Alumna Sherry Weiran Zhang’s journey from Macao to some of the world’s most prestigious academic institutions is a testament to the quality of education at UTM. Through rigorous training, hands-on experiences, and a wealth of academic resources and networking opportunities at her alma mater, she has discovered her passion for cultural heritage and built the academic foundation that continues to shape her scholarly pursuits.
Graduating from UTM’s Bachelor of Science in Heritage Management programme in 2023, Sherry went on to complete a Master of Arts in Cultural Heritage Studies at University College London (UCL). She is now pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a focus in tourism and cultural heritage.
“UTM gave me a very solid theoretical foundation and helped me develop a deep understanding of cultural heritage,” she shared. “Even during my master’s and now my PhD, I still refer to the notes I took during undergraduate classes.”
Her education at UTM extended far beyond textbooks. Many of her courses involved practical projects that closely reflected real-world heritage management scenarios. For instance, students were often asked to develop management or conservation plans that required fieldwork, community interviews, and the application of classroom theory in real-world settings, she said.
Through UTM’s extensive academic and professional networks, Sherry also had the opportunity to undertake a six-month internship in Shanghai. There, she worked on projects for the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHITRAP), under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
This experience helped her gain an international perspective, as she had the chance to work with heritage experts not only from mainland China, but also from across the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, Sri Lanka, and Southeast Asian countries.
Scholarships and experience faculty
Sherry’s academic journey was also made possible by UTM’s comprehensive scholarship system. She received a full tuition scholarship for all four years of her undergraduate studies, along with several academic awards and honours. “I didn’t have to worry about tuition or living costs, which allowed me to fully focus on my studies,” she added.
Among her many achievements at UTM, Sherry received the Best Paper Award at the university’s annual Tourism Education Student Summit. Her award-winning undergraduate thesis was supervised by Dr Vicky Zhaoyu Chen, an assistant professor at UTM and a recent inductee into Stanford University’s “World’s Top 2% Scientists 2025” list.
This thesis later evolved into an academic paper co-authored by the duo, published in Tourism Recreation Research, a leading international journal. Titled “How does virtual reality facilitate museum interpretation? The experience of perceived authenticity”, the paper explores how virtual reality (VR) influences museum visitors’ perceptions of authenticity, a topic of growing importance as cultural institutions strive to remain relevant in the digital age.
“The integration of technologies like VR and AI is a global trend,” Sherry explained. “Our research can encourage museums to rethink how artefacts are presented and how the overall tourist experience can be improved.”
She also credits the experienced and dedicated faculty at UTM, including Dr Chen, for helping shape her academic development. “When I conduct academic research now, I often recall the guidance I received from my professors at UTM, especially on building theoretical frameworks and designing research,” she said. “These lessons have had a lasting impact on my academic journey.”