The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is organising the first of a series of seminars about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) - SDG 2: Zero Hunger and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production.
The event aims to bring local and international experts from different sectors together for talks, sharing sessions and round table discussions about solutions and strategies to achieve the SDGs and tackle the challenges facing the world today.
Our target audience for this seminar are those working on food production and food sustainability, but all those interested in sustainability are welcome to join.
Details:Date: Friday, 23 July 2021
Time: 15:00 - 18:00
Location: Don Bosco Auditorium, USJ Ilha Verde Campus
Organised by: University of Saint Joseph
Seating is limited and on a first come, first served basis. Add to my Google Calendar
About the Speakers and Topics:1) Tackling global Food Loss and Waste through joint actionThe presentation will provide an overview on multilateral activities towards fighting food loss and waste as well as some findings from German research.Speaker: Dr. Felicitas Schneider (Coordinator of Collaboration Initiative Food Loss and Waste launched at MACS-G20, MACS - Meeting of Agricultural Chief Scientists, Thünen Institute - Institute of Market Analysis, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Braunschweig, Germany2) Food waste prevention and management: Macao perspectivesOverview of Macao’s waste management system, waste generation and waste composition, and of possible strategies for the future. Speaker: Fr. Franz Gassner (Associate professor, Dean of Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy of USJ) and Warren Li (General Manager, Ultra Clean Waste Services Limited)3) Turning food waste into biodegradable plastic using engineered E. ColiPresent international awarded school project to produce biodegradable plastic.
Speaker: Students and Ms. Cheong WM (Pui Ching middle School) 4) Food literacy: food is more than taste Food is the strongest lever to optimise human health and environmental sustainability. People can spread the culture of voting with their chopsticks for the health of people and planet.Speaker: Ruby O (Founder and Chairperson of Society of Food & Environmental Health, Macao)5) A food waste reduction initiative in MacaoPresent the initiative of the NGO, in a city that has all conditions to be an example regarding environmental awareness.Speaker: Gilberto Camacho (Funding member of NGO Macau ECOnscious)6) Roundtable: Food sustainability and waste reduction strategies"What strategies can we develop to tackle SDG2 locally and globally?""
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In order to promote cooperation and exchanges in the field of higher education between Jiangsu and Macao, and to broaden the international vision of Jiangsu university students, the 2021 Jiangsu Provincial Government Scholarship Programme of Overseas Studies for Undergraduates was launched, with the official opening ceremony taking place on the morning of July 12 at the Ilha Verde Campus of University of Saint Joseph.
This exchange programme is jointly organised by Jiangsu Education Services for International Exchange, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), and the National Conditions Education Association (Macau). The plan will engage a thousand of outstanding students from Jiangsu Province in curriculum instruction and cultural exchange activities in Macao universities during the summer holiday. Among them, 155 college students have been selected to study at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ).
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is cooperating with other overseas universities such as Cambridge University, King's College London, and the University of Toronto to provide 17 two-week high-intensity online and offline courses. There will be 11 online courses, including International Business and Leadership Management, Artificial Intelligence, and Biology of Disease; Offline courses are also delivered at the University of Saint Joseph to provide students with diverse learning conditions.
Prof. Stephen Morgan, Rector of USJ, welcomed the arrival of students on behalf of the University in the welcome speech. During the opening ceremony, Zheng Xing, Deputy Director of the Jiangsu Education Center for Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Education Exchange, and Wang Haitao, Chairman of National Conditions Education Association (Macau) said that it is a rare opportunity for students to take these courses especially because of the impact of COVID-19 and they hoped everyone would make good use of these summer courses to learn and connect.
A number of guests were invited to witness the opening ceremony with more than one hundred students present, including Li Yongle, representative of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, Ding Shaoxiong, Deputy Director of Macao Education and Youth Development Bureau, Wang Gang, Director of Macao Office of Association for Relations Across the Taiwan Straits, Cen Zhanping, Member of Jiangsu CPPCC Standing Committee and Chairman of the Macau Jiangsu Friendship Association, Chen Zhiling, Chairman of Macau Chinese Excellent Traditional Culture Association, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa, Vice Rector of USJ, and Prof. Keith Morrison, Vice Rector of USJ.
According to the World Economic Forum, the fashion industry produces 10% of all carbon emissions and is the second-largest consumer water supply. About 35% of all microplastics — tiny pieces of plastic that never biodegrade — in the ocean came from the laundering of synthetic textiles (IUCN, 2017). The increasingly fast fashion means most items have short life spans and end up in landfills in a few months. Indeed, the fashion industry is considered one of the worst pollutants, second only to the oil industry.
