The University of Macau Development Foundation (UMDF) has received a donation of MOP 80 million from Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A. for supporting the ongoing development of the University of Macau (UM) and its Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management (APAEM).
A cheque donation ceremony took place at Wynn Palace on August 9. Ms. Linda Chen, President and Executive Director of Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A. and Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited, and Mr. Ian Michael Coughlan, President and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited presented the cheque on behalf of Wynn, which was received by Dr. Lam Kam Seng Peter, University Council Chair / Chair of the Trustees Committee of UMDF, and Prof. Yonghua Song, UM Rector / Vice Chair of the Executive Committee of UMDF. The event was also graced by the presence of Prof. Jean Jinghan Chen, Dean of the Faculty of Business Administration, University of Macau; Prof. Rob Law, Deputy Director of the Asia-Pacific Academy of Economics and Management, University of Macau / UMDF Chair Professor of Smart Tourism; Ms. Cindy Yuk Yee Lam, Director of the Alumni and Development Office, University of Macau; Prof. Angus C. Chu, Distinguished Professor, Head of the Department of Economics, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Macau; Ms. Katharine Liu, Senior Vice President of Communications of Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace; Ms. Jasmine Cheong, Assistant Vice President of Community and Government Relations of Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace; and Mr. Jason Ni, Assistant Vice President of Research, Planning and Strategy of Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace.
In recent years, UM aims to promote interdisciplinary research that has significance implications for the socio-economic development of Macau and the Greater Bay Area. In terms of smart tourism, APAEM has a dedicated research team on smart tourism. At the beginning of this year, the Academy hosted the "Smart Tourism Symposium 2021 – Macau Smart City Initiative: Opportunities and Challenges for the Tourism Industry", in which enhanced in-depth communication and interaction between representatives from the government, industry and academic sectors. In terms of financial innovation, the Academy carried out innovative research in the areas of finance, economy and artificial intelligence, in order to extend the frontiers of science and technology, and to provide academic and technical support to the economic development of the Greater Bay Area and the Nation.
UMDF thanked Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A for supporting the development of UM over the years. This year marks the 40th anniversary of UM, as the only public university offering comprehensive education in Macao, UM plays an important role in the social development of Macao. In the future, UM will continue to leverage its unique strengths, accelerating the pace of developing UM into a world-class university, establishing distinctive disciplines, driving commercialisation of scientific research results of UM, establishing and improving the talent development system, so as to make more contributions to the moderate and diversified economic development of Macao.
Updated on 25 August 2021