The Rector of USJ, Reverend Professor Stephen Morgan, was elected as the Vice President from Asia for the IFCU Board of Administration for the period 2022-2025 during the 27th IFCU General Assembly held at Boston College, U.S.A., from 30 July to 3 August 2022.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) gathered with nearly 200 Catholic universities from around the world for the 27th General Assembly of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) from 30 July to 3 August 2022. USJ was represented by the Rector, Stephen Morgan, Vice-Rector, Álvaro Barbosa, and an international relations staff member at Boston College, U.S.A. where the General Assembly was hosted. The theme of the five-day Assembly was Legacy and Transformation in a World of Change: Catholic Higher Education and the Future.
USJ’s participation included presentations by the Rector Stephen Morgan and Vice-Rector Álvaro Barbosa. The Rector presented USJ to the Federation as one of two proposed venues for the next IFCU General Assembly in 2025, and Vice-Rector Barbosa presented in a later parallel session titled "Sciat Vt Serviat" Catholic University Serving the Society. The venue selected for the next General Assembly was the University of the Valley of Atemajac (UNIVA) in Guadalajara, Mexico. The Vice-Rector highlighted USJ’s environmental action to protect Macao’s Mangroves and social development work through the Prison Outreach Programme.
USJ joined IFCU in 2015 and since 2018 has been a member of the Federation’s regional body, the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU). The origins of the Federation date back to 1924 in Europe and it has since grown to include over 230 universities across six continents. IFCU serves as a collaborative platform for Catholic universities aimed at improving the quality of teaching, research, and service to society. IFCU is currently headquartered in Paris, France and led by President Isabel Gil, the Rector of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (Catholic University of Portugal), which co-founded USJ in 1996.
Professor Morgan presented his address in the framework of the Session "Heritage Conservation And Sustainable Development" including a brief introduction about GBCESC 2022 and USJ.
GBCESC 2022 took place from July 25th to 27th, 2022, in Guilin, China, and it aims to offer research scholars and engineers a platform for the interchange of cutting-edge technological achievements, where scholars, experts, and engineers exchange technical knowledge, discuss innovative and effective solutions, and address challenges in the fields of green building, civil engineering, and smart city.
The pandemic has brought upon unprecedented challenges to all students worldwide. As such, all educational institutions had to recalibrate all teaching methods and even effect changes in the norms of how a student may continue their studies in the present time.
This webinar will revolve around students’ understanding of the challenges of the pandemic. With the theme "Youth’s Cope-ability and Engagement in the New Normal Towards Pandemic Recovery", it is aimed to make students better equipped with skills relevant to the call of the times. Speakers from the 2020 Class of Young Leaders for the SDGs will share inspiring stories with the audience.
Created in 1996, CPLP is a privileged forum for multilateral consultationand cooperation amongst the Portuguese-speaking countries.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is since 2017 the only Higher Education institution in Macao that has CPLP Consultative Observer status and assists in the promotion and dissemination of the Portuguese language not only through its Pre-University, Associate Diploma, Bachelor and Master programmes, but also through Lifelong Learning Office’s Portuguese Language & Culture coursesand the organisation and hosting of educational and cultural events and activities.
Discovering one’s passion is full of unexpected turns. For Joel Chao, not only has he found his passion, but he has also made it his career. In this instalment of our Alumni Stories, get the scoop on how Joel has transformed himself from a Journalism Major to a Packaging and Graphic Designer for INNO Models.
Fresh out of high school, Joel was first invested into Journalism, opting to pursue higher education in Taiwan. However, after completing a year of study there, Joel decided that the programme was not suitable for his needs, so he set his sights back home in Macao. Upon his return, he found an easy choice for his next destination in higher education - not overly interested in the hospitality industry of Macao, he remembered the enjoyment he found in drawing when he was younger. Thus he enrolled in the Bachelor of Design programme of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ).
As soon as he started his studies, he immediately loved the programme. He appreciated the different approaches to Design that USJ took, focusing more on graphics and interior design. It was around this time that he grew an interest in User Experience (UX). Throughout his studies, he focused on developing his craft in UX, developing codes for websites and apps. Everything was going smoothly until a particular project he was working on gave him a roadblock- he discovered that his initial interest in coding for UX was slowly deteriorating. But that did not stop him.
With the guidance of Prof. Filipa Martins, Programme Coordinator for the Bachelor of Design, who advised him to diversify into graphic design for posters, he reignited his passion, allowing him to complete his studies with ease. He has nothing short of high regard for Prof. Filipa as a mentor, calling her one of the best professors that have taught him. “I think she is a professor that can give directions and guidance for you to discover your field; for example, she also referred me to be a UX designer to help some freelancers design posters or take photos.”
Aside from the academic guidance, Joel has also found his confidence in speaking to people in English and even comprehending some Portuguese due to USJ's multicultural environment.