To raise awareness of these issues and empower the next generation to have a more sustainable approach to the consumption and production of fashion products, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH) and its Department of Creative Industries have been promoting a series of sustainability workshops for its Fashion Design students.
In the academic year of 2019/2020, students were taught about sustainable fashion production through online workshops. Fashion students were instructed to use sustainable techniques and alternative materials such as plastic bags.
In the academic year of 2020/2021, the FAH partnered with the Salvation Army Cloths Recycling Program in Macao, promoting fashion students’ up-cycling projects by collecting used clothing from the locals, up-cycle and re-sell them at low prices to raise funds to support underprivileged residents. The students discussed strategies to implement concepts such as circular economy in their practice as fashion designers, reflecting on opportunities for reproducibility, scalability, and marketability of textile waste and textiles created from waste.
As part of the Department of Creative Industries, Creative Days Exhibitions and Workshop 2021, a sustainable and creative fashion workshop with the theme reuse, recycle, recreate with a recycling programme provider in Macao is in the pipeline.
The FAH expects to continue these activities in the future to contribute to the more innovative and sustainable fashion industry; in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), namely with SDG 9: Industry and infrastructure, SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities, and SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production.
To learn more about Fast Fashion and its environmental impact, please visit:
Fast Fashion 101: Everything You Need to Knowhttps://www.ecowatch.com/fast-fashion-guide-2655084121.html"
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The Office for Students and Alumni and Affairs (OSAA) has organised a variety of summer activities for students and alumni throughout the semester break this year to give more leisure options during the pandemic area, when traveling is still restricted.
On 10 July, 2021, 12 participants joined the Airsoft Practical Shooting at the Macau Airsoft Practical Shooting Club (MAPSC). The participants learned the proper use of airsoft guns, gun safety and also how to aim at targets.
From June 25th to July 16th, Cinematheque・Passion is organising the first edition of the "Macao Youth Film Festival" focusing on new filmmakers in Asia and Macao.
The University of Saint Joseph has 10 films selected to this festival, all 10 films are graduation projects from the students of the Bachelor of Communication and Media programme.
The Macao Youth Film Festival explores and promotes the outstanding works from young filmmakers in Macao and around the region, and to enhance engagement and appreciation into films and new filmmakers. At the same time, the film festival aims to communicate a vision and develop a consensus on the importance of film arts for building a creative and culturally aware society; encourage more quality productions; and serve as a platform for cultural, creative and industry exchanges.
The tickets can be purchased at Cinemateque Passion or on their website.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) has established a number of volunteering and internship programs, in collaboration with Caritas Macao in order to promote good health and well-being in Macao.
Caritas, a longtime partner of USJ, is one of the largest and most comprehensive NGOs offering social support to the community in Macao. Their aim is to serve most the needy and marginalised groups in society improving their well-being.
The catholic organisation manages several institutions that provide: services for the elderly and people with mental and physical disabilities, such as hosteling, health care, housework assistance, transportation, and a 24-hour emergency support; a community mental health hotline; and services targeting the economically deprived, youth, and children.
Since 2018, every year, about 20 students from the Bachelor of Social Work take part in short term volunteering programs in these institutions. In 2019/2020, about 19, and in 2020/2021 about 32 of our students, participated in these volunteering activities.
Additionally, many of the Bachelor and Master programme students in the areas of Psychology and Social Work complete their internship within these institutions. In 2019/2020, about 14, and in 2020/2021 about 11 of our students, participated in these internship programs.
These students have been empowered to apply the skills and competences acquired during their studies, in areas such as school counselling; elderly day centres and nursing homes; mental health helpline for suicide prevention; as well as, support to children with disabilities, youth at risk, expatriates, and immigrant workers.
The University express its great appreciation to Caritas, and its commitment to continue this partnership in the future, and together contribute to a healthier Macao and to the well-being of its population.
Promoting good health and well-being is an important goal the United Nations established as one of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The SDGs provide a blue-print for a more just, inclusive, and resilient society.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Graduation Dinner for the Class of 2021 was held on 3 July 2021 at the Oasis at Galaxy Hotel. This year's theme was “Go Beyond”, meaning "to go through the challenges into a new phase in life; and a continuous transition of becoming better”.
The dinner began with a toast from the Rector of USJ, Prof. Stephen Morgan; Vice-Rector of USJ, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa; Vice-Rector of USJ, Prof. Keith Morrison; Vice-Rector of USJ, Prof. Zhang Shuguang; Administrator of USJ, Prof. Alejandro Salcedo Garcia; Registrar of USJ, Prof. Kim Johnson and the Graduation Committee 2021, Kianat, Mitch and Alana.
Rector Morgan congratulated all the students and led the prayer with best wishes for their journey ahead. During the dinner, the Graduation Committee prepared interactive games and an award-competition for the “Best Dressed” participant.
