Hailing from Foshan, Guangdong, Judy Zhu Xiaoqing completes her Bachelor’s degree in Tourism Business Management at the Macao University of Tourism (UTM). She belongs to the inaugural cohort of the 2+2 collaborative programme jointly launched by Foshan University and UTM. She spent the first two academic years studying at Foshan University and the subsequent two years pursuing studies in Macao, qualifying to obtain bachelor’s degrees from both institutions upon graduation. Benefiting from high-quality educational resources across the two cities and abundant hands-on experiences, she has mapped out an interdisciplinary postgraduate pathway and will pursue a Master’s degree in Business Analytics after graduation, aiming to integrate tourism management with data analytics for future career development.
“I came to UTM in 2024 under the 2+2 collaborative programme with Foshan University. What drew me most was the university’s English teaching environment and abundant international resources,” said Judy. As a world-renowned centre for tourism and leisure, Macao’s comprehensive internship opportunities were another key reason for her decision to continue her studies here.
“The biggest merit of this 2+2 programme is that it pools resources from both Foshan and Macao to expand our comprehensive understanding of the cultural tourism sector,” Judy explained. During her first two years at Foshan University, coursework laid a solid foundational knowledge base, while campus-organised site visits to cultural tourism enterprises and demonstration projects across Foshan and Guangzhou enabled her to explore the Lingnan cultural tourism ecosystem and lay groundwork for prospective employment in the Greater Bay Area. Her latter two years in Macao granted her an international perspective to learn cutting-edge expertise in global hospitality and tourism. With practice-oriented curricula and plentiful internship openings for direct industry immersion, she highly recommends the programme to prospective students.
Varied Practical Experiences Enrich Insights into the Industry
Three valuable off-campus experiences have greatly fuelled Judy’s personal growth. She undertook a six-month internship at Wynn Palace Macao focusing on employee relations within the human resources department, gaining first-hand knowledge of workforce management standards at luxury international resorts and sharpening her workplace communication and teamwork skills.
She broadened her innovative mindset by participating in an elite innovation training camp hosted by Shenzhen University, while a volunteer teaching trip to Congjiang in Guizhou helped her understand how tourism fuels local socioeconomic advancement.
Academic Training Builds Core Competencies for Interdisciplinary Development
UTM’s coursework prioritises independent research, continuously polishing Judy’s versatile soft skills. “Most projects come without fixed answers; we have to source cutting-edge data, create visual presentations and even design and arrange exhibitions.” During the Smart Tourism and Destination Marketing courses, she involved in designing marketing proposals as well as smart tourism equipment and products. Regular English presentations further boosted her logical communication and project coordination capabilities.
Upon graduation, she will pursue postgraduate studies in Business Analytics at the University of Macau, combining her tourism expertise with data techniques to specialise in data-backed cultural tourism decision-making. To prospective applicants, she shared: “If you want an international and practice-oriented university experience, faculty members here will offer sincere guidance on your studies and career.” She encourages incoming students to make full use of campus platforms and internship chances, step outside their comfort zones and unlock their full potential.