All his experience and journey at USJ has contributed to him graduating with flying colours and eventually finding the opportunity to become the Packaging and Graphic Designer for INNO Models, a company that produces scale model replicas of race cars. “Still, I can proudly say that I’m doing what I like on a daily basis.”
We here at USJ are more than proud for Joel to have found his passion within our Institution and even prouder at the person he has blossomed into.
A new year is opening up which offers us a new opportunity to deepen our Contemplative journey, familiarize ourselves with the Psalms, and try to grasp some key insights of the Gospel of John. As we are halfway through the journey during the Ignatian Year we may also wish to make an evaluation about progress and setbacks during our itinerary in the different areas such as a faithful daily practice of Contemplation, regular Contemplative reading of the Psalms, and the Gospel of John, finally: insights on how Contemplation may inspire serving leadership.
Instruction for “Contemplation & Leadership” in the Ignatian Year for July 2022
Psalm 145 and the Gospel of St. John Chapter 21:15-23
As we are about to finish our itinerary focused on “Contemplation and Leadership” with the inspiration of the 150 Psalms and the Mystical Gospel of John, we may consider our last session as a final test. Jesus not only challenges Peter but all of us with the question: Do you (really) love me? The charity and love Jesus has in mind is not related to some vague feelings; but the core issue is to assume responsibility within the vast vineyard of the Lord.
Peter’s journey of purifying love through different moments of his humanity and relationship with Jesus also bears witness to the path of a leader. The evangelist John tells us that “Peter was hurt that Jesus asked him a third time, ‘Do you love me?’” Jesus’ questions to Peter and to us take full account of our complexity, including our weakness. When we are ready to surrender through love, through contemplation: “Lord, you know everything; you know I love you,” then can we offer ourselves as gifts, to follow Jesus and share in his offering as true leader.
Psalm 145 reminds us of the state of mind in which we have to welcome this ultimate challenge to deepen our Contemplative Journey towards charity in truth: day after day we need to deepen our profound sense of gratitude and joy for being rooted in the praise of God. This attitude is certainly one of the keys in the spirituality of Ignatius who inspires us to praise God in all circumstances of our life and develop a sense [[a sensitivity/ an awareness?]] in order to find and carry out His will.
As we bless God’s name, do we experience God as “tenderness and pity, slow to anger, full of faithful love”? Sometimes the embodiment—our mission—that “Yahweh is generous to all, his tenderness embraces all his creatures” can surprise or challenge us.
Are you ready for the final test? What does it mean to you? I would be glad to meet you all for the last session in our Ignatian itinerary.
DETAILSDate & Time: Tuesday, 19 July 2022 | 8:00 pm – 9:30 pm (GMT+8)
Instructor: Fr. Stephan Rothlin S.J
Language: English /Cantonese/Mandarin
REGISTER HERE >
You will receive a confirmation e-mail after your registration.
Deadline for Registration: 18 July 2022
*Free event, open to the general public📆 Add to my Google Calendar
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We are excited to announce that all USJ bachelor students in their third year or above and all postgraduate students, including PGDE students, are eligible to enroll in our USJ Career Booster Programme on Coursera starting from now until 17 July 2022, with limited spots available.
The most in-demand courses available in the USJ Career Booster Programme include:
To reserve your spot and enrol in the courses, you must pay a fully refundable deposit of MOP 400. The deposit will only be refunded once the learner completes the following four (4) required courses in two (2) months or less:
Interviewing Skills
Business Writing
Time Management
One (1) of the courses in Resume Writing
The deposit must be transferred to USJ Office for Students and Alumni Affairs (OSAA) via Mpay account 63337660, by the 17th of July 2022.
The top three (3) users/learners who complete the four (4) required courses of the Career Readiness Collection of the USJ Career Booster Program with the best average grade by the 18th of September 2022 are entitled to have free access to one of the available professional certificates until the 13th of November 2022.
Should you have any question(s) and/or concern(s), please feel free to send an email to careers@usj.edu.mo.
Terms and Conditions:
The deposit of MOP$400 is equivalent to the basic monthly charge for each Coursera learner. A quarter of the deposit, i.e. MOP$100, will be refunded if the user/learner completes an individual course by the 18th of September 2022, MOP$200 for two courses, up to a maximum of MOP400 will be refunded if four or more courses are completed by the deadline from the corresponding deposit.
Invitation for enrolment will then be sent through Coursera by the University once we verify the transaction of the corresponding deposit. The enrolment is not guaranteed if the number of spots are fulfilled.