It was an enjoyable and memorable evening for the graduating students to celebrate with their beloved friends, family and professors.
As part of its plastic management strategy, since December 2020, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) has been hosting a plastic sorting and collection event on the second Saturday of every month, in partnership with local NGO Macao for Waste Reduction.
Single use plastics are used only once but lasts virtually forever, making them one of the worse pollutants on land and in the oceans. USJ is aware of that, and aims to increasingly eliminate plastic on-campus, as well as to help the community explore sustainable alternatives and better plastic waste management strategies
Eliminating plastic and using alternative reusable products is the best solutions, yet while we transition to a plastic free world, we can reduce the destructive impact of plastic on ecosystems by recycling it. To make recycling possible, plastic must be correctly sorted into different types.
In our monthly events, students, staff, and the outside community are invited to bring their recyclables to campus and receive training on the best way of sorting it. The materials are then sent to suitable recycling plants in Macao and abroad (Click here to view where the collected items go).
Until June 2021, we sorted more than 45 kg of plastic waste, plus 80 kg of paper and 8 kg of metal waste (Click here to view the database). This partnership will be maintained during the next academic year, and in the future, in order to help make Macao a more sustainable city.
In order to improve the professionalism of Macao's psychological professionals, especially their practical ability to identify and manage depressive cases, the Macau Society of Registered Psychotherapists (MSRP) held a Guide and Discussion Seminar about Group Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for Depression on June 28, 2021, at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ). The seminar served as a platform for professionals who are concerned about mental health well-being to exchange experiences, and also raised the attention of different sectors in the community to care about depression.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the society and the lives of its citizens have received the greatest guarantee being under the leadership of Macao SAR Government. For Macao, which is in the post-pandemic recovery stage, the daily life of the citizens is undoubtedly still affected by the global pandemic to various degrees. The changes and conflicts arise in employment, study, family and or in interpersonal relationship will affect the sense of well-being of individuals. The Macao SAR Government provided a lot of mental and psychosocial support. For instance, the establishment of a four-level barrier-free referral system, which its citizens who encounter emotional distress in their daily lives could actively seek assistance from professional medical services.
MSRP aims to support psychological professionals’ understanding and facilitate their practical skills in treatment on depression by organising the Guide and Discussion Seminar on the Group Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for Depression. The World Health Organization (WHO) published the manual about Group Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for Depression (English Version) in 2016, which was recognised and clinically proven that this is an effective treatment for depression.
The seminar was guided by Mr. Henry Lao, Chairman of MSRP, Director Ms. Josephine Wong, and Ms. Helen Lao, who is also the Psychological Counsellor of USJ. At the seminar, clinical experiences about treatment of depression were shared to facilitate discussion and learning. There were nearly 20 participants at the seminar on the day, including registered psychotherapists, psychological counsellors from different social service units, and students from the departments of psychology, social work and special education. The responses from the participants were positive. They were enthusiastic by showing strong interest in learning professional knowledge, and indicated that they would apply and promote such knowledge in practical work in the future. At the same time, they hoped that there would be more professional training related to psychotherapy in the future.
There are increasing demands for psychological professional services from the community in recent years. The first demographically representative investigation of adult depression research conducted by a local academic institution estimated that about 30,000 citizens may need psychosocial support services. MSRP will continuously and closely work with the Health Bureau of the Macao SAR Government, to pay attention and support the mental health of the citizens. In addition, MSRP will comply to the requirement on the continuous professional development so to improve the quality of Macao's psychotherapy services in the future. There will be more training activities with the objectives to enhance the professional abilities and quality of psychological services, to promote the professional development of psychotherapy, and at the same time improve the mental health of Macao citizens.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) held its 2021 Congregation Ceremony on Saturday, 3 July, 2021, at the Grand Hall of the Macau Tower, with a total of 198 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees students graduating in this year.
The ceremony was officiated by the Representative of the Honourable Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Government, Ms. Ao Ieong U, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, with the presence of distinguished guests, including representatives from the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in SAR, the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), Diplomatic Corps accredited in Macao, Fellows from the Catholic Foundation for Higher Education and other Higher Education Institutions in Macao, Donors of USJ, and local Associations.
The Rector of USJ, Rev. Prof. Stephen Morgan, conferred 3 Doctoral Degrees in the areas of Business Administration, Education and Science; 64 Master Degrees; 127 Bachelor Degrees; and 4 Associate Diplomas in Portuguese-Chinese Translation in the Ceremony.
Additionally, 197 Post-Graduate Diplomas in Education (PGDE) were conferred last week at the PGDE Graduation Ceremony, adding to a total of 395 students graduating this year from USJ.
