The University of Macau’s (UM) Choi Kai Yau College (CKYC), Zhejiang University’s (ZJU) International Campus Residential College (ICRC), and the University of Hong Kong’s (HKU) Lap Chee College (LCC) jointly launched a two-week Zhejiang-Hong Kong-Macao university residential college exchange programme for faculty and students from the three colleges from 5 June to 14 June 2023.
The first phase of the exchange programme took place at ZJU’s International Campus from 5 June to 9 June. During the launching ceremony for the exchange programme, UM’s CKYC and ZJU’s ICRC signed a memorandum of understanding on educational cooperation. On the following days, faculty and students from the three colleges attended a high table dinner hosted by ICRC, listened to lectures by ICRC Master Prof Tsui Lap Chee, dean of ZJU’s International Business School Prof Ben Shenglin, and Deputy Secretary of the party committee of Chu Kochen Honors College Xu Xiaofeng. In addition, participants visited various places, including the State Key Laboratory of Fluid Dynamics and Mechatronic Systems and the Innovation Center of Yangtze River Delta at ZJU, Jiaxing Nanhu Revolutionary Memorial Hall, the West Lake, and Xitang Ancient Town. Through these activities, students experienced the residential college life at ZJU’s International Campus.
The second phase of the exchange programme took place at UM from 11 June to 14 June. CKYC warmly received faculty and students from ZJU’s ICRC and Chu Kochen Honors College. In addition to visiting CKYC and the UM campus, the ZJU delegation also visited the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and the State Key Laboratory in the Internet of Things for Smart Cities. They also joined the guided tour ‘Walking through World Heritage Sites in City Area’ organised by Macau Oral History Association to learn about Macao history and culture, as well as visited Ha Sac Beach, the Ruins of St. Paul’s, and the Commemorative Gallery of the Macao Basic Law. When concluding the exchange programme, CKYC Master Prof Janny Leung said that the programme not only provided an opportunity for faculty and students from the three colleges to engage in meaningful exchanges, but also allowed young people in Macao to gain a deeper understanding of the development in the Yangtze River Delta region and the country as a whole, inspiring them to explore how they can better integrate into national development and opportunities for further studies, scientific innovation, and employment.
Reflecting on the exchange programme, CKYC member Un Sam I said, ‘During this exchange programme, I had the opportunity to experience the residential college life at Zhejiang University International Campus, attend a high table dinner, and listen to lectures, which allowed me to experience the difference from that at UM. I also actively shared my residential college experiences at UM with students and teachers from the other two universities. The best part of the journey was I made many friends.’