Scholars from Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao gather at CityU to explore industry-academia integration for new developments in postgraduate education｜City University of Macau School of Finance Alumni Association

In active response to the innovation-driven development strategy and to deepen the integration of postgraduate education with industry and research, City University of Macau (CityU) Graduate School and Postgraduate Association hosted a symposium titled “Industry-Academia Integration to Advance Postgraduate Education and Drive National Innovation.” The event brought together experts and scholars from multiple higher education institutions across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to discuss enhancing the quality of postgraduate training through industry-academia collaboration, empowering national innovation.

Ip Kuai Peng, vice rector of CityU and dean of the Graduate School, emphasized in his opening speech that “the key to cultivating core competitiveness lied in innovation;” only by strengthening deep integration among industry-academia collaboration could the overall efficiency of the innovation system be improved. To this end, Vice Rector Ip mentioned that Macao’s higher education sector could foster a “demand-driven, interdisciplinary, platform-supported, and regionally coordinated” educational ecosystem to integrate postgraduate education into the national innovation framework, injecting momentum into the nation’s modernization and rejuvenation. To this end, Vice Rector Ip proposed three key measures:

First, aligning with national strategic needs, leveraging platforms such as state key laboratories to advance cutting-edge research in big data, AI, and integrated circuits, promoting interdisciplinary innovation and technology transfer to cultivate new quality productive forces;
Second, optimizing disciplines to meet Macao’s socio-economic demands and future development, taking a forward-looking approach to enhance discipline system with a focus on emerging industries like modern finance, high-tech, healthcare, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) to build a distinctive postgraduate training system;
Third, enhancing international collaboration, utilizing Macao’s global advantages to partner with leading universities worldwide, attract top-tier talent for joint research in core technologies, and seize opportunities in the “Macao R&D + Hengqin Technology Transformation ” model to deepen integration with the mainland in respect of industry-academia development, promoting technological and industrial innovation.

Pei Tingrui, deputy director of the Campus Management Committee of Jinan University Zhuhai Campus and executive dean of its Zhuhai Research Institute, highlighted that industry-academia integration was a current major trend in higher education. He urged universities to strengthen ties with industries, ensuring postgraduate programs meet real-world demands and nurture talents with “solid theoretical foundations and rich practical experience.” He proposed regular industry visits which could help students gain hands-on insights, laying a solid foundation for future career.

Liu Jianbin, professor at City University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Research Institute, stressed the need for postgraduate education to focus on future tech trends, especially in cutting-edged technology and industrial transformation. Liu suggested incorporating industry-oriented learning materials into the curriculum and encouraging students participating in corporate R&D to accelerate real-world applications. He also emphasized fostering innovative mindsets to prepare students for global competition.

Li Xi, executive associate dean of Faculty of International Tourism and Management of CityU, advocated for a global perspective in curriculum design, enhancing students’ cross-cultural competencies and market analysis skills from a professional perspective. He further suggested promoting student engagement in international practical activities and establishing partnerships between higher education institutions and global tourism enterprises to help students cultivate their ability to address challenges and opportunities in the global tourism industry. He acknowledged that the symposium successfully facilitated industry-academia exchanges and cooperation among higher education institutions in Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao, putting forward practical and forward-looking insights that would further align Macao’s postgraduate education with the national development strategy and active contributions to promoting innovation-driven development.

Wang Zhong, associate dean of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences of CityU, emphasized the need to uphold the concept of “integrating science and education” to deepen the integration of scientific research with teaching, thereby helping student strengthen their innovative and practical abilities. He proposed three suggestions to strengthen postgraduate education:

First, establishing joint research centers or laboratories with scientific research institutions and high-tech enterprises to provide postgraduate students with more opportunities to participate in cutting-edge scientific research projects;
Second, inviting experts from these institutions to collaborate with university supervisors in guiding postgraduates, forming a “dual-supervisor system”;
Third, promoting interdisciplinary approaches, including developing interdisciplinary programs and encouraging cross-disciplinary electives, to enhance students’ comprehensive qualities and innovative capabilities.

Tian Yihui, associate dean of the Faculty of Business of CityU, shared insights on topics such as sustainable supply chain management, digital operations management, and data analysis in the environmental and health industries. He stressed that cultivating digital analysis and innovative management skills could effectively address industrial transformation and environmental challenges, providing solid support for national sustainable development. Tian further suggested that postgraduate curricula should further reflect practical applications, encouraging students to participate in real corporate projects to develop their problem-solving abilities.

Han Haoying, professor at the Faculty of Innovation and Design of CityU, pointed out from an urban management perspective that postgraduate education should focus on future urban development needs, enhancing students’ innovative and practical abilities in urban planning, environmental governance, and public administration. He stated that industry-academia collaboration could guide students in providing innovative solutions for sustainable urban development more effectively. Professor Han further noted that urban management research should emphasize integration with advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and big data, using technological innovation to improve the efficiency and precision of urban management.

Chao Peng, director of the Macau “One Belt, One Road” Research Center, analyzed the importance of postgraduate education and international cooperation from the perspective of the “Belt and Road” initiative. He suggested that Macao should actively leverage its unique advantages to strengthen educational and research cooperation with Portuguese-speaking countries, cultivating postgraduate talents with international vision and cross-cultural communication skills. Zhou particularly emphasized that through in-depth collaboration with Portuguese-speaking countries, postgraduate education could provide strong talent support for advancing the “Belt and Road” initiative.

Zhou Long, associate dean of the Graduate School of CityU, concluded that as important talent reserves for the nation's future innovation, postgraduates should cultivate a strong sense of patriotism and love for Macao. Zhou acknowledged that social engagement could encourage students to apply their professional knowledge in service to society and the nation, facilitating a deep integration between postgraduate education and national innovative development. He also expressed hope that this symposium would strengthen exchanges and cooperation among various universities, jointly promoting the innovative development of postgraduate education and contributing more to the comprehensive advancement of Chinese-style modernization and the deeper integration between Macao and the mainland.

Source: Graduate School