The Rector gratefully addressed that despite being a small University, students of USJ receive an “absolutely first-class education”, also pointing that “every week, once or twice a week, I meet employers who tell me that USJ graduates are different from other graduates in Macao. They are more creative and innovative; they are adaptable and collaborative; they are problem solvers, and they are almost always ready to engage positively with constructive criticism and become better employees. These qualities lie behind the raw data that tells us that our graduates have amongst the highest graduate employability in Macao”.
Student Representative and graduate from the Doctoral Programme in Science, Mr. Lei Man Tat, believes the importance of giving and serving the society with his expertise, stating during his speech that “In the process of my doctoral studies, we have developed an air quality forecast for Macao in collaboration with the Macao Meteorological and Geophysical Bureau (SMG), which is an important tool to provide health alerts in ahead of pollution episodes for the local community in Macao. I hope that our research output will continue to make improvements and bring positive impacts to the overall development of Macao.”.
International student, Ms. Kianat, a graduate from the Bachelor of Education, conveyed her optimism and appreciation during her speech, thanking her friends and family who live abroad through the online simultaneous live broadcast, to the University and to the Donors of Scholarships and Fellowships for giving her the opportunity to complete her studies, “Your generosity has not only eased the financial burden on students but also encouraged us”.
The Ceremony concluded with closing words and the Benediction to the Class of 2021 by the Chancellor of USJ, the Most Reverend Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-sang.
USJ Congregation Ceremony 2020 Full Video:Photos:Congregation Ceremony Photo AlbumCongregation Group Photoshoot Photo AlbumSpeech Transcripts:Speech by Rector (ENG/CN)Speech by Student Representative – Thomas Lei Man Tat (ENG/CN)Speech by Student Representative – Kianat (ENG/CN)"
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“The Creative Days: Be Well, Be Creative” exhibition was officially inaugurated on 25 June, 2021, at the Kent Wong Exhibition Gallery in the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Ilha Verde Campus. The event, organised by the Department of Creative Industries (DCI) of Faculty of Arts and Humanities (FAH), is an extended exhibition included in the "ArtMacao2021" festival and it serves as a new format to present students' work from Bachelors of Architectural Studies, Communication and Media, Design, Digital Cinema and Fashion Design.
Officiating guests included:Rev. Prof. Stephen Morgan, Rector of USJ; Mr. Carlos Roberto Xavier, Head of Department of Tertiary Education, DSEDJ; Mr. Leong Kuok Fai, Technician of Division of Visual Art, Department of Exhibitions and Museums, the Cultural Affairs Bureau; Madam Kuan Chan, Victoria, Deputy Director General of CPTTM.
At the opening ceremony, Prof. Gerald Estadieu, Head of DCI, remarked that, "We are proud of our students’ achievements and to showcase their many talents. We hope you will be curious and amazed by their creativity and hard commitment in this exhibition as we have been enjoying working with them and watching them grow as professionals in their respective field over the last 4 years”.
An interacting guided tour was conducted to our distinguished guests after the ribbon was cut, addressing the beginning of the Creative Days.
Every year, new graduates present their capstone projects to the public through a month-long exhibition as the final step of their student experience. This year, extra activities have been added to encompass work from all years of every Bachelor degrees in DCI and offering creative workshops open to the public, movie screening, and finally, a unique Fashion Show on 16 July 2021.
The Exhibition is open to the public from 25 June to 27 August, on Mondays to Fridays (9am-7pm), and Saturdays (10am-2pm), at the basement of the Kent Wong Exhibition Gallery, except public holidays. Further information regarding extra activities and the extension of the exhibition will be announced soon on USJ’s official website. Stay tuned and join us!
In celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China's founding, the finale of the First Macao Ambassador Speech Contest, co-organised by the Office of the Commissioner of The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, was successfully held on June 27 afternoon at the Macao Education and Youth Development Bureau.
Twenty-seven undergraduate students from eight universities participated in the preliminary contest on May 16. In the end, eight students, from University of Saint Joseph (USJ), University of Macau, Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao Institute for Tourism Studies, Macau Security Forces Training College, Macau University of Science and Technology, City University of Macau, and Kiang Wu Nursing College of Macau entered the finale due to outstanding performances.
USJ student, Ms. Kong Chi San, won fourth place and was awarded a trophy and a cash prize by the Chief of Staff of the People’s Liberation Army Macao Garrison, Senior Colonel Zhao Jianming.
