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Universities in Macao

Universities in Macao by City:

Macao

About universities in Macao

Macao, also spelled Macau, is one of two special administrative regions of the People’s Republic of China, the other being Hong Kong.  It is situated on the western side of the Pearl River Delta across from Hong Kong, which is to the east, and borders Guangdong Province to the north and the South China Sea to the east and south.  As a former colony of Portugal, Macao is the first, only and last European colony in China.  It was settled by the Portuguese in the 1500s, which administered the region until it was handed over to China in December of 1999.  Today Macao and China are under the policy known as “one country, two systems,” in which the People’s Republic of China is responsible for Macao’s defenses and foreign affairs policy, while Macao handles all other administrative functions, including its own legal and monetary system, police force, customs and immigration policy, and education.
 
Higher Education in Macao
 
Higher education in Macao is overseen and regulated by the national government, which sets educational policy and curriculum for all public institutions.  There are currently twelve institutions of higher or tertiary learning in Macao and three types of institutions:  universities, polytechnics and colleges.
 
Macao has two large public universities, one regional and one international.  The international school was founded in 1981, and over the last 30 plus years, thousands of Macao, Hong Kong, Chinese and other Asian students have been attending courses offered by the university.  Most graduated from the largest faculty on campus with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and went on to hold important positions in the political, economic and commercial sectors of Macao.  The international university consists of a School of Undergraduate Studies, School of Graduate Studies, School of Professional Studies and School of Portuguese Studies.  Within these schools there are many academic and professional programs offered, including those in business administration, international law, Chinese literature, social science and computer science, among others.  Students attending this institution can pursue undergraduate (Bachelor) graduate (Master) and post-graduate (PhD) level degrees, generally spanning four, two and three years respectively, depending on the discipline of study.
 
At the regional university, as well as at the colleges and polytechnics, eligible students are free to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in a diverse number of interesting fields.  Traditional options include accounting, business administration, business information systems, economics and international finance, finance, international business, management and marketing.  There are also English studies offered in programs such as English literature, linguistics, translation, journalism and public relations. In addition, being that Macao’s two largest economic sectors are tourism and gambling, a new program, called Gaming Management, has recently been added under the umbrella of the faculty of business administration.
 
Students who wish to pursue higher or tertiary educational opportunities in Macao must successfully graduate from high school and possess a secondary school certificate.  Entrance examinations are also a must, with a passing score required by most types of institutions for entrance into programs at the undergraduate and graduate level.  Certain faculties may even require a personal interview prior to admittance.