{{Short description|Public university in Macau}} {{redirect|UMac||UMAC (disambiguation)}} {{Infobox university | name = University of Macau | native_name = {{lang|zh-Hant-MO|澳門大學}}<br>{{lang|pt|Universidade de Macau}} | latin_name = | image = University of Macau logo.svg | image_size = | image_alt = The emblem of the University of Macau, featuring a five-towered crest encircled by golden rings and the name of the university in Chinese and Portuguese | image_upright = .7 | caption = | motto = Humanity, Integrity, Propriety, Wisdom, Sincerity<ref>{{cite web|title=Elements of the University Identity|url=https://www.um.edu.mo/about-um/university-identity/elements-of-the-university-identity.html|publisher=University of Macau|access-date=20 June 2019|archive-date=12 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200612180231/https://www.um.edu.mo/about-um/university-identity/elements-of-the-university-identity.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> | type = Public Research Coeducational Higher education institution | established = 1991 | academic_affiliations = UMAP, IAU, IAUP, CRUP, AULP, GHMUA, UASR | endowment = | chairman = Peter Lam Kam Seng | chancellor = Sam Hou Fai{{efn|The Chief Executive of Macau is the chancellor on an ''ex officio'' basis.}} | rector = Yonghua Song | head_label = Vice Rectors | head = Michael King Man HUI<br>(Academic Affairs)<br> Rui Paulo da Silva Martins<br>(Global Affairs) <br>Wei GE <br>(Research)<br>Mok Kai Meng<br>(Student Affairs)<ref>{{Cite web|title=UM appoints Prof Mok Kai Meng as vice rector|date=17 February 2022 |url=https://www.um.edu.mo/news-and-press-releases/press-release/detail/53223/}}</ref><br>Xu Jian<br>(Administration) | academic_staff = 650 | students = 15,000+ (2024) <ref>{{cite web |title=UM Introduction |url=https://www.um.edu.mo/about-um/introduction/ |access-date=Oct 14, 2024}}</ref> | undergrad = | postgrad = | city = Avenida da Universidade, Taipa | state = Macau | coor = {{coord|22.13004|N|113.54579|E|type:edu|display=inline,title}} | campus = Suburb and concession<br>{{convert|109|ha|km2|lk=on}} | free_label = Medium of Instruction | free = English (main), Portuguese, Chinese | colours = Blue Red Gold<br>{{color box|#002C55}} {{color box|#C32A21}} {{color box|#D1A825}} | website = {{URL|https://um.edu.mo}}<br />{{URL|https://umac.mo}} | logo = University of Macau Logo.png | logo_upright = .7 | logo_size = }} {{Infobox Chinese | order = ts | t = 澳門大學 | s = 澳门大学 | j = ou3 mun4*2 daai6 hok6 | p = Àomén Dàxué | por = Universidade de Macau | altname = University of East Asia | t2 = 私立東亞大學 | s2 = 私立东亚大学 | j2 = si1 laap6 dung1 aa3 daai6 hok6 | p2 = Sī​lì Dōngyà Dàxué }} The '''University of Macau''' ('''UMAC''' or '''UM'''){{efn|UMAC is widely used on university website domains, such as [https://um2.umac.mo um2.umac.mo], or to distinguish it from other universities with the same abbreviation as UM, although the acronym is not recognized as an official abbreviation.}} is a Macau public university located on Hengqin Island on land leased to Macau. It was established by the Macau legislature in 1991 and has been funded by the Government of Macau since then.