Mental health workers caring for suicidal clients and family members supporting suicidal loved ones face great challenges, as they might experience anxiety, inadequacy, and compassionate fatigue. This seminar aims to serve as a platform for frontline workers to exchange ideas about how to adopt a proactive approach to managing and supporting clients who have the risk of self-harm and suicidal behavior. The speakers will share their experiences and provide practical skills about how to engage with these clients.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER:Ms. Cheong Cheng Ian Macau Society of Registered Psychotherapists (MSRP) President Trainer for DSEDJ
Macau registered psychotherapist (T-0494)
Certified EMDR therapist
Certified hypnotherapist
Accumulated more than 1500 hours of specialist training hours Over 5000 hours of direct contact with clients in individual and family therapy sessionsMr. Lao Chan Fong MSS clinical psychology
Chairman- Macau Society of Registered Psychotherapists
Psychology Director and Psychotherapist-Psychotherapy Center of The Women's General Association of Macau
Visiting Lecturer /Academic Supervisor – University of Saint JosephDETAILS:Date: Monday, 25 July 2022Time: 19:00 – 21:00
Online Access:Zoom Link:https://us06web.zoom.us/j/82976633811?pwd=dU1iTzNOenpNUE5UMnk0WEE4bGxxQT09Meeting ID: 829 7663 3811
Passcorde: 727017
REGISTER HERE* >*Registration is required.
**The language of the symposium is Cantonese. Admission is free.Organised by: Macau Society of Registered Psychotherapists, and USJ Counselling CentreModerated by: Ms. Helen Lao, Psychological Counsellor at USJ
📆 Add to my Google Calendar"
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Introduction:
ARTeFACTo 2022 MACAO will be held on the 24th and 25th of November 2022 at the University of Saint Joseph, in Macau S.A.R. (China) and will be hosted by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. The goal of the conference is to promote interest in the current digital media culture and its intersection with art, communication and technology as an important research field, while focusing on the study of the digital media artefacts, embracing topics covering their conceptualization, design, creative/art practice/research processes, computational implementation, exhibition and fruition as well their role in today’s information and knowledge society, fostering the establishment of the conceptual foundations of an artefact theory in the digital media world.
ARTeFACTo 2022 MACAO aims at giving greater visibility to artefact creators and researchers, theorists or practitioners, establishing a common space for the discussion and exchange of new experiences while fostering a better understanding of digital arts and culture across a wide spectrum of cultural, disciplinary, and professional practices. To this end, we cordially invite scholars, teachers, researchers, artists, computer professionals, and others who are working within the broadly defined areas of digital media arts, communication, culture and education, with a specific focus on artefacts and artistic installations to join us.
ARTeFACTo 2022 MACAO's International Scientific and Artistic Committee is composed of experts in various disciplines. The conference program will consist of keynote speakers by eminent specialists, oral presentations (local and remote) of the contributed papers, art installations, videos and posters of work in progress.
Call for Papers and Artworks:
ARTeFACTo 2022 MACAO has the format of a conference with technical sessions, invited talks, discussion panels, and exhibition areas for artefacts and installations. Contributions can be in the form of full papers, short papers and proposals for artefact exhibitions/art installations.
Authors are invited to submit:
A full paper of six to ten pages for oral presentation. Artefact descriptions are welcome, embracing part or the overall creation process, from seminal concept, implementation until the final exhibition preparation or the fruition experience analysis;
A short paper up to four pages of the conceptual and technical information concerning artefact/art installations and interactive artwork proposals.
Due to the current pandemic situation and the travel restrictions, the conference will be on a hybrid mode; on-site and online participation are welcome. We are welcoming digital representation of artefacts/art installation to present them in a virtual exhibition if possible.
Submissions are accepted in the conference’s official languages: English and Portuguese*.
*If your paper or artefact/installation proposal is in Portuguese, please prepare an English version of the title and abstract (200 to 500 words).
MAIN TOPICS:
Topics of interest include (but are not limited to)
Virtual and Mixed Reality
Augmented Reality and Immersive Art
Art and Technology
Digital Art and Communication
Digital Culture and Media
Digital Sound and Music
Digital Transmedia Storytelling
Information and Data Visualization
Digital Dance & Body Poetics
VideoArt and VideoMapping
Interactive Film
Generative Art
Algorithmic Art & Design
BioArt, NanoArt and xArt
Tangible and Gestures Interfaces
Digital Serious Game
Art Game
Digital Poetry & Electronic Literature
ARTeFACTo 2022 MACAO uses a double-blind reviewing process. As such, submitted papers/artefacts/installation proposals should not have any author and institutional identification in the title and header areas, nor in the body of the paper.
Explicit self-references should be avoided. Instead, authors citing their own prior work should discuss it in the third person (“Previous work by <Author> [X1]…” instead of “In our previous work [X1]…”). Authors should also avoid mentioning the names of institutions where the work was done (“participants were recruited from the university campus”, instead of “participants were recruited from the <Institution name>”). Authors should also avoid clear identification of their affiliation in figures and supplementary material and remove metadata from submission files.
