After Macao's return to China in December 1999, educational exchanges and cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Macao have served as a vivid manifestation of the power of the "one nation, two systems" strategy, Education Deputy Minister Tian Xuejun said.
With the expansion of higher education exchanges and collaboration between the mainland and Macau, the acceptance of mainland universities by Macau residents has steadily improved, with more Macau students choosing to study in the mainland, Tian said.
A record high of over 6,300 Macao students study this year at mainland universities, he said, adding that there are 246 pairs of "sister schools" for primary and middle school students as well.
According to a memorandum signed in September, higher education diplomas or degrees from the mainland and Macau are mutually recognized, helping to promote exchanges and cooperation between the mainland and Macau and to incorporate their growth into the country's overall development, Tian said.
High-Tech Labs & Equipment
Science and technology exchanges and collaboration between Macau and China's higher education institutions have also seen a significant rise, with the joint establishment of innovation centers and laboratories.
Tian pointed out that at Macau University there are three state key laboratories and two others at the Macau University of Science and Technology. The two prestigious educational institutions share the State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine.
The mainland has released various policies to support students from Macao in studying, finding jobs and starting their own businesses, adding that students from Macao are now receiving the same treatment as their counterparts from the mainland.
Economic Development & Prosperity
Nineteen year old Hung Yulei, who is a law graduate of the Chinese University of Political Science and Law in Beijing for the first year, said that "when I came to the mainland, what shocked me most is how easy it is to live here."
"Everything can be paid with Alipay and WeChat Pay, and with very fast delivery I can buy everything on e-commerce platforms," Cai Zhuozheng, 22, a graduate of the Macau University with a bachelor's degree in law, said.
Cai, later on, started working in the legal department of a Beijing securities company. Since last year, Macao students have been able to enjoy the same salary and benefits as their continental counterparts.
Cooperation in the field of education has been mutually beneficial, leading to Macao's talent creation, economic development and prosperity, and improving the welfare of the people, Tian said.
