Science, Engineering, Health Sciences, Business Administration, Law, Education, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities
The University of Macau was established in 1991 by the Legislative Assembly of Macau under Decree-Law 50/91/M. Its predecessor, the private University of East Asia, was founded in March 1981, which is the origin of the institution’s lineage. The Macao Foundation bought the University of East Asia in 1988 for 130 million patacas. The Government of Macau has funded the university since 1991.
The location needs a clarification. The infobox gives Avenida da Universidade, in Taipa, Macau, as the address, while the article states that the university is on Hengqin Island, to which classes moved in the academic year 2014 to 2015. The campus covers 109 hectares. A new campus in the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone of Hengqin began construction on 12 December 2025.
The university counts more than 15,000 students in 2024 and 650 academic staff. The rector is Yonghua Song. The chancellor is the Chief Executive of Macau, Sam Hou Fai, ex officio, and the chairman is Peter Lam Kam Seng. The language of instruction is mainly English, with Portuguese and Chinese also in use, which is a distinctive feature in the region.
A residential college system, modelled on Oxford and Cambridge, was established in 2016. Structural changes take effect on 1 August 2026. The Faculty of Science will be split into Information Science and Computing, Engineering, and Science. The Faculty of Health and Science will be expanded into a Faculty of Medicine, and a Faculty of Design will be newly established.
Research is anchored in three State Key Laboratories: Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, and Internet of Things for Smart City. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings place it 154th for 2027, 28th in Asia and 14th among young universities. QS gives 267th for 2026. Fees depend on the programme and the status of the student. Check the current tariff.
Students should note that the territory is small and that housing is costly. The residential colleges help new students to settle, and they offer a community in addition to lectures. Applicants should check the official pages for the admission rules, the languages of each programme and the faculty changes that take effect in 2026.
Domains taught:
Data Analytics, Electrical and Electronics, Finance, Life Sciences, Materials, Software Engineering, Telecommunications
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master, MBA
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
Residential college system modelled on Oxbridge, three State Key Laboratories, campus on Hengqin Island.
Research:
Analog and mixed-signal VLSI, Chinese medicine quality research, Internet of Things for smart cities.
Famous Alumnis:
N/A
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
650
Current students***:
15000
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Three State Key Laboratories, residential college system, English as the main language of instruction, THE World ranking 154 in 2027.
Cons
Small territory, high cost of living in Macau, competition for places.
Best For
Students seeking an English-medium research university in Macau, with a residential college system.
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Most Similar Schools Locally
Anyone who wants a second school in the same country with a similar spread of finance, materials and life sciences can consider Macau University of Science and Technology, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes, and covers astroscience and optics as well.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, based in China, is built around finance, electrical and electronics and life sciences much like this university, and it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba.
National Cheng Kung University (Taiwan) works on the same fields as this university, chiefly electrical and electronics, materials and life sciences; it runs the same bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba programmes, and covers industrial design and civil engineering as well.
Shenzhen University in China shares the electrical and electronics, materials and life sciences orientation of this university, and it is far larger, with about 48,865 students against roughly 15,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Indiana University Indianapolis, based in the United States, is built around finance, life sciences and data analytics much like this university, and it is larger, enrolling about 29,390 students against roughly 15,000 here, and is also a public institution.
Students considering a move abroad can look at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, where finance, life sciences and data analytics also form the core, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's, doctoral and mba, and covers ecology and sustainability and physics as well.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is the University of Macau?
In Macau, on the Hengqin campus, with the official address on Avenida da Universidade, Taipa.
When was it established?
In 1991, by the Legislative Assembly of Macau.
What was its predecessor?
The University of East Asia, founded in March 1981.
How large is the campus?
109 hectares.
How many students does it have?
More than 15,000 in 2024.
What is the main language of instruction?
English, with Portuguese and Chinese.
Who is the rector?
Yonghua Song.
How many State Key Laboratories does it have?
Three.
When was the residential college system established?
In 2016.
What does it cost?
Fees depend on the programme and the status of the student. Check the current tariff.
Electronics, Engineering, Innovation, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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