development. The scheme was initiated in 2015 by Mr Edmund Ho Hau Wah, Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the CPPCC.
The Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan and Overseas Chinese of the CPPCC National Committee sent a message to the latest group of participants of the exchange programme. The body said it supported Macao’s young people in seeking to embark on learning and exchange activities in the Mainland. Such activities would lead them to enhance their sense of national pride and to integrate actively into the country’s development, it said.
Mr. Li Shaohong, Vice Chairman of the Tianjin Municipal Committee of the CPPCC, was one of the officials attending the launch ceremony at UTM for this year’s exchange programme. He expressed the hope that Macao students could increase their identification with the motherland through this exchange programme, and contribute to the advancement of the People’s Republic of China, thus serving the country and Macao.
UTM Rector Dr. Fanny Vong Chuk Kwan also delivered a speech at the ceremony. She expressed gratitude for the trust placed in UTM by the organising entities of the programme. Dr. Vong added that UTM was working to continue providing opportunities for students to learn about the history and culture of the country, via in-person exchange activities.
Among the young people taking part in this year’s programme is UTM Cultural and Heritage Management graduating student Kenny Chong Pui Lam. It is his first time in Tianjin, and he is enthusiastic about discovering the city’s historic sites and intangible cultural heritage. In particular, he was excited about the opportunity to visit the Former Residence of Li Shutong, a famed Chinese artist who lived between 1880 and 1942.
“He is the most important person in Chinese contemporary art history. He brought in Western techniques and blended them into Chinese-style art, so he is a very important figure,” explained Chong Pui Lam.
With a focus on his upcoming professional career, Kenny aspires to gain immersive insights into the conservation policies of Macao and Tianjin, as well as to meet people from various universities, fostering meaningful exchanges of ideas, from different perspectives.
Also taking part in the programme is Leo Pun Seng Hang, who is studying for a bachelor’s degree in Finance at the University of Macau. He said he joined the scheme to learn more about the cultural changes taking place in Tianjin, as well as to gain firsthand insight into advanced technologies already in use in the Mainland.
“I am most looking forward to visiting the Tianjin Planning Exhibition Hall. That should be the easiest way to understand the city’s history,” he said.
Editor: UTM Public Relations Team





