It was a deeply personal fascination with cultural heritage that led Greens Yang Tianze to enrol in the Bachelor of Science in Cultural and Heritage Management programme at UTM in 2021. Now, after four transformative years of academic training, practical experience, and international engagement, he is set to embark on the next chapter of his journey: a master’s degree in Historic Preservation Planning at Cornell University in the United States.
Greens’ interest in cultural heritage began in childhood, fuelled by a natural curiosity about human civilisation, spirituality, and the intangible threads that bind people to place and history. “I’ve always been interested in cultural heritage, and globally, very few universities offer undergraduate programmes specifically in this field,” the UTM graduate explained. “That, along with UTM’s reputation and Macao’s unique cultural landscape, is what drew me here four years ago.”
At UTM, Greens found a curriculum that exceeded his expectations. Far from focusing solely on iconic monuments like Egypt’s pyramids or the Great Wall of China, the programme offered a value-based, interdisciplinary approach that blended theory with hands-on practice. From fieldwork to digital archiving and policy analysis, he discovered that cultural heritage is not merely about conserving physical sites—it’s also about the living narratives of communities, their beliefs, practices, and identities.
“I developed a deep understanding of Macao’s diverse cultural heritage through various forms of engagement,” he said. “Whether volunteering, conducting field visits, or undertaking archival and literature-based research, these experiences were fundamental to my growth.”
Leveraging UTM’s extensive network and institutional partnerships, Greens seized numerous opportunities to develop his skills in real-world settings. For instance, he helped the ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) International Conservation Center-Xi’an, contributing to the organisation of heritage events and the translation of the ICOMOS China annual report.
As the President of the Heritage Club of the Student Union of UTM, he also undertook several initiatives to promote heritage education and cross-cultural exchange. “During my tenure, I organised activities that helped international organisations and universities in mainland China gain a deeper understanding of our university, our programme, and Macao’s cultural heritage,” he noted.
One of the highlights of his leadership was a collaborative event held during the Va Kong Celebrations—a Taoist custom recognised as part of Macao’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Inventory. The UTM club worked with local organisations to curate heritage-themed activities, including guided tours. “This experience broadened our understanding of society and deepened our appreciation of heritage,” he reflected.
Pursuing further studies abroad
For his six-month internship—a core component of UTM’s curriculum—Greens joined the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHITRAP) under UNESCO in Shanghai. Working alongside experts in urban planning, Greens gained an interdisciplinary perspective on the relationship between spatial development and heritage. This experience, he said, not only broadened his horizons but also solidified his academic interests.
His academic potential has also been recognised. At the 10th Tourism Education Student Summit, co-hosted by UTM and Melco Resorts & Entertainment this June, Greens was awarded Best Paper for his research on the spiritual and communal significance of Earth God (Tudigong) worship in Macao.
Looking ahead, Greens is committed to furthering his research into spiritual and religious heritage, with a long-term goal of contributing meaningful scholarship to the field. As he prepares to begin his master’s degree at Cornell University, he credits UTM’s all-English instruction, experiential learning model, and international exposure for equipping him with the confidence and competence to thrive in a global academic environment.
“My experiences in Macao will allow me to offer professors and classmates at the United States a fresh perspective,” he said.