The Macao Polytechnic University (MPU) Academic Building was inaugurated on Tuesday, in a ceremony presided over by Chief Executive Ho Iat Seng, university rector Marcus Im, and a number of senior government officials, along with staff and alumni.
The 13-floor building, which covers an area of 37,000 square meters, houses a large array of new teaching and research facilities. These include a performance hall, laboratories, an international examination and accreditation centre, classrooms and a library.
“It will serve as a central hub for the university’s cutting-edge research facilities, fostering collaborative partnerships between the university and local research institutions to advance the development of higher education in Macao,” according to a statement issued by MPU.
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Officials say the building is aligned with MPU’s plans to teach “advanced disciplines” such as artificial intelligence, innovative technology, language and translation, and health sciences. It will also “drive progress in teaching, research, and internationalisation.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Im said that the Academic Building signalled a fresh phase of development for the university. MPU would “seize this opportunity” to cultivate talent, enhance its scientific research and innovation capabilities, and contribute to China’s status as a leading country in education, he added.
MPU, formerly known as Polytechnic Institute of University of East Asia (1981 to 1991) and the Macao Polytechnic Institute (1991 to 2022), currently enrols around 7,000 students.