In addition to the anonymized text for each paper, separate identification info must be provided at Easy Chair:
Name, organization, country and e-mail addresses of each author
In addition to author keywords, authors must provide a classification for their papers using ACM Computing Classification System (CCS). The classification system is available at http://dl.acm.org/ccs/ccs.cfm. You should examine the CCS thoroughly, but we recommend looking particularly inside the following categories:
Information systems -> Information systems applications
Information systems -> Multimedia information systems
Human-centered computing
Applied computing -> Arts and humanities
Technical questions regarding the template can be directed at acmtexsupport@aptaracorp.com
Photos, colour pictures or graphics must be inserted only in two pages (full paper) or one page (short paper, artefact/installation proposals).
The submission of a paper or art installation implies the intention of at least one of the authors to register and attend the conference to perform a spoken presentation. Papers accepted and presented at the conference by one of the authors will appear in the conference proceedings. The final version of accepted papers should be submitted with the name of the authors and institutions (there’s no need for a further blind review).
PROCEEDINGS:
Authors of selected papers presented at the conference (including essays describing the best art installations) will be published primarily in the ART(e)FACT(o) Journal and also invited to submit extended versions to the International Journal of Creative Interfaces and Computer Graphics (http://www.igi-global.com/IJCICG ).
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Careers and Internships Services is offering "1-on-1 Career Advising" for all students and alumni who are looking for a job or guidance for career development.
Our Careers and Internships Officer will be delighted to talk to students and alumni to provide job market information, personalised career advice on career planning, job searching skills, application writing review, and interview preparation.
To make an appointment, go to 1-on-1 Career Advising Service Booking System and select your preferred date, time slot and location*. Sessions are available in either English or Chinese.
For any enquiries on our 1-on-1 Career Advising Services, please write to OSAA - Career Services at careers@usj.edu.mo,
*In light of the latest developments of the COVID-19, all consultation sessions are now being conducted by Google Meet.
"Research as an Iterative Process"by Ms. corinna Bramley
‘Student engagement’ is a catch-all term, with limited agreed-upon meanings, and caught up in a multitude of discourses; it is itself a discourse. The conjuncture of knowledge, power, and language within a contemporary context renders understanding student engagement a somewhat elusive exercise. ‘Student engagement’ is irresistible to politicians and educationists of all persuasions, as they can bring it into their own agendas, values and interests, and as it would be difficult to defend students not being engaged in their learning and education. Drawing on the literature of a particular aspect of student engagement, which is it its relationship to wider social issues and how student engagement serves wider social interests, and through a worked example of a theory-driven systematic review, the thesis aims to ask and answer: Student engagement in what? Student engagement for what? Student engagement for whom?
SEMINAR II
"Why Choose to Teach: Pre-service Teachers and Career Switchers in Macau"by Mr Hong Leng Ian, Eli
Data from the Talents Development Committee in Macau have demonstrated that the number of new teachers keeps increasing, but it is also predicted that the number of teachers demanded by schools is going to display a downward trend. This research aims to investigate and report the reasons for, constraints on, and causes of, pre-service teachers and career switchers applying in significant numbers to become teachers in Macau, at a time when there is an oversupply of teachers and when pressures on teachers are increasing.
ABOUT THE SPEAKERS:Ms Corinna Bramley
Corinna Bramley is currently an English for Special Purposes (ESP) Trainer at the MPU-Bell Centre of English at Macau Polytechnic University (since 2008), where she is involved in courses and programmes in teacher education, mentoring, undergraduate work and open-enrollment courses. She has worked in higher education in Macau and in universities in Hong Kong, teaching local, international and mainland Chinese groups. She has been a certificated examiner for international qualifications for the University of Cambridge certificates in English language proficiency at many levels and in many areas, and in Aptis testing with the British Council. Prior to becoming a teacher, she was involved in international industry-specific publication and worked in the US and Europe as well as Tokyo.
Mr Hong Leng Ian, Eli
Hon Leng Ian, Eli has been working as a secondary school teacher in Macau for 14 years. Seeing different cohorts of new teachers entering the field every academic year, he wonders if they share the same ideals that drive them to become teachers. From the hardworking new teachers, he sees the same anxieties and insecurity he held after he finished his bachelor’s in education, and he knows that there are more teachers joining than teachers leaving every year, so he wants to know what really makes pre-service teachers and career switchers in Macau opt to work as teachers in Macau.
DETAILS:Date: Wednesday, 6 July 2022Time: 15:30 – 18:00
Zoom Link:https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81260247939?pwd=NUUvQzJ1NjBoRVZIa1BJNUlyL1Ridz09Meeting ID: 812 6024 7939
Passcorde: 241131
Organised by: Faculty of Social Sciences and Education
Moderated by:Prof. Keith Morrison and Prof. Elisa Monteiro📆 Add to my Google Calendar*This Research Seminar will be conducted in English
**USJ Public Lectures and Research Seminars are free to attend and members of the public are very welcome"
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Professor Keith Morrison, the vice-rector of USJ served as an ICIS 2022 General Chair. Professor Roger Lee from Central Michigan University, USA was a co-General Chair. The International Program Committee comprised representatives from China, Canada, the UK, Macao, and the USA. Professor George Wencai Du, Dean of the Institute for Data Engineering and Science (IDEAS) at USJ, was the key organizer of the conference, serving as co-chair, and Associate Professor Alexandre Lobo from the Faculty of Business and Law (FBL) at USJ was Registration Chair.