== History ==

=== 1981–1991 === In March 1981, the private '''University of East Asia''' was established. In the beginning, the majority of the students came from Hong Kong.{{Cn|date=August 2025}}

With the signing of the Sino-Portuguese Joint Declaration in 1987, in order to meet the manpower needs during the transitional period before the return of Macao, the Macao Foundation under the Government of Portuguese Macau purchased the private University of East Asia in 1988 for 130 million patacas.{{Cn|date=August 2025}}

=== Post-1991 === In 1991, the Legislative Assembly of Macau promulgated ''Decree-Law No. 50/91/M'' to establish the University of Macau as a new institution of higher education, and transfer all rights of the University of East Asia to the University of Macau without any formalities. All higher education courses, teachers and administrative staff of the University of East Asia, except for polytechnic higher education programmes, were also transferred to the University of Macau.<ref>{{cite web | title=Boletim Oficial - | url=https://bo.io.gov.mo/bo/i/91/37/declei50.asp#50 }}</ref> The then Polytechnic Institute of the University of East Asia became independent as the public Macau Polytechnic Institute (now Macau Polytechnic University). The graduate school and the open college of the University of East Asia that were not purchased by the Macau government, were merged to form the private East Asia Open College (now City University of Macau).{{Cn|date=August 2025}}

In 1999, the handover of Macau to China took place. The new Judicial Regime of the University of Macau and the new Charter of the University of Macau were officially passed at the Legislative Assembly of Macau and came into effect in September 2006.{{Cn|date=August 2025}}

In 2009, the Central People's Government of China authorised the Government of Macao to exercise jurisdiction over the new campus of the university located on Hengqin Island, Guangdong province.<ref>Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Assembly of the People's Republic of China on the delegation of powers to the Macau Special Administrative Region to exercise jurisdiction on the new campus of the University of Macau to be installed on Hengqin, also published via Chief Executive Notice No. 19/2009 in the Official Bulletin No. 35/2009. See {{Citation |title=Aviso do Chefe do Executivo n.º 19/2009 |url=https://bo.io.gov.mo/bo/i/2009/35/aviso19.asp}}</ref> On 20 December 2009, then President of China and General Secretary of the Communist Party Hu Jintao officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new campus. In early 2013 the Macau Legislative Assembly passed Law 3/2013 providing for the application of Macau Law on campus effective on opening day.<ref>see {{Citation |title=Lei n.º 3/2013 Estabelece as normas fundamentais para a aplicação do Direito da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau no novo campus da Universidade de Macau na Ilha de Hengqin |url=https://bo.io.gov.mo/bo/i/2013/08/lei03.asp}} published in the Official Bulletin No. 8/2013.</ref> On 5 November, then Vice Premier of the State Council Wang Yang officiated for the new campus inauguration ceremony. In the 2014–2015 academic year, the University of Macau began to conduct all classes on the new and modern campus.{{Cn|date=August 2025}}

Faculty students and Macau residents can enter and exit the campus through an underwater tunnel. This means there are no border controls between the university and Macau.<ref>{{cite web |date=28 June 2009 |title=University of Macau's New Campus on Hengqin Island Put under Macao's Jurisdiction |url=https://www.gov.mo/en/news/45990/ |access-date=25 January 2025 |publisher=Government of Macao}}</ref>

With the approval of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China, the University of Macau has established three state key laboratories, namely State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and State Key Laboratory of Internet of Things for Smart City.<ref>{{Cite web |title=University of Macau – State Key Laboratories |url=https://www.um.edu.mo/research/national-level.html |access-date=July 5, 2019 |website=University of Macau – State Key Laboratories}}</ref>

In 2016, the University of Macau established a residential college system similar to that of Oxbridge in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite web|last=Grove|first=Jack|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/university-macau-offers-unlikely-home-oxbridge-tradition|title=University of Macau offers unlikely home for Oxbridge tradition|work=World University Rankings|date=2016-08-18|accessdate=2022-05-25}}</ref>

