On November 15, 2024, Macau University of Science and Technology (MUST) was officially welcomed into the UK-China Humanities Alliance (UKCHA) during the Executive Council Meeting at the University College London (UCL) in United Kingdom (UK). MUST President, Chair Professor Joseph Hun-wei LEE, addressed the meeting via video. Chair Professor Zhang Hongming, Dean of the University International College (UIC) and Director of the Educational Development Centre at MUST, attended the meeting on behalf of MUST. The Executive Council of UKCHA unanimously approved of MUST's membership and endorsed MUST’s proposal to host the 2025 Annual Conference of UKCHA.
The Executive Council unanimously approved MUST’s membership
Dean Zhang Hongming rose to extend thanks to the committee
In his video presentation, President Joseph Hun-wei LEE expressed gratitude for the opportunity to join the UKCHA and emphasized the alignment of MUST's mission with the Alliance's goals. He stated, "We believe that partnerships are crucial in achieving internationalization and promoting innovation. We are dedicated to collaborating with UKCHA colleagues to fully unleash the potential of Macao's higher education and rejuvenate Macao's unique historical role as a bridge between the East and West."
President Joseph Hun-wei LEE addressing the Executive Council
Chair Professor Zhang Hongming followed with a presentation on MUST’s preparation and plans for the UKCHA annual conference next year. He noted, “The host organization for the 2025 annual conference will be the UIC of MUST. The objective of the conference is to leverage Macao's pivotal role in global humanities exchange and the mutual understanding of civilizations, thereby promoting exchanges and cooperation in higher education between China, the UK, and other countries. The conference aims to drive development and innovation in humanities disciplines within higher education and to collaboratively address the challenges of the globalization era.”
The Executive Council meeting took place on the sidelines of the 2024 Annual Conference of UKCHA. The opening ceremony was attended by President and Provost Michael Spence of UCL; Chairman Qiu Yong of Tsinghua University Council; UKCHA President Yang Bin; Chair of the Executive Council and Secretary-General Yan Haiping; Head of Global Education Insights at the British Council, Alexis Brown; Executive Dean Stella Bruzzi of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at UCL; and representatives and scholars from the UKCHA member institutions.
Guests attending the opening ceremony of the 2024 Annual Conference of UKCHA
At the Closing Ceremony of the 2024 Annual Conference of UKCHA on the following day, it was officially announced that the 2025 Annual Conference of UKCHA will be hosted by MUST in Macao. Dean Zhang Hongming expressed gratitude to the UKCHA for accepting MUST as a member and introduced the plans and preparations for next year’s annual conference.
Dean Zhang Hongming presented the proposal for the 2025 annual conference at the closing ceremony
The UK-China Humanities Alliance was set up in December 2016 in Shanghai. It was initiated by Tsinghua University along with 12 other Chinese and British universities and research institutions. The Alliance’s Secretariat is housed at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. The aim of UKCHA is to enhance cross-cultural exchanges, collaborative research, and publications in the humanities. By promoting globally focused research and high-quality education, the UKCHA helps prepare future leaders to handle complex global issues.
With the inclusion of MUST, the UKCHA now has 18 member institutions. The Chinese member institutions include Tsinghua University, Peking University, Fudan University, Wuhan University, Beijing Foreign Studies University, Shanghai International University, Chinese University of Hong Kong, and Macau University of Science and Technology. The British member institutions include the University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, King’s College London, University College London, SOAS University of London, University of Manchester, University of Exeter, University of Reading, University of Warwick, and Loughborough University.
As Macau University of Science and Technology commemorates its 25th Anniversary, its successful inclusion in the UK-China Humanities Alliance for Higher Education stands as one of the most splendid birthday presents from the University’s liberal arts programs. This marks a significant milestone in enhancing MUST’s international cooperation and influence in the humanities and social science. The membership will open opportunities for joint research initiatives, academic exchanges, and the sharing of best practices in higher education, further accentuating MUST's unique role as a major force in the region.
