To further deepen the development of its cooperative education programmes, a delegation led by Professor Jun Liu, Rector of City University of Macau, visited the Hainan Lingshui Li’an International Education Innovation Pilot Zone and attended the 2026 Opening Ceremony of the Hainan International College of Minzu University of China. They were warmly received by Professor Shigong Qiang, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Minzu University of China. During the visit, the two sides held a Joint Management Committee meeting to strengthen their partnership. Vice Rector Wanlei Zhou and Dean of the Faculty of Data Science Tianqing Zhu accompanied the delegation.
The opening ceremony was attended by Ms. Huixian Wang, Member of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Hainan Provincial Ethnic Affairs Commission; Mr. Hui Xia, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Administration of Hainan Lingshui Li’an International Education Innovation Pilot Zone; President Shigong Qiang; Professor Shân Wareing, President of Middlesex University; Rector Jun Liu; Professor Yong Peng, Vice President of Minzu University of China and Dean of Hainan International College; representatives from sister institutions in the Pilot Zone, alumni representatives of Minzu University of China Hainan Chapter, primary and secondary school representatives, and faculty and students of the cooperative programme. The ceremony opened with lively singing and dancing performances by the faculty and students of the Hainan International College, where rich cultural heritage blended vibrantly with youthful energy.
In his address at the ceremony, Rector Jun Liu, grounded in the burgeoning era of generative artificial intelligence, profoundly analysed the core mission of university education in the age of digital intelligence. He put forward four guiding principles for students: “question wisely, pursue truth, integrate broadly, and create boldly.” He encouraged students to cherish their learning resources, boldly explore, and continuously push boundaries in the field of computer science.
Student representative Sihan Ouyang, from the inaugural cohort, delivered a speech in which he reviewed his three‑year learning and growth journey in the joint programme. He expressed gratitude to the dedicated faculty of both universities and noted that, nurtured by the high‑quality educational resources, he will pursue further studies at the Chinese Academy of Sciences—a testament to the fruitful outcomes and remarkable talent cultivation achieved through the collaboration.
This year marks the fourth year of operation for the joint education programme between the two universities. Students benefit from shared high‑quality faculty resources and a fusion of academic strengths from the Mainland and Macau. The programme assigns dedicated mentors to each student and places them in various joint on‑campus laboratories for hands‑on practice, covering areas such as cybersecurity testing, trusted data and AI, and medical artificial intelligence. Leveraging the industry connections of these joint laboratories, the programme also opens internship pathways, enabling students to enhance their research capabilities and industrial practice simultaneously. The international campus atmosphere effectively improves students’ cross‑cultural communication skills, while diverse practical experiences provide solid support for their subsequent applications to postgraduate programmes at domestic and overseas universities, broadening their academic and career development prospects.
Students actively participate in professional competitions covering mathematical modelling, software development, innovation and entrepreneurship, and digital media, and have repeatedly achieved outstanding results in both national and provincial‑level contests, including the National First Prize in the China National College Mathematical Contest in Modelling. Their research outputs are impressive, with publications in journal papers and EI conference proceedings. Students are also widely engaged in cutting‑edge academic lectures, teaching and research trips, corporate internships, off‑campus visits, and campus activities, enhancing their teamwork capabilities.
During the meeting, President Shigong Qiang and Rector Jun Liu delivered remarks on behalf of their respective institutions. Participants engaged in in‑depth discussions on the programme’s operational status, review of key teaching aspects, student management and services, and priority tasks for the next phase, laying a solid foundation for continued deepening of the cooperative education partnership.
Other attendees at the ceremony and meetings included: Associate Deans Wenjian Liu and Chia-Wei Chu, Programme Coordinator Chi Liu, and Director of the Global Affairs Office Cheng Wu from City University of Macau’s Faculty of Data Science.