== Rankings == {{Infobox university rankings | ARWU_W = 301–400 |ARWU_W_year = 2025| ARWU_W_ref =<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/institution/university-of-macau|access-date=10 September 2025|title=ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities }}</ref> | QS_W = =285 | QS_W_year = 2026| QS_W_ref = <ref name=":QSW2026">{{Cite web|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/world-university-rankings|title=QS World University Rankings |date=6 November 2025 }}</ref> | THE_W = 145 |THE_W_year = 2026| THE_W_ref = <ref>{{cite web|title=World University Rankings 2026 |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/latest/world-ranking|date=9 October 2025|website=Times Higher Education |access-date=9 October 2025}}</ref> | USNWR_W = 230 | USNWR_W_year = 2025 | USNWR_W_ref =<ref name="USNWR">{{cite web|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/search?country=macau|title=2024-2025 Best Universities in the World|author=U.S. News|access-date=26 June 2024}}</ref> | THE_Asia = 34 | THE_Asia_year = 2025 | THE_Asia_ref = <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2025/regional-ranking#!/length/25/name/university%20of%20macau/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/scores|title=Asia University Rankings|date=10 September 2025|website=Times Higher Education|access-date=10 September 2025}}</ref> | QS_Asia = 99 | QS_Asia_year = 2025| QS_Asia_ref = <ref name=QS_Asia>{{Cite web |url=https://www.topuniversities.com/asia-university-rankings?search=macau |title=QS University Rankings: Asia 2025 |access-date=10 September 2025 |website=QS Top Universities}}</ref> | USNWR_Asia = 56 | USNWR_Asia_year = 2025 | USNWR_Asia_ref = <ref name=USNWR></ref> }}

The University of Macau is ranked No. 145 in 2025 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, No 34. in the THE Asia University Rankings, No 14 in the THE Young University Rankings,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-05-08 |title=Young University Rankings |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/young-university-rankings |access-date=2024-05-14 |website=Times Higher Education |language=en}}</ref> No 28 in the THE Asia University Rankings, and No 1 in the Association of Portuguese Speaking Universities.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Young University Rankings 2022 |date=8 February 2022 |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2022/young-university-rankings#!/page/0/length/25/name/macau/sort_by/rank/sort_order/asc/cols/stats}}</ref> It is ranked #285 in 2026 QS World University Rankings. In the U.S. News & World Report's Best Global Universities Rankings, it is ranked No. 230.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US News Ranking |url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/search?name=university+of+macau}}</ref>thumb|alt=Map showing the University located on the mainland across from Macau|The University of Macau's campus lies across the river from Macau, connected by a tunnel

==Football club== The University of Macau's association football team competes in the Liga de Elite, the top division of football in Macau.<ref name="Men's Soccer Team">{{cite web |title=Men's Soccer Team |url=https://sports.osa.um.edu.mo/umsportsteams/mens-soccer-team/ |publisher=University of Macau |access-date=20 March 2026 |language=Chinese}}</ref> The team celebrated ten seasons in the Macau league system in 2025, first playing in the 3ª Divisão in 2016.<ref name="2025 Macau Football League">{{cite web |title=UM Men’s Soccer Team Participates in “2025 Macau Football League” – FA Cup Bronze Medal Match |url=https://sports.osa.um.edu.mo/osasdtpost20250710/?lang=zh-hant |publisher=University of Macau |access-date=20 March 2026 |language=Chinese}}</ref><ref name="Macao 2016">{{cite web |last1=Stokkermans |first1=Karel |title=Macao 2016 |url=https://www.rsssf.org/tablesm/macao2016.html#3a |publisher=RSSSF |access-date=20 March 2026}}</ref>

== See also == * Education in Macau * List of universities and colleges in Macau * St. Paul's College, Macau

== Notes == {{NoteFoot}} {{notelist}}

== References == {{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading == * {{cite web|url=https://www.npc.gov.cn/zgrdw/englishnpc/Law/2011-02/16/content_1620765.htm|title=Decision of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on Empowering the Macao Special Administrative Region to Exercise Jurisdiction over the New Campus of the University of Macao on Hengqin Island|publisher=National People's Congress|access-date=2020-12-02|archive-date=2022-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022124128/http://www.npc.gov.cn/zgrdw/englishnpc/Law/2011-02/16/content_1620765.htm|url-status=dead}}

== External links == *{{Commons category-inline|University of Macau}} *{{Official website}}

{{Universities and colleges in Macau}} {{Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao University Alliance}} {{Macau Freguesias}} {{Taipa}} {{Association of East Asian Research Universities}}

{{authority control}}

Category:University of Macau Category:Taipa Category:Universities and colleges in Macau Category:Universities and colleges established in 1981 Category:1981 establishments in Macau