The conference included a keynote lecture, presentations, workshops, discussions, and the best papers award. More than 100 participants from across the world took part, with 70 papers presented and two workshops conducted, which were received enthusiastically by those present.
Professor Keith Morrison confirmed the significance of hybrid developments in computer and information science for improving society in his opening remarks.
Staff from USJ co-authored two papers with two teams of researchers: 'Object Detection based on Convolutional DCGAN and CNN Deep Learning Architectures in Blood Smears Images' and 'Noise Detection and Classification in Chagasic ECG Signals based on One-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Networks.
Two prizes were awarded for the best papers received; one of these went to Dr. Shengbin Liang, a postdoc researcher at IDEAS of USJ, for his joint paper on 'A model of Integrating Bert and BiGRU+ Attention Dual-Channel Mechanism for Investor Sentiment Analysis of Stock Price Forecast', co-authored with Huawei Ma, Jixin Ma and Zhang En.
In closing the conference, Professor Morrison noted that the challenge was to ensure that those ideas and developments that had been learned at the conference were turned into consequent actions and that the application of computer and information science was poised to make a profound contribution to business, community, and governments.
This webinar was aimed at AUAP's member institutions to share best practices, experiences, and challenges on how they had managed during Covid-19. The Rector of USJ participated as one of the Resource Speakers and shared the University's experiences and challenges in a presentation titled "COVID in a Golden Cage: USJ Macao in time of Pandemic."
During his presentation, Professor Morgan shared how USJ dealt with the pandemic during the global outbreak, and in another scenario, the COVID-19 epidemic Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) is facing at the moment. He underlined that based on the uniqueness of USJ, "as a Catholic, private, small, Liberal Arts focussed institution, being one of the most internationalised, with a shared campus with a Secondary School in Macao SAR, and with that campus being used as Covid testing station for Macao-wide Nucleic Acid Test, the challenges had been and continue to be enormous."
Professor Morgan shared USJ's approaches in dealing with the situation: "the institution had to be flexible, nimble and give people headroom, permission to take initiative free from the fear of sanction if they make mistakes … the communication strategy had to be adapted to reach our clients accurately". He said that the physical and mental well-being of staff and students was paramount. USJ had adapted its educational and institutional strategies quickly by changing the teaching modality for each module, adopting flipped classroom methodology, and developing a MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) Studio in a short time; alongside all these, it was imperative to trust your staff. Financial resilience was also a factor which had had to be addressed.
Finally, USJ’s Rector said that the “in reimagining of the future of Higher Education, it was important to remember that the core proposition remains unchanged – it is the production and dissemination of knowledge; the subject of the proposition – a community of scholars and students – remains unchanged; only the modality has changed and it has changed utterly.”
Students, staff, and alumni members of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) provided volunteer assistance during the 1st, 2nd and 3rd round of citywide COVID-19 nucleic acid testing (NAT) between 19 to 28 of June 2022, at the Ilha Verde Campus.
The mass testing was successfully completed thanks to the efficiency and professionalism of the front-line workers of the Macau SAR government, and for the generous support of the USJ volunteers along with volunteers from Colégio Diocesano de São José 5 (CDSJ5), and the well-organised arrangements of the NAT testing facility at Ilha Verde Campus station from the management of Colégio Diocesano de São José 6 (CDSJ6).
Volunteer work is an important whole-person development. Members of USJ, staff and students alike, are encouraged to get involved in social events to increase the awareness of the community and to contribute their own time for meaningful activities. The University aims to cultivate a caring surrounding among students and staff members while providing more community outreach services.
Interested individuals are welcome to sign up to become a USJ Volunteer for future in-campus mass testing assistance or related activities in the link below:
The “Belonging” graduation exhibition was officially inaugurated on 16 June 2022 at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Ilha Verde Campus. The event was organised by the Department of Creative Industries (DCI) of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH) to present the graduation projects of this academic year's DCI's students from Bachelors of Architectural Studies, Communication and Media, Design, and Digital Cinema.
This year's theme conveys the sense of shared community and creativity that is present at USJ, bringing together four different exhibitions titled - Gap (Architecture), Shift (Design), Unusual (Communication and Media), and Power (Digital Cinema), showcasing the talent of the future generation of Macao's creative.
Officiating guests of the event included: Vice-Rector of USJ Prof. Álvaro Barbosa, Dean of the USJ Faculty of Arts and Humanities Prof. Carlos Sena Caires, Dean of the USJ Faculty of Social Sciences and Education Prof. Elisa Monteiro, Head of Higher Education Exchange and Cooperation Division of DSEDJ Mr. Fong Ka Kin, Director of Alliance Française de Macao Mr. William Bascaule, Deputy Director General of CPTTM Mr. Jack Chang, and Prof. Lampo Leong from the University of Macau.
