The University of Macau’s (UM) Macao Base for Primary & Secondary STEM Education, and Ciência Viva, Portugal’s national agency for the promotion of science, technology, and culture, have signed an agreement to increase collaboration in STEM education (‘STEM’ is short for science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and to stimulate public interest in science in Macao and Portugal. According to the agreement, in addition to jointly organising science popularisation events to promote cultural exchange between students in China and Portugal, both parties will take advantage of Macao’s unique role as a bridge of communication between China and Portuguese-speaking countries to develop the city into a science popularisation platform between China and lusophone countries.
Dr Maria Rosália Vargas Esteves Lopes da Mota, president of Ciência Viva, visited UM and was warmly received by Yonghua Song, rector of UM; Tam Kam Weng, director of the Centre for Science and Engineering Promotion; and Cindy Lam, director of the Global Affairs Office. Both parties exchanged ideas on science popularisation and expressed hope to increase collaboration in the training of professionals in science and technology by leveraging UM’s unique strengths in science education in the Greater Bay Area.
According to Dr Mota Mota, Ciência Viva aims to promote public awareness about science, technology, and science education at the national level, with a particular focus on young people.
Established in June 2018, the Macao Base for Primary & Secondary STEM Education aims to promote science popularisation and STEM education in collaboration with the Science and Technology Development Fund, the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau, the Chinese Educators’ Association of Macau, Macau Catholic Schools Association, Macao Science Center, and Macao Post and Telecommunications Bureau. With UM’s Centre for Science and Engineering Promotion of Faculty of Science and Technology as the core component, the base launches STEM programmes to support science popularisation in Macao and to provide continuous training for teachers and students from local secondary schools.
澳門大學“澳門中小學生科技實踐基地”與葡萄牙國家科學暨技術文化推廣署簽署了合作框架協議，進一步落實雙方在STEM教育的合作，提高兩地大眾對科普的興趣及關注。雙方將共同開辦不同的國際科技交流活動，積極發揮澳門作為中葡交流平台的功能，協助構建中葡科普平台。
葡萄牙國家科學暨技術文化推廣署主席Maria Rosália Vargas Esteves Lopes da Mota參訪澳大，獲澳大校長宋永華、科學暨工程科普推廣中心主任譚錦榮教授及全球事務總監林鈺儀接待。雙方就兩地科普合作進行交流，同時期望通過是次合作，加強兩地在科技人才的培養，突顯澳大在大灣區的科研教育優勢，為未來兩地於科普教育打下紮實的基礎。
Vargas Esteves Lopes da Mota表示，推廣署為葡萄牙科技文化國際組織，主要向社會及中小學推動科技文化，提升公眾對科技及科學教育意識，特別向年輕人進行推廣。是次合作將促進中葡雙方的學生進行文化交流、優勢互補、共同發展，展現澳門在中葡合作中扮演的獨特角色。
澳大“澳門中小學生科技實踐基地”於2018年成立，共建單位有澳門科學技術發展基金、澳門教育暨青年局、澳門中華教育會、澳門天主教學校聯會、澳門科學館及澳門郵電局。此基地以澳大科技學院的科學暨工程科普推廣中心為核心，推出一系列STEM教育計劃，支持社區科學推廣活動，為中學師生提供可持續培訓；基地也透過與各界合作，推動澳門科普教育的發展。
Vargas Esteves Lopes da Mota and Yonghua Song
Vargas Esteves Lopes da Mota與宋永華合影