Covid-19 impacts our life and world dramatically. Scientists claim, that this situation might have been caused – among other factors – by a wrong treatment of nature by humans. Did nature put its brakes on to correct human behavior? Can we humans discover in nature how to act correctly? Does nature help us to get to know what to do? Philosophically speaking, should actions follow our being (agere sequitur esse), and is ethics fundamentally hooked up with reality and ontology? (bonum et verum convertuntur). Does the “ought” follow from the “is”, and should human life and societies comply with how things are?
After overcoming the mechanistic reductionism of the “natural fallacy”, which denies “value judgments” originating from “is” or facts, this Lecture Series attempts to trace back question of “natural goodness” (Philippa Foot), morals and good actions “in accord with reason” (S. Thomas Aquinas, S.Th. I-II.21.1.; ST I-II, 90.1). The philosophical and catholic tradition calls this the morality of the “natural law”. The lectures shed light on development and relevance of Natural Law from different philosophical and theological angles.
About the Talk & Speaker:
The natural law theory received significant theological development in the medieval period. However, the idea of natural law goes back to the ancient Greek civilization and is blended into the Chrisitan doctrine since the beginning of the Church. This lecture will sketch the development of natural law theory in ancient Greek philosophy and the adoption of this Hellenistic idea in the early Church.
Dr. Hui (Sonja) XIA Ph.D in Theology (Patristic Studies) / Sacrae Theologiae Doctor, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.
Details:
Date: 11th March 2021
Time: 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Location: Don Bosco Auditorium, USJ Ilha Verde Campus
Organised by: Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy, University of Saint Joseph
📆 Add to my Google Calendar*This Public Lecture will be conducted in English"
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string(2121) "On March 19, 2021, the year 1 students of the Bachelor of Social Work Programme concluded their two-week, six-session charity sale in the University of Saint Joseph (USJ). The event was associated with Caritas Macau WelAnser Centre. The aim of the event was to improve the current living qualities of the non-Chinese community in Macau.
The event started on March 8th at an open area outside the Residential Hall during peak hours and the open space of the Don Bosco Auditorium during lunch break. Mr. Wilson Tang, leader of the event, shared that the two-week six-session event had raised slightly over MOP4,600, which was enough to cover most items that WelAnser Centre needed the most. Tang thanked all the participating USJ students and staff, who were willing to donate items and money during the event. According to Ms. Natalia Ng, the deputy leader, the Office for Student and Alumni Affairs (OSAA) as well as the Technology and Facilities Office (TFO) also provided generous assistance in supporting this event. Without the University's support, the event would never be that successfully done. The Charity Sale provided a great opportunity for social work students to learn fundraising skills.
On their field visit to the WelAnser Centre on April 8, the students brought baby formula and other groceries purchased by the proceeds to the Centre Director. This activity was embedded in the module "Social Work Casework". The students had in-depth discussions with the social workers at the Center about migrant workers' difficulties in Macau, and how they provide the services.
On April 9, 2021, Prof. Vitor Teixeira, Head of the Department of Psychology of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), participated in the XXXI Internation Scientific Conference organized by the Association of Catholic Institutes of Education (ACISE) and affiliated of the International Federation of Catholic Universities (IFCU) to present the study made with Prof. Michael Lai, Coordinator for the Master of Social Work Programme, on “The use of robotics in the intervention with children with ASD: A pilot study with Milo”.
The main theme of the conference was “Integral Education in the Digital Era” and this communication was made in a session related to the “Special Educational Needs and New Technologies”. With this pilot study made in a partnership with the Macao Science Center and the Macau Autism Association, it was possible to identify limitations and strengths and some recommendations were made to conduct future research and to use Milo as a tool for educational and psychosocial intervention with children with ASD in Macao.
On April 8, 2021, the Department of Social Work of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) organised a career sharing experience with Social Work Alumni for the year 4 Social Work students. The event was held on the 18th floor of the Residential Hall and sponsored by the Office for Student and Alumni Affairs (OSAA) as part of the USJ Career Fair 2021 programme.
The event brought back a total of 10 alumni to the Alma Mater, all currently working for different organisations such as: Caritas Macau, Women's General Association of Macau, General Union of Neighbourhood Associations of Macau, Sheng Kung Hui Macau, and Young Men’s Christian Association of Macau; sharing their interview experience and job-hunting strategies in the employment market.
The purpose of the gathering was to build up a strong relationship between alumni and the University. A group of alumni who are currently working in social work fields, such as elderly services, school social workers, child and family services, mental health, and community outreach programme in youth were invited to share their job-hunting experiences with year 4 social work students. Social work students benefited from the alumni’s sharing on their invaluable experience, with the culture and the interpersonal skills from the social welfare agencies they worked for. The students were able to equip their employability in the competitive job market and enhanced their knowledge of social work competencies and essential skills and traits for social workers.