The opening ceremony began at the Fátima Auditorium with an encouraging speech by the Dean of FAH and a screening of four outstanding short films ("Kind of Mage", "Just a Piece", "Unexplained", "Back") under the theme "Power", produced, directed and edited by Digital Cinema students and supervised by the programme Coordinator Prof. João Brochado.
An interacting guided tour of the Exhibition by the Coordinators of each programme was followed after the screening, addressing the beginning of the "Belonging" at the Kent Wong Exhibition Gallery.
Prof. Nuno Soares, Coordinator of the Architecture programme, introduced the "GAP" exhibition, which encapsulates nine projects exploring urban gaps as an opportunity to develop alternative interactive spaces. These architectural works were created with the aim of revitalising the urban gaps by reconnecting useless spaces with context to achieve users' needs and new alternative ideas to improve the potential positive impact of the Macau Masterplan on the Outer Harbour Zone 1.
Introduced by Prof. José Simões, Coordinator of the Communication and Media programme, the "Unusual" works comprises nine individual projects showing different and original perspectives of Macao, exploring innovative techniques that mix photography, videography, sound and art installations. These works ranged from documental photography of the old Macao to minorities and communities to visually impacted animated images that show the full potential of the graduating students.
Lastly, "Shift" was the name given to the Design exhibition. The coordinator of the Design Programme, Prof. Filipa Martins, explained that students were asked to design for impact, addressing their target user's requirements, social relevance, economic sustainability, ecological balance, and cultural contextualization. The resulting projects were "Flip & Slide", "EV8", "Ukino" and "Wave" - each reflects their diverse interest and perspective but share a common vision of contributing to a more sustainable and liveable Macau.
The Exhibition is open to the public from 16 June until 30 September 2022, on Mondays to Fridays (9am - 7pm), and Saturdays (10am - 2pm), at the basement of the Kent Wong Exhibition Gallery, except public holidays.
On the 16th of June 2022, the Department of Social Work of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) organised a school activity titled ‘Light Up 2022’ in response to the mental health awareness month of the Macau Anglican College (MAC).
Twenty students from MAC joined a field trip to the Fu Hong Society Pou Choi Centre and attended a workshop to understand the process of making fruit tea bags, whereby staff at the vocational training center explained the importance of empowering trainees with skills set that could contribute to the society through a mental rehabilitation program, which is part of the “Physically Handicapped Able Bodied (PHAB - 傷健共融)” Movement. Afterward, students were joined by the President and the Director of Fu Hong Society at the ‘Canton of Portuguese’ for lunch, a restaurant built on social enterprise value. Students were very engaged and enjoyed this interactive learning experience.
The Department of Social Work at the USJ is committed to raising public awareness of the growing prevalence of mental health problems while training professional social workers to help individuals deal with the issues through early identification and intervention in addition to reducing social stigmatisation. The department emphasised that working with young people to build their resilience, self-confidence, and a proactive attitude could help them face different life challenges and that a joint effort from different stakeholders could foster a healthy support network.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) was awarded the "Blood Donation 10-Year Partnership Award" at the "Blood Donation Organization Award Ceremony" held by the Macau Blood Transfusion Service Centre of the Macau Special Administrative Region on June 15 2022 in the 2022 "World Blood Donor Day" series of activities in the conference hall of the Health Bureau.
The initiative aimed to thank local government departments, educational institutions and other public institutions for organising blood donation activities and for their continuous contributions in years 2019, 2021 and 2022.
USJ will continue to support and promote blood donation activities, assist the Blood Donation Center of the Macau Health Bureau to reserve enough blood for hospital use and help people in need of transfusions.
Childhood is a crucial stage in human development and respecting the “best interest of the child” should be considered a primary social concern (United Nations Convention on the Rights of Children, 1990). Ensuring that children are happy and socially integrated is a precondition to promote social well-being and development. Still, many challenges exist today to the full protection of children, both regionally and globally.
This interdisciplinary conference aims to be a forum for scholars, practitioners, and decision makers, to connect and make meaningful contributions to knowledge and policy building on child protection.
This will be a two-day event co-organized by the Cradle of Hope Association, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), the Department of Innovative Social Work of City University of Macau, and local NGOs. The first day will be dedicated to scholarly contributions. We welcome contributions from scholars, and Ph.D. or Master’s students, in the fields of Social Work, Psychology, Education, and other areas that focus on child welfare and protection. The second day will be dedicated to practitioners and associations working in this area and include presentations and workshops.
The organizing committee of the "2nd Child Protection Conference: Working Towards a Safeguarding Policy for Children in Macau: from Theory to Practice" welcomes you to submit your research to present at this event.
