Initiated by Dr Anthony Lau, an alumnus of the University of Macau (UM), the East Lighthouse Talent Development Scheme was established with a MOP 4 million donation from East Lighthouse Limited. The aim of the scheme is to support the international development of the university and promote talent cultivation.

The signing ceremony of the donation agreement was held at UM. Yonghua Song, rector of UM; Lau Veng Lin, chair of the Executive Committee of the University of Macau Development Foundation; and Vivian Lau, director of East Lighthouse Limited and chair and CEO of Pacific Air Holdings Limited, signed the agreement. Song expressed gratitude to East Lighthouse Limited for its support of UM, especially to Dr Lau’s care and support of his alma mater and its development. He added that the university will actively leverage its strengths to foster academic exchanges and cooperation with higher education institutions around the world, and create more cross-cultural exchange and learning opportunities for students.

After the donation ceremony, Vivian Lau gave a talk on ‘Future Proof You’, where she shared with the students her entrepreneurial experiences and insights on finding purpose and meaning in career development. She also encouraged the students to develop their ‘internal compass’ to identify their interests, values, and goals, which will help them find the right direction in life.

The East Lighthouse Talent Development Scheme will fund scholarships for incoming exchange students and a summer learning programme, with the aim of attracting more international students to participate in exchange activities at UM and facilitating their cultural exchange and networking with UM students through a series of learning and experiential activities. The university believes that the programme will broaden the global perspective of the participants and UM students, promote cooperation between UM and overseas institutions, and further enhance the university’s academic standards and international influence.

Rui Martins, vice rector of UM, and Cindy Lam, director of the Alumni and Development Office of UM, also attended the donation ceremony.