UM holds the Alumni Homecoming Gala Dinner
In celebration of its 45th anniversary, the University of Macau (UM) held the 2026 Alumni Homecoming Gala Dinner and a series of homecoming activities. More than 500 alumni from around the world returned to their alma mater to reconnect with professors and classmates, reminisce about their time at UM, celebrate the university’s latest developments and achievements, and express their support for UM as it enters a new stage of development.
At the gala dinner, Yonghua Song, rector of UM, extended a warm welcome and heartfelt thanks to the alumni on behalf of the university. He described alumni as an indispensable force in UM’s continued development, noting their longstanding contributions to talent cultivation, industry-academia collaboration, resource development, and the enhancement of the university’s reputation. He said that alumni embody UM’s motto, ‘Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom, and Sincerity’, and serve as an important bridge between the university and the wider community. Song also highlighted UM’s efforts to seize the opportunities arising from the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin, as the university advances into a new phase of high-quality development. He added that, as the development of the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town and the implementation of UM’s cross-border ‘one university, two campuses’ model continue to advance, the university will be better positioned to expand its capacity for education, develop high-level research platforms, and attract outstanding international talent.
Rui Martins, vice rector of UM, said that the university currently has more than 20 alumni associations established by graduates from different regions, faculties, disciplines, and interest groups. He attributed the successful organisation of the gala dinner to the active support of the various alumni associations. He also highlighted UM’s ongoing efforts to improve alumni services and set up an alumni alliance, which will strengthen connections among alumni and support the university’s future development. Martins also introduced UM’s latest Five-Year Development Plan, which takes the 45th anniversary as a new starting point. The plan outlines strategies in five key areas: talent cultivation, research and innovation, the development of the Macao-Hengqin industry-academia innovation ecosystem, external exchange and collaboration, and community service. Together, these strategies aim to guide UM towards greater maturity and excellence.
Supported by various alumni associations, the gala dinner featured a rich programme that included the presentation of commemorative gifts by alumni associations, a cake-cutting and toast ceremony, intangible cultural heritage performances, and singing performances by alumni. The event provided an opportunity for alumni to reconnect, reminisce about their time at UM, and share their professional and personal experiences.
In addition to the gala dinner, UM and its alumni associations organised a series of homecoming activities for alumni. These included a pickleball event, a seminar on Euclid’s Elements and guided tours of the University Gallery and the Rare Collection Room of the UM Library, a workshop on intangible cultural heritage featuring Kunqu opera and delicacies, an Autodesk AI workshop, and an alumni sharing session.