Dates to remember:
Abstract submission deadline: August 13th, 2022
Acceptance decision date: September 15th, 2022
Proceeding paper deadline: November 15th, 2022
Conference date: November 25th - 26th, 2022
Conference location: University of Saint Joseph, Ilha Verde Campus
Submitting is easy! Just email your abstract to the conference email: child.protection.conference@usj.edu.moVisit the 2nd Conference on Child Protection Website>Please forward this announcement to your colleagues. For questions, contact Helen Liu, Research Coordinator for the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education, child.protection.conference@usj.edu.mo"
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string(14130) "In cooperation with Macao’s anti-pandemic measures and due to the current uncertain pandemic situation, this event will be postponed until further notice. (Updated: 20 June 2022)
This symposium contributes to the discussion of education as a tool to promote social equality and a more sustainable world in accordance with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The main aim of the symposium is to motivate an interdisciplinary dialogue about how to fight different types of social inequalities, locally and globally, in order to inform research, decision making, and policy building. The four presentations will be followed by a discussion session on how the interventions might be improved, replicated, and extended in order to contribute to a more fair and inclusive society.
This symposium brings together four presentations on different areas of intervention, namely:
pedagogy and improvements;
professional reintegration;
a comparison of experiences of parents in Beijing and in New York City in early intervention and special education;
an action research study about a sustainability education program in Macao.
This Symposium is co-organised by the University of Saint Joseph's (USJ) Faculty of Social Sciences and Education, the Macao Observatory for Social Development, and the USJ Green-committee.
Details:
Date: Tuesday, 28 June, 2022
Time: 14:30 - 17:00 (See table and poster below for schedule)
Venue: Don Bosco Auditorium, USJ Ilha Verde Campus
Address: Estrada Marginal da Ilha Verde, 14 - 17,Macau.
REGISTER HERE* >*Registration is required as seats are limited.
**The language of the symposium is English. Admission is free.Online access:Zoom Link:https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89390390262?pwd=OXZQR2NQL2s3R3dLOXdMS0ZObjdZdz09Meeting ID: 893 9039 0262
Passcode: 769444
Programme:
Time
Content
Presenters
14:30 - 14:40
Opening Remarks
Prof. Elisa Monteiro,
Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education, University of Saint Joseph, Macao
14:40 - 15:00
Presentation 1A Pathway to Rehabilitation: Pedagogy and improvements in a Prison Outreach Program in Macao
Prof. Helen Liu,
Research Coordinator of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education, University of Saint Joseph, Macao
15:00 - 15:20
Presentation 2Professional Recognition of Ex-Offenders in Macao: A Case Study in the Social Welfare Services
Miss Ip Ka I (Vinci),Prof. Helen Liu
15:20 - 15:35
Coffee Break. Light food and refreshments will be provided.
15:35 - 15:55
Presentation 3Access to Early Intervention and Special Education: Parents’ Experiences in Beijing and New York City
Prof. Xiaoran Wang,
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Beijing University of Technology, China
15:55 - 16:15
Presentation 4Enhancing Sustainability Development in Macao: An Action Research Study
Miss Cíntia Pacheco Leite Martins
16:15 - 16:35
Discussion
Prof. Maria Rita Silva,
Chair of the USJ Green Committee,
University of Saint Joseph, Macao
16:35 - 16:45
Conclusion
Prof. Jacky Ho,
Director of Macao Observatory for Social Development,
University of Saint Joseph, Macao
About the Presentations and Speakers:
Presentation 1: “A Pathway to Rehabilitation: Pedagogy and improvements in a Prison outreach program in Macao”
This presentation describes a Higher Education Prison Outreach program in Macao in the area of Social Work and explores areas for pedagogical improvement and benefits. Surveys of instructors and students and semi-structured interviews with former students were collected. Proposed improvements include making more materials available, arranging self-study time, and ensuring continuous support of instructors. Current and former students expressed a sense of value and self-esteem and interest in exploring psychological aspects of social work. Implications include the need for strengthening collaboration between NGOs and local government, expanding the program to different fields, and improving class size.
Professor Helen Liu is an assistant professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education, University of Saint Joseph, Macao SAR China. She is a researcher-practitioner in social work and an associate affiliate of China Center for Social Policy Columbia University School of Social Work in New York City. Her research interests focus on child and family well-being, with fostering family resilience and developmental outcomes in children and adolescents; the rehabilitation and social reintegration of prisoners. Professor Helen’s work has been supported by the Education and Youth Development Bureau, Social Welfare Bureau, and Macao Foundation.
Presentation 2: “Professional Recognition of Ex-Offenders in Macao: A Case Study in the Social Welfare Services”
This presentation explores the journey of professional (re)integration of ex-offenders in Macao after attending a Higher Education Prison Outreach Program in the area of Social Work. The Macao SAR government attaches great importance to professional integration as a way to reduce the chance of recidivism. Professional integration requires coordination of social policies, family support, and in-prison education and training. Yet, in Macao existing professional certification legislation does not cover ex-offenders. Implications are discussed for legislation on professional certification of ex-offenders as a way to enhance their motivation to strive for a future career and help them reintegrate fully into society.
