The Macao SAR Government has unveiled plans to develop the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town, aiming to provide expanded development space for local higher education institutions and advance Macao's economic diversification. Secretary for Administration and Justice Cheong Weng-chon confirmed the project will be implemented in phases, beginning with the University of Macau (UM) extending its operations into the Hengqin Deep Cooperation Zone.
Spanning over 370,000 square meters, the new UM Hengqin campus has completed planning and design, with construction set to commence this year. The campus will introduce new faculties including Medicine, Information Technology, and Design, alongside related academic programs, and will pursue collaborative ventures with international universities.
Cheong noted that the Macao SAR Government has coordinated with the Hengqin Deep Cooperation Zone Executive Committee to reserve adjacent land for future expansions, including campuses for other public institutions like the Macao Institute for Tourism Studies. He emphasized that the project will offer Macao students enhanced local education alternatives amid unreasonable restrictions imposed by some countries on Chinese students abroad, while also creating employment opportunities in teaching, research, administration, and clerical roles for local youth.
Deputy Director of the Financial Services Bureau Ho In-mui disclosed the project's budget: construction will run from 2025 to 2030 with a total cost of RMB 7 billion (approx. MOP 8.4 billion), including MOP 1.75 billion allocated for 2024.
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