President of Camões Institute and Consul General of Portugal Visit USJ Macao
President of Camões Institute and Consul General of Portugal Visit USJ Macao
21
Sep
21/09/2026
The visit provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on the promotion of Portuguese language and culture, higher education cooperation, and the strengthening of academic and cultural links between Macao and Portugal.
A delegation led by Ambassador Florbela Paraíba, President of Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language, I.P., and Ambassador Alexandre Leitão, Consul General of Portugal in Macao and Hong Kong, visited the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Macao, on 8 September 2026.
The delegation was warmly welcomed by Dr. Alejandro Salcedo Garcia, Interim Rector of USJ, and Prof. Carlos Sena Caires, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The meeting also included Mrs Patrícia Quaresma, representing IPOR – Portuguese Institute of the Orient, and Mrs Ana Paula Mota, Head of the International Affairs Office at USJ.
The visit provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on the promotion of Portuguese language and culture, higher education cooperation, and the strengthening of academic and cultural links between Macao and Portugal.
The dialogue highlighted the importance of fostering effective bilingualism in Macao, building on the city’s unique linguistic and cultural heritage, as well as Macao’s role as a platform for cooperation between China and Portuguese-speaking countries. In this context, Portuguese-language education continues to play an important role in strengthening Macao’s connections with the wider Portuguese-speaking world and in creating opportunities for greater educational, cultural, and professional engagement.
The meeting also reflected on the value of multilingual education and the opportunities created by greater interaction between Portuguese and Chinese language learning. Academic and cultural exchanges can increase students from Portugal’s exposure to the Chinese language and culture, while creating further opportunities for students in Macao to study Portuguese and engage with Portuguese-speaking academic communities.
For USJ, with its international and multicultural academic environment, these shared priorities align closely with the University’s commitment to fostering intercultural understanding and strengthening connections between Macao, Portugal, China, and the broader Lusophone world.
The visit concluded with a shared commitment to sustaining ongoing dialogue and identifying new opportunities for future cooperation across education, language and culture, and academic exchange.
About Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language, I.P.:
Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language, I.P. is a Portuguese public institution dedicated to promoting the Portuguese language and culture internationally and to advancing cooperation with educational institutions, international organisations, and partners across different regions of the world.