Ip Ka I (Vinci), a MSW student at USJ, is a social worker, working in Macao Youth Residential Home at Astor Shore, Sheng Kung Hui Macau. She has been working in the field over 12 years. In the recent years, she has been responsible for supervising the frontline social workers and social work interns, and planning the training of the institution staff so as to improve the service and quality in the residential homes.
Presentation 3: ““Access to Early Intervention and Special Education: Parents’ Experiences in Beijing and New York City”
Early intervention and special education are crucial for the rehabilitation and development of children with special needs. The fundamental task for policymakers and service providers is to ensure service accessibility. This study explores what influences access to early intervention and special education from parents’ perspectives. Data were collected through one-on-one in-depth interviews conducted in Beijing and New York City. Thematic analysis identified three areas in that parents often encountered difficulties in both cities: service resource adequacy, service navigation, and service transition. By comparison and contrast, the discussion centered around policy supports in need and provided pertinent recommendations.
Professor Xiaoran Wang is a lecturer in the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences at Beijing University of Technology. She earned her PhD in social work at Fordham University, USA. Her research interests include early intervention and early education, parenting support, and social work education. Her recent studies have been published in the International Social Work and China Journal of Social Work.
“Enhancing Sustainability Development in Macao: An Action Research Study”
This presentation explores the application of an educational program to middle-school students in Macao to increase their understanding of sustainability. As Macao is a highly urbanized city, children have unequal access to natural settings which may negatively affect their perceptions of sustainability. Through an Action-Research approach, this study analyses the impact of the Burns Model of Sustainability Pedagogy as a framework for sustainability education. Findings underpin the need for carefully designed programs to empower individuals to become powerful change agents of sustainable development, and suggestions and tools are proposed to promote sustainability education in Macao.
Cíntia Pacheco Leite Martins, Originally from Brazil, was raised in Macau. Graduated in Design, with a Postgraduate and Master's in Education. Cintia works full-time as a fitness and wellness coach by conducting both individual sessions and corporate workshops.Her passion for fitness and wellness led her to found a social enterprise and an NGO to empower people for a healthy and active lifestyle. Also, her desire to find natural ways to heal the body, led her to co-found Mighty Greens- A company that educates the community about food systems, personal behaviours, and life skills to become more sustainable.
Prof. Karen Tagulao from the ISE/USJ gave a presentation focused on how the research outputs - mangroves for phytoremediation of coastal water pollution, and their important role in climate change adaptation and mitigation – are being translated into action through community and school-based outreach programs. The workshop was participated by around 30 experts from the international scientific community with the common goal of addressing biodiversity and climate crises.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) organises several events and free public lectures that provide access to educational resources in different areas and topics every academic year.
These events aim to raise awareness and disseminate evidence-based practices and interventions. Some events bring together USJ students and professors, and some are open to partner institutions and the general public.
The University of Saint Joseph participated in the 27th General Assembly of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) held at Boston College, U.S.A., from 30 July to 3 August 2022.
Rector of USJ delivers opening address for the GBCESC 2022 in the framework of the Session “Heritage Conservation And Sustainable Development” on July 25th, 2022.
Call For Papers and Artworks | ARTeFACTo 2022 MACAO – 3rd International Conference on Digital Creation in Arts, Media and Technology – “Emerging Realities”, organised by USJ and ARTECH International on 24 – 25 November 2022, is accepting submissions until 2 August.
USJ Careers and Internships Services is offering “1-on-1 Career Advising” for all students who are looking for a job or guidance for career development.
The Online Doctoral Research Seminars titled “Research as an Iterative Process” by Ms. Corinna Bramley and “Why Choose to Teach: Pre-service Teachers and Career” by Mr Hong Leng Ian, Eli will be held on 6 July.
The University of Saint Joseph in cooperation with the Zhuhai College of Science and Technology, China, held the 22nd IEEE/ACIS International Hybrid Conference on Computer and Information Science (ICIS 2022) from 26 to 28 June 2022.
USJ participated in the 6th Association of Universities of Asia and the Pacific (AUAP Zoom Forum on “Managing Covid-19 During Pandemic: Best Practices, Experiences and Challenges” on 24 June 2022.
USJ Students, staff and alumni members provided volunteer assistance during the citywide COVID-19 nucleic acid testing rounds between 19 – 28 June, at the Ilha Verde Campus.
On the 16th of June 2022, the USJ Department of Social Work organised a school activity titled ‘Light Up 2022’ in response to the mental health awareness month of the Macau Anglican College.
CALL FOR PAPERS for the “2nd Conference on Child Protection – Working Towards a Safeguarding Policy for Children in Macau: from Theory to Practice” hosted by USJ on November 25-26, 2022.
The Mangroves Project by the Institute of Science and Environment was presented at the international online Workshop on “Fostering Applied Research on the Synergies between Biodiversity and Climate” held on June 8 – 9, 2022, by the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BFN).