Ms. Kong, from the Bachelor of Arts in Portuguese-Chinese Translation Studies gave a speech titled "Adding a Stroke of Chinese Red in the Center of the World's Painted Scroll". The stroke of red, symbolising the national flag, currency, and festive colour of Chinese culture, is added to the world's scroll to represent the influence of China's development on the rest of the world. Kong said that it was her first time to participate in this kind of speech contest and she benefited from it a lot, despite initially feeling stressed. She made friends with contestants from other colleges and universities and learned from them throughout the contest, while also greatly improving her public speaking skills. She also improved her understanding of the history of China's development while preparing the materials for her speech. Students from Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau Security Forces Training College and Macao Polytechnic Institute won first, second, and third place, respectively.
The organisers also invited Liu Xianfa at the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao Special Administrative Region, Ouyang Yu, Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government, Xu Ting, Director of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR, and Lou Pak Sang, Director of Macao Education and Youth Development Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government and other guests to attend the award ceremony to present awards to the winners. Prof. Zhou Mengyuan, Programme Coordinator for the Bachelor of Arts in Portuguese-Chinese Translation Studies (USJ Faculty of Arts and Humanities), was also invited to serve as a contest judge.
The press conference on "The Needs of Different Stages of Marriage and Family Life Course in Macao", organised by the Macao Catholic Family Advisory Council (MCAF), was held on June 25, 2021 (Friday) at the Fátima Auditorium in USJ Ilha Verde Campus.
Around 100 attendees were present including the Chancellor of USJ, Most Rev. Bishop Stephen Lee Bun-Sang; Rector of USJ; Mr. Lei Lai Peng, Director of the Department of Family and Community Services of the Social Work Bureau; Prof. Elisa Monteiro, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE) of USJ; Prof. Vitor Teixeira, Head of the Department of Psychology of FSSE; along with priests, professors, representatives of other social welfare organisation, the diocese and schools.
The study subjects were the service users of Macao's 7 social service agencies with close cooperation. The agencies, mostly situated in the communities with dense population, mainly serve teenagers, children, families and the senior group. Besides, casino workers and parents whose kids study in primary or secondary schools, kindergartens or nurseries were also involved in the study. Finally, total 1,006 valid questionnaires were collected and analysed by dioceses in Macao Peninsula and Taipa.
Prof. Helen Liu, Department of Social Work at USJ, noted that the research had studied the needs and crisis tasks of Macao family life at different stages from the perspective of society and religion. The study showed that women took more crisis tasks in different stages of family development. In terms of taking care of children, women devoted more time than men. When children entered adolescence, family relationship would be affected. Contrariwise, inequalities were found in the housework division between men and women. The study, trying to help women voice in family, suggested women be given chances to express their difficulties and needs. What's more, the study also suggested strengthening the participation of men in housework and parenting. To foster fathers' education and care for their kids, the study has provided them with more diversified and characterised support services that help them realise a father's role and functions and develop in family so that men and women can share family and social responsibilities more equally.
Prof. Liu further explained that the shift of work influenced parenting quality which would cause adaptation problems in teenagers' growth. Meanwhile, different work and rest of life would make husband and wife lose communication and interaction, imposing negative impacts on family harmony. Therefore, more attention should be paid to strengthening the marriage relationship. Companies could encourage and promote their shift workers to take courses or participate in activities together with their spouses so as to improve their communication skills in marriage.
The study shows that more than half of the Catholics were more willing to receive life education and hospice care services that were relatively lower in risk. On the contrary, only 30% non-Catholics were willing to receive life education but unwilling to talk about topics about death and hospice care because for the elderly preparing for death would bring them a lot of pressure. Even those who were considering or scheduling for death or hospice care may be forced by the reality like poor health. Therefore, it's very important to improve the education and promotion of hospice care, making arrangements for the funeral and death education. In addition, the promotion of life education should be comprehensively carried out. It should not only focus on promoting the education of the elderly but should also be included in schools' curriculum as it's also urgently needed in the healthy growth of students and in shaping their life and moral values. Life education, including hospice care and arrangements for a funeral, should also be promoted from family by allowing family members to participate in the arrangements so that they could respect, admit and cherish life, and so that the traditional and modern family model could be changed.
In terms of the services of future planning for the marriage and family life, more than 60% Catholics and 40% non-Catholics took the family life education as priority. Family life education is the community education with prevention and development functions. It could improve family functions, strengthen family ties and prevent broken family through a series of educational and promotional activities. Professor Liu suggested the contents of family development include: self-recognition and self-reflection abilities; marriage relationship, strengthening of the concept of marriage, communication and interaction between husband and wife; sex life in marriage, lack of sex education and promotion of preventive work; parenting education, communication skills between parents and kids, enhancement of the interaction between parents and children; moral education of teenagers, skills to cope with social realities; adolescent rebellion, parents' emotion management, communication skills between parents and kids; cooperation / communication between parents and schools.
