Leveraging technology to pioneer sustainability in Macao and beyond

From reducing carbon footprints to promoting global partnerships, technology serves as a catalyst for sustainable transformation in campuses across the world

The convergence of technology and sustainability has opened up unprecedented opportunities for positive change. As centres of knowledge and innovation, universities have the potential to be at the forefront of this change and influence the next generation of leaders.

Integrating technology into various aspects of higher education has the capability to advance sustainability beyond the campus. Sustainability presents a complex and diverse set of challenges that demand unique and innovative solutions. 

“Addressing sustainability challenges requires a balance between global and local solutions,” says Marcus Im, rector of Macao Polytechnic University (MPU). The university has embraced the potential of technology in achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

By harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) and other cutting-edge technologies, MPU aims to stimulate interdisciplinary progress in various fields, including healthcare, education, cultural preservation and environmental sustainability. “Our mission is to steer towards a sustainable future with technologies as our driver, fostering interdisciplinary innovation that benefits all,” Im says.

MPU takes a multifaceted approach to sustainability, which includes fostering local and global collaborations, as well as emphasising academic excellence, research and innovation within the university.

The university recognises that when implementing sustainable initiatives in different regions, it is essential to consider the unique social, cultural and environmental characteristics of each country and work collaboratively with local communities and stakeholders.

MPU focuses on providing quality education that is accessible and affordable to all and conducting impactful research that can improve health and economic conditions around the world. “Our mission is to cultivate a sustainability mindset among diverse age groups, starting with our university students, extending to youth and even reaching older people,” Im explains.

For MPU, this involves introducing modules about sustainable development into its curricula and launching the Seniors Academy for elderly citizens to promote lifelong learning and inclusive education.

The university has found innovative ways to combine information technology with its sustainability efforts. Each year, MPU runs a 3D programming and animation competition, with this year’s theme focusing on smart cities and sustainability. The competition was open to everyone in Macao and offered a platform for participants to share their innovative ideas and collaborate on projects that address sustainability challenges.

Incorporating information technology into collaborative research projects is another strategy the university has adopted to amplify the impact of these projects.

One successful project is Canarin, a cloud-based real-time environmental monitoring system developed in partnership with the University of Bologna in Italy, the University of Coimbra in Portugal, the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and Sorbonne University in France. The system is now in use at the Joanine Library in Coimbra to safeguard world heritage sites.

Another notable project is the Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, which combines AI and biomedicine to improve research efficiency and accelerate novel drug design. The centre is expected to accelerate the development of high-tech industries in Macao and the larger pharmaceutical sector in China.

Partnerships and interdisciplinary collaborations are central to MPU’s vision of sustainability. Challenges of sustainable development are often complex and require solutions that are not limited to a single discipline.

It involves social, economic and environmental considerations, necessitating the integration of knowledge from various fields, Im adds. “Interdisciplinary and collaborative research, combined with technology, can lead to the discovery of innovative solutions and practices that were previously unexplored, ultimately improving sustainability.” 

The university is involved in regional collaborations and partnerships with other institutions, such as the United Nations’ Higher Education Sustainability Initiative, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the UK and the International Network for Quality Assurance Agencies in Higher Education.

MPU recently launched the Joint Research Laboratory in Advanced Technologies for Smart Cities in collaboration with the University of Coimbra. The laboratory aims to drive collaborative research between Macao and Portugal in the development of an innovative ecosystem for smart technologies.

The university organises an annual conference in collaboration with the Asia-Pacific Quality Network on modern educational practice and sustainability. I

n the past, the conference has addressed subjects such as online education and ensuring sustainable quality assurance and educational innovation in the post-pandemic era. This year, the conference aims to bring together researchers and experts from AI and education to explore the latest developments, challenges and opportunities.

“Our mission is to steer towards a sustainable future with technologies as our driver”

Marcus Im, rector of Macao Polytechnic University

Preserving culture plays a crucial role in advancing the sustainable growth of Macao’s tourism and economy. Intangible cultural heritage, which has become a distinguished academic field at MPU, plays a vital role in preserving the unique aspects of the region’s cultural identity.

The Centre of Sino-Western Cultural Studies at the university collaborates with local organisations, compiling documents and oral histories related to Macao’s traditions. Their research outcomes have successfully aided local entities in applying for inclusion in national intangible cultural heritage lists.

There are renewed efforts worldwide to safeguard languages and dialects to preserve the cultural memories they carry. MPU acts as a bridge to promote Chinese and Portuguese languages and cultures, identifying Macao’s unique position as a meeting point between the two.

The university has created free learning resources and mobile apps for individuals to learn Chinese and Portuguese, and offers scholarships and Chinese language programmes for lusophone students from Portuguese-speaking countries.

MPU’s technological achievements related to languages also include a globally recognised Chinese-Portuguese Neural Network Machine Translation Platform and the Chinese-Portuguese-English Voice Recognition and Simultaneous Interpretation System used by governments and institutions.

MPU believes that cultivating bilingual talent in Macao and beyond can foster intercultural communication and strengthen trade and economic relations between China and Portuguese-speaking countries, paving the way for a sustainable future.

Find out more about Macao Polytechnic University.