The public Macao University of Tourism (UTM) signed cooperation agreements with four local secondary schools yesterday on its Mong Ha campus to launch tailored senior secondary vocational education programmes aimed at strengthening talent development for Macau’s tourism and service industries.
The signing ceremony, held with the support of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), brought together representatives from Our Lady of Fátima Girls’ School, St. Joseph Diocesan College (The Fifth School), Xin Hua Night Secondary School and Macau Kung Luen Vocational & Technical Middle School.
Under the cooperation framework, the four schools will introduce customised three-year vocational education programmes at the senior secondary level. The courses will focus on areas including international hospitality, high-quality services, convention and exhibition planning, and data science, combining theoretical learning with practical training.
The university will provide professional teaching staff, curriculum design and educational resources, while the participating schools will be responsible for teaching implementation and student management. The collaboration aims to establish an integrated “secondary school + university” talent development pathway.
Adressing the ceremony, UTM Rector Fanny Vong Chun Kwan noted that the initiative aligns with Macau’s “1+4” economic diversification strategy and the growing demand for skilled professionals. “In recent years, Macau has been advancing its development as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure and a Creative City of Gastronomy, with increasing demand for high-quality technical talent”, she said.
Vong added that the university has accumulated extensive experience in vocational education and has previously collaborated with local schools to deliver pre-employment training programmes aligned with industry needs, noting that the newly introduced courses will connect with professional qualification standards, including industry-recognised certifications, to enhance students’ practical skills and career readiness.
“Through these programmes, we aim to provide students with systematic professional training and create a pathway that integrates further education and employment opportunities”, she said.
Looking ahead, Vong said that the university will continue to work with local schools to optimise curriculum design, strengthen teaching collaboration, expand internship opportunities and enhance career guidance.
The university said in a statement released after yesterday’s event that it expects the initiative to support Macau’s push for economic diversification by cultivating a new generation of skilled professionals, while promoting closer collaboration between secondary and higher education institutions.
Macao University of Tourism (UTM) Rector Fanny Vong Chun Kwan (left, seated) and a representative of Xin Hua Night Secondary School (right, seated) pose with their signed cooperation agreements on the public tertiary institution’s campus in Mong Ha yesterday. – Photo: Khalel Vallo