Apart from that, channels for publicising the sustainable measures of promoting premarital education, attracting more targeted audience, and caring about the using of family and marriage services of young generation. More attention should be paid to the support and service for these women before and after childbirth such as paying attention to the emotion adaptation change before and after delivery and establishing more courses related to the depression before and after childbirth.
Last but not least, targeting at social and pastoral services, Professor Liu mentioned that spouses should be more tolerant and supportive to build a more positive family life. After the childbirth, in particular, husband and wife should be aware of sex education, different stages of marriage, and the foundation of relationship, emotion and mutual respect. The study suggested the pastoral services improve and promote the community services for the elderly. It suggested building more daily centres in different regions to offer daily services to the elderly and enhance the prevention and interference.
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The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) held its 2021 Post-Graduate Diploma in Education Graduation Ceremony on Saturday, 26th June, at the Auditório Centenário de Fátima in USJ Ilha Verde Campus, with a total of 197 students graduating this year, including 59 students from the English Programme and 138 from the Chinese Programme.
The ceremony was officiated by the Rector of USJ, Rev. Prof. Stephen Morgan. During remarks, Rector congratulated and encourage the students saying that “Society, Macao, China needs men and women with your commitment to be the teachers of this and forthcoming generations, to shape in a very particular way the minds and characters of those children you will teach.”.
The Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) prepares students to become effective and culturally sensitive primary or secondary school teachers. The year-long programme explores different educational theories, concepts and perspectives within the field of teaching, curriculum development and evaluation, educational psychology, and communication technology.
Following the PGDE Graduation Ceremony, the USJ Congregation 2021 will be taking place on the 3rd July 2021 at 10:30am at the Macao Tower.
"The statements made to the press by Mr. José Pereira Coutinho concerning the termination of the contracts of three Macao resident staff misrepresent entirely what he was told by the University of Saint Joseph (USJ). Far from replacing local staff with non-local staff, in reorganising the teaching of English at USJ, the University has been able to increase the proportion of local resident staff and reduce the number of blue card holders in our English Language Centre. Mr Coutinho was told this only yesterday (24 June 2021). It is to be regretted that he has today chosen knowingly to say exactly the opposite.
The proportion of local academic staff has risen from 70%, when I became Rector in May 2020, to 76% now. Our admin staff remain 97% local residents. Furthermore, the proportion of total staff who are local residents has risen from 84% to 88%.
USJ is committed to the employment of resident staff wherever possible and only employs blue card holders when the specific skills needed are not available in Macao or if it is necessary for us to preserve our character as an international university which represents a real example of the one platform for connecting China and Portuguese-speaking countries and one base for harmonious inter-cultural exchange between East and West. Any suggestion to the contrary is simply untrue."
Rector of the University of Saint Joseph
Prof. Stephen Morgan
25 June 2021"
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The MCAF Association has always been concerned about family health and development of Macao citizens, therefore it conducted a survey on "Macao Residents’ Needs in Different Stages of Marriage and Family Life", with the cooperation of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), the Diocese of Macau and the Social Welfare Bureau; and sponsored by the Macau Foundation.
The purpose of this research is to plan and design social or pastoral services to meet the needs relating to a healthy family life. In addition, the findings of this study provide suggestions and directions to design family life education, premarital preparation and continual marital accompaniment.
The study subjects were the service users of Macao's seven social service agencies with close cooperation. The agencies, mostly situated in the communities with dense population, mainly serve teenagers, children, families and the senior group. Besides, casino workers and parents whose kids study in primary or secondary schools, kindergartens or nurseries were also involved in the study. Finally, total 1,006 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed by dioceses in Macao Peninsula and Taipa.
Shu Wen Liu, associate professor of Department of Social Work of USJ, noted that the research had studied the needs and crisis tasks of Macao family life at different stages from the perspective of society and religion. The study showed that women took more crisis tasks in different stages of family development. In terms of taking care of children, women devoted more time than men. When children entered adolescence, family relationship would be affected. Contrariwise, inequalities were found in the housework division between men and women. The study, trying to help women voice in family, suggested women be given chances to express their difficulties and needs. What's more, the study also suggested strengthening the participation of men in housework and parenting. To foster fathers' education and care for their kids, the study has provided them with more diversified and characterized support services that help them realize a father's role and functions and develop in family so that men and women can share family and social responsibilities more equally.
Professor Liu further explained that the shift of work influenced parenting quality which would cause adaptation problems in teenagers' growth. Meanwhile, different work and rest of life would make husband and wife lose communication and interaction, imposing negative impacts on family harmony. Therefore, more attention should be paid to strengthening the marriage relationship. Companies could encourage and promote their shift workers to take courses or participate in activities together with their spouses so as to improve their communication skills in marriage.
