澳大新語 • 2024 UMAGAZINE 29 52 全方位建設育人環境 • BUILDING AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING EDUCATIONAL ENVIRONMENT to promote the development of the Chinese medicine industry in Macao. In addition to the abovementioned fields, UM has enhanced its research facilities for the humanities and social sciences. For example, the Cultural Building unveiled in 2019 serves as a hub for several key academic and cultural institutions within the university. These include the Centre for Chinese History and Culture, the Centre for Macau Studies, the Confucius Institute, the Chinese-Portuguese Bilingual Teaching and Training Centre, the Centre for Arts and Design, the Macao Base for Primary & Secondary Education in Humanities & Social Sciences, and the Institute of Advanced Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences. Moreover, dedicated to promoting the arts, UM established its Museum of Art in 2023. The museum exhibits not only global masterpieces but also the creative work of UM students and faculty members in art and design. Situated at the heart of the UM campus, the UM Wu Yee Sun Library stands as an academic resource centre of the university. The library was opened in 2014 when UM relocated to the Hengqin campus. With an area of 32,000 square metres and approximately 3,000 seats, it holds over 16 million printed and electronic books and periodicals, making it not only the largest library in Macao but also home to the most extensive collection. Next to the library is the University Gallery, which showcases UM’s history, academic development, research achievements, and talent nurturing efforts. Dr Raymond Wong, associate librarian of the UM Library, has been with the university since 1987 and has witnessed its evolution. ‘Since the relocation, the library has seen enhancements in both its services and collection size,’ he says. ‘It now provides modern reading areas and advanced research tools, creating a comfortable and productive environment. The library also regularly hosts lectures, exhibitions, and academic seminars.’ Dr Wong adds that over the past decade, the library has expanded its range of services, including the collection and organisation of archival records since 2020. In 2021, the UM Archives was established within the library. Another distinctive feature of the library is its unique physical collections, which include ancient books and manuscripts in Chinese and Western languages, documents about Macao, and a collection housed in the library’s Portuguese Corner. Creating a Quality Living Environment To create an inspiring learning environment, UM has developed multiple platforms for knowledge integration that transcend cultural and academic boundaries. For example, the UM residential colleges are equipped with dormitories, dining halls, seminar rooms, libraries, computer labs, recreational facilities, and gardens, all fostering vibrant communities within the university. In addition, the university’s Postgraduate Houses, Staff Quarters, and various leisure facilities are designed to enhance the quality of life of students and staff. Prof Li Defeng, associate dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and director of the Centre for
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