Macau’s academics gathered together at the Macau Science Centre for the 3^rd Outstanding Achievement Award for Humanities and Social Sciences Researches in Macau on January 3^rd, 2013. This Award was organized by the Macau Foundation, the <Social Sciences in China> magazine and the Guangdong Social Sciences Association. At this year’s Award, <Self-regulated learning via internet by adults: a comparative study of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan> by City University of Macau’s Vice-Rector Professor Leong Man Wei won Third Prize in the literature category, and < An urban competitiveness evaluation index based on Macao's local characteristics> by City U’s Dr. Qin Bin won Second Prize in the thesis category.

The Outstanding Achievement Award for Humanities and Social Sciences Researches in Macau has run three times since 2004 and has become a major event for Macau’s academics in humanities and social sciences subjects; it has been followed with interest by mainland and overseas scholars studying Macau. The works selected for the Award are highly regarded and cover multiple areas and subjects, representing the best research achievements in Macau for the past two decades. The academic circle has responded enthusiastically since the 2012 Award began in April. The number of Chinese, English and Portuguese works submitted in approximately six months totaled at 395 (including 96 literatures and 299 theses), coming from Macau, mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan and other regions. After three rounds of rigorous assessment, 56 works were hand-picked for 4 First Prize, 5 Second Prize, 8 Third Prize and 11 Excellent Award in the literature category and 4 First Prize, 4 Second Prize, 8 Third Prize and 12 Excellent Award in the thesis category.

Evaluation committees have been set in four subject groups for this Award: Economics and Management; Politics, Law, News and Sociology; History, Philosophy and Literature and Language, Education and Arts. The members for the evaluation committees were either local academics, or came from renowned higher education institutions and research organizations in the mainland. Among them were Mr. Wu Zhiliang, Chairman of the Executive Committee for the Macau Foundation, Mr. Gao Xiang, Deputy Secretary General and Spokesperson for the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Editor-in-Chief for Social Sciences in China, Mr. Lin Youneng, Vice-Chairman of Guangdong Social Sciences Association, Professor Yan Zexian, Rector of City University of Macau. Professor Lok Wai Kin of Faculty of Law and Chair Professor Yang Yi of Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at University of Macau, Mr. Li Guanding, member of Cultural Consultative Committee of Macau S.A.R., Professor Wang Wuyi of Macau Polytechnic Institute, Mr. Wan Ming, researcher for Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, Dr. Li Shenglan, Vice-President of Lingnan (University) College and Mr Cai He, Dean of School of Sociology and Anthropology at Sun Yat-Sen University, Professor Xu Xuan, Deputy Dean of Law School and College of Intellectual Property at Jinan University, Professor Zhang Zhengang of School of Business Administration at South China University of Technology, Professor Lu Xiaozhong, Dean of School of Educational Science and Dr. Huang Hanhua, President of Conservatory of Music at South China Normal University were also members for the committees.

City U’s Rector Professor Yan Zexian has served as a member for the Award’s evaluation committee for the third time this year. The Prizes received by City U’s Professor Leong and Dr. Qin showed that the University’s capacity in academic researches is gradually being recognized and appreciated by Macau's academic circle. This would encourage City U’s academics to work even harder in their works and strive for higher honors.