More than half of the Catholics were more willing to receive life education and hospice care services that were relatively lower in risk. On the contrary, only 30% non-Catholics were willing to receive life education but unwilling to talk about topics about death and hospice care because for the elderly preparing for death would bring them a lot of pressure. Even those who were considering or scheduling for death or hospice care may be forced by the reality like poor health. Therefore, it's very important to improve the education and promotion of hospice care, making arrangements for the funeral and death education. In addition, the promotion of life education should be comprehensively carried out. It should not only focus on promoting the education of the elderly but should also be included in schools' curriculum as it's also urgently needed in the healthy growth of students and in shaping their life and moral values. Life education, including hospice care and arrangements for a funeral, should also be promoted from family by allowing family members to participate in the arrangements so that they could respect, admit and cherish life, and so that the traditional and modern family model could be changed.
In terms of the services of future planning for the marriage and family life, more than 60% Catholics and 40% non-Catholics took the family life education as priority. Family life education is the community education with prevention and development functions. It could improve family functions, strengthen family ties and prevent broken family through a series of educational and promotional activities. Professor Liu suggested the contents of family development include: self-recognition and self-reflection abilities; marriage relationship, strengthening of the concept of marriage, communication and interaction between husband and wife; sex life in marriage, lack of sex education and promotion of preventive work; parenting education, communication skills between parents and kids, enhancement of the interaction between parents and children; moral education of teenagers, skills to cope with social realities; adolescent rebellion, parents' emotion management, communication skills between parents and kids; cooperation / communication between parents and schools.
Apart from that, channels for publicizing the sustainable measures of promoting premarital education, attracting more targeted audience, and caring about the using of family and marriage services of young generation. More attention should be paid to the support and service for these women before and after childbirth such as paying attention to the emotion adaptation change before and after delivery and establishing more courses related to the depression before and after childbirth.
The press conference will be held at 3 pm on June 25, 2021 (Friday) at the Auditório Centenário de Fátima in USJ Ilha Verde Campus.
Details:Date: Friday, 25 June 2021
Time: 15:00PM - 17:30PM
Location: Auditório Centenário de Fátima, University of Saint Joseph
Seating is limited and on a first come, first served basis (free seating) Add to my Google Calendar
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string(912) "The Post-Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) Graduation Ceremony 2021 will be held on the 26th June, 2021 at the Auditório Centenário de Fátima.
Details:
Student Assemble Time: 2:15 PM
Guests Arrival: 2:30 AM
Ceremony Starts at: 3:00 PM
Dress Code: Black / Dark pants or dress + Black / Dark leather shoes
Click here for more information > Guests
Due to the preventive measures on pandemic control, there is a limit on the seating capacity of the venue. This year, each graduand can bring one guest to attend the ceremony.
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Graduating students and alumni from the Faculty of Business and Law (FBL) have gathered together for a social event on the 15th June 2020 at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Ilha Verde Campus.
The event marked the 10th year graduation anniversary for the participating alumni where they shared their career paths, professional experience and other useful tips for the students graduating this year (Class of 2021).
Present at the event were Rector of USJ, Prof. Stephen Morgan; Vice-Rector of USJ, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa; and Dean of FBL, Prof. Jenny Phillips.
Presented by the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), the Creative Days: "Be Well, Be Creative" is an extended exhibition included in the Art Macao 2021 festival. It is a new event format to present students' works from Bachelors of Architectural Studies, Communication and Media, Design, Digital Cinema and Fashion Design.
Every year, new graduates present their capstone project to the public through a month-long exhibition as the final step of their student experience. This year, the USJ Faculty of Arts and Humanities is adding extra activities to encompass work from all years of every Bachelor degrees in the Department of Creative Industries and offering creative workshops open to the public, movie screening, and finally, a unique Fashion Show on July 16th. Stay tuned!
Grand Opening:
Date & Time: June 25th 2021, 6:30 pm
Location: Kent Wong Gallery and Residential Hall Basement, USJ Ilha Verde Campus
Since 2009, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and the Correctional Services Bureau have been cooperating to develop an outreach programme to prepare incarcerated individuals for reentry into society by providing junior college courses to enhance their professional knowledge and increase their employment opportunities. The programme aims to guide and encourage incarcerated individuals to improve their professional quality to the college level.
The outreach programme has a rigorous application and enrolment process, in which 1) prison inmates are required to write and submit a 500-word personal statement; 2) applicants' information is reviewed and an interview is conducted to explain the motivation for enrolling in the social work outreach programme; and 3) students who wish to continue to participate in the outreach programme must have the initiative and maintain good academic performance. There are currently 10 inmates enrolled in the junior college education programme, with students ranging in age from 23 to 43 years old. It is expected that the programme will continue to enrol inmates who are willing and qualified this summer.
The Prison Outreach Programme Leader, Prof. Helen Liu, highlighted the key points of the Outreach Programme and its benefits to the community. The programme is divided into three main phases: I) to take social work courses for inmates in prison; II) to take several subjects for rehabilitated inmates at University of Saint Joseph as they are released from prison and reintegrated into society. Students may opt to skip this stage if they wish to directly proceed to stage 3; and III) to complete the programme with a degree awarded. One student is currently enrolled in Phase III at USJ Macao.
There are currently eight full-time faculty members and two social service agency directors on the outreach programme team. The subjects in the programme are subject to the learning schedule for the Bachelor's Degree in Social Work on campus. Prisoners will spend six years in completing a majority of social work courses in the prison, except for the internship which will be conducted on campus after release. Those who complete the whole programme will be granted a relevant college diplomat and able to work in relevant industries like social services.
The content of the course is generally in line with the Social Work Department's curriculum. Instruction is primarily face-to-face, supplemented by reading requirements, in-class discussions, group activities and assignments, and examinations. The faculty from the USJ Macao highly recognise the class performance and learning attitude of incarcerated individuals, changing the negative and stereotyped image of the latter. Professor Liu also said that the in-prison junior college programme has helped restore prison inmates' self-confidence and self-efficacy.
Prof. Liu added, "We have received many suggestions and feedback from students in the outreach programme. Previously, the USJ Macao strove for many resources for incarcerated individuals, such as books and English dictionaries. Currently, it is establishing a scholarship for incarcerated individuals with economic difficulties and outstanding academic performance. We have responded to prisoners' requests for more courses so that they can make good use of their time in prison to take college courses and become more competitive and self-controlled when they rejoin society. We also actively encourage prisoners to return to campus after their release and complete their remaining courses to obtain a college diploma, so that in time they will be able to influence others through their own life stories, just as the mission and attitude of social workers.
Prof. Helen Liu is currently working on a research project on the Outreach Programme, "Resilience in Corrections After the Implementation of the Outreach Programme: a Pathway to Rehabilitation," which is supported by a two-year research grant from the Macao Education and Youth Development Bureau. The purpose of the study is to promote research related to the establishment of higher education in prisons and to work with the Correctional Services Bureau's Coloane Prison to establish a high-quality and effective outreach programme. At the same time, it will explore the path to rehabilitation for ex-offenders who have attended outreach programmes.
The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is a leader in research and policy development in the area of inclusive education in Macao. In addition to the newly inaugurated Domingos Lam research center in education, the participation in conferences at the regional and international levels, and awareness and fundraising events, we have also been providing public lectures open to the general public, where the community can learn more about evidenced-based best practices in inclusive education.
USJ aims to continue to promote these activities in the future in order to contribute to a more inclusive and equal society. Kindly check out our past and upcoming event in this and other areas in our events page.
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 2021 Jiangsu Provincial Government Scholarship Programme for Undergraduate Overseas Studies was officially launched on July 12 at the USJ Ilha Verde Campus.
The University of Saint Joseph has 10 films selected to showcase at the Macao Youth Film Festival, all 10 films are graduation projects from the students of the Bachelor of Communication and Media programme.
In order to promote good health and well-being in Macao, USJ has established a number of volunteering and internship programs, in collaboration with Caritas Macao.
The Macau Society of Registered Psychotherapists held a Guide and Discussion Seminar about Group Interpersonal Therapy (IPT) for Depression on June 28, 2021, at USJ.
The University of Saint Joseph held its 2021 Congregation Ceremony on 3 July, 2021, at the Macau Tower, with a total of 395 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees students graduating.
The press conference on “The Needs of Different Stages of Marriage and Family Life Course in Macao”, organised by the Macao Catholic Family Advisory Council (MCAF), was held on June 25, 2021 at USJ.
The Press Conference: “The Needs of Difference Stages of Marriage and Family Life Course in Macao” will be held at Fatima Auditorium on 25 June 2021, at 3PM.
The Faculty of Arts and Humanities and its Department of Creative Industries proudly presents – The Creative Days: “Be Well, Be Creative”, running from 25 June – 27 August.
“Prof. Helen Liu advocated that we have always been convinced that education brings changes, which starts from the improvement in life quality. ‘Higher education’ promotes holistic development. She encourages incarcerated individuals to rebuild their lives and create a harmonious society.”
To comply with the Macao SAR Government's anti epidemic measures, all USJ campuses will be closed until further notice and all activities (educational and events) are suspended.