The second part of the event was to practice interviewing by role-play with the students. In the beginning of the mock interview, students introduced themselves, including field work experiences, CV presentation, and their future plans in 5 years. Afterwards, the alumni analysed the key points that students should pay attention to during the interview and also shared some interview answering skills, such as facial expressions and posture when they answer questions.
On April 8th, 2021, during the visit of a delegation of the Institute of Oceanology of the Chineses Academy of Sciences (IOCAS), the Rector of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), Professor Stephen Morgan, and the Director of the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Professor Wang Fan, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen the existing collaboration in the area of marine sciences and environmental technology and to further develop new joint research actions.
On March 26th 2021, University of Saint Joseph Faculty of Business and Law initiated its Faculty Day 2021 celebrations to promote student participation and alumni networking of the Faculty. Organised by Year 4 students of the Bachelors of Business Administration, the first ever Faculty of Business and Law Day was a great success. The Faculty Day saw the organisation of a roundtable discussion in the afternoon and a Keynote speech by Ms. Connie Chu Un I, USJ MBA Alumna and Director of the Financial Intelligence Office of the Macau SAR Government.
The afternoon roundtable discussion featured Mr. Jones Chong, CEO and Managing Director of Hong Kong listed company “Sun Entertainment Group Limited”, Ms. Wynne Sin, Former Miss Macau Contestant, Macau ‘s representative to Miss International and Miss World 2011 and 2012 respectively, and “Weekday Couple” (Mr. Ken Vong and Ms. Sheila Leong), popular key opinion leaders in Macau Life style. The sharing session revolved around the recent career development trend of “SLASHERS” which was well received by the business administration students.
According Mr. Jones Chong, students should not lose sight of their passion in life as they search for their path in life. “Of course you must continue to upgrade your skills and try new things in life. You will for sure fail many times but never forget about your core interest and from there, it will lead you to great success.”
Ms. Wynne Sin, the Former Miss Macau pageant contestant and online entrepreneur also added “perseverance is key and not giving up because you are disadvantaged. Not every is born with a clear direction of what you want to do in life but you must keep learning, try new things and face challenges head on as they come. I know I did when I was transitioning into new jobs after the Miss Macau competition.”
“We wanted to become a travel, life style blogger and work around the world. That was our dream. When the COVID19 happened, we could not travel and could not blog about other places, so we had to adapt and focus on local places of interest in Macau. This situation turned our attention to local restaurants where demand for food photography and online advertising, which we learned as we took on jobs.” Explained Weekday couple, who quit their full-time day jobs to pursuit a full time career in content creation in 2019."
The evening reception featuring keynote speech by Ms. Connie Chi Un I, Director of the Financial Intelligence Office of the Macau SAR Government, and with over 80 alumni, staff and Faculty of Business and Law advisors including Vice Rector, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa; USJ Administrator, Dr. Alejandro Solcedo; Vice Rector of Academic Affairs, Prof. Keith Morrison; USJ Registrar, Prof. Kim Johnson and other academic and administrative members of the University. The faculty advisors include President and Founder of Fundação Rui Cunha, Dr. Rui Cunha; Deputy Secretary General of Macau Lawyers’ Association, Dr. Álvaro Rodrigues; and Mr. Ben Yue, Senior Manager of CEM.
The evening reception featuring keynote speech by Ms. Connie Chi Un I, Director of the Financial Intelligence Office of the Macau SAR Government, was also well attended with over 80 alumni, staff and Faculty of Business and Law advisors.
The highlight of the evening was focused on our alumni and students. We presented certificates of appreciation for outstanding assistance in our BBA programmes. Mr. Olinto Oliveira Jr., USJ BBA who shared his valuable events management experiences with the organizing team of the Faculty Day; Ms. Tong Wai Ieng, Lydia, who is one of the founding members of the Business Club, and continues to support our students as a staff member of the OSAA; Mr. Chan Ka Hong, Marco and Ms. Lei Hio Tong, Jasmine, who both represented the University on multiple occasions at the annual Macau University Business Knowledge Competition, and continue to coach the University’s teams after their graduation and Mr. Leong Chi Lon, Ray, founding member of the Business Club while doubling his role as the President of the Student Association.
In regards to current students, we also recognize the work and effort by Mr. Maung Ye Thu Aung, Eric, Ms. Wong Chi Wai, Maggie and Ms. Chan Weng Ieong, Peggy, for representing the University of Saint Joseph in 2020 the 9th "Winning in Guangzhou" College Students' Entrepreneurship Contest and Mr. Chan Chan Him, Luis, for his outstanding teaching assistance in Calculus I.
Faculty of Business and Law strives to provide a well-rounded education experience with student centric