The 35th AULP Annual Meeting Concludes at UTM

MACAU, June 18 - The 35th Annual Meeting of the Association of Portuguese Language Universities (AULP) was successfully held in Macao from 15 to 17 June. The meeting brought together over 150 representatives from universities in countries and regions including Macao, Portugal, Brazil, Angola, Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, and Timor-Leste, with the aim of deepening exchange and cooperation in higher education between China and Portuguese-speaking countries.

The third day’s agenda took place at the Mong-Há campus of the Macao University of Tourism (UTM). In her welcome address, Rector Fanny Vong stated that UTM has been actively strengthening cooperation with higher education institutions in Portuguese-speaking countries. She noted that UTM has established close ties with several universities, covering student and faculty exchanges, academic research, and collaborative programme development. She particularly highlighted the dual master’s degree programme offered in partnership with University Institute of Lisbon (ISCTE) as a landmark achievement of in-depth collaboration. She also mentioned that, during the AULP annual meeting, UTM signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Universidade Nova de Lisboa (NOVA), focusing on talent cultivation and academic research, further expanding the depth and breadth of Sino‑Portuguese cooperation in tourism and cultural education.

Rector Fanny Vong pointed out that through the direct recommendation mechanism of AULP, UTM has successfully received exchange students from the Federal University of Goiás in Brazil and the University of Aveiro in Portugal, and will welcome more students in the coming academic year, demonstrating strong impact of collaboration on talent development. Looking ahead, UTM will continue to expand its partnerships with institutions in Portuguese-speaking countries, further reinforcing Macao’s role as a bridge for higher education between China and the Lusophone world.

During the closing ceremony, addresses were delivered by Astrigilda Silveira, President of AULP; Jorge Ferrão, Rector of Maputo Pedagogical University; Rui Martins, Vice-Rector of the University of Macau; and Cristina Montalvão Sarmento, Secretary‑General of AULP. They affirmed the success of this year’s meeting and expressed their hope for continued deepening of international higher education cooperation. The ceremony also featured the presentation of the 2025 Prémio Fernão Mendes Pinto Award, which was conferred upon Dr. Lu Chunhui, an instructor at the University of Macau.

UTM stated that the successful co-hosting of the annual meeting together with the University of Macau and Macao Polytechnic University not only demonstrates Macao’s unique role as a bridge between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, but also further consolidates its position within the higher education network of the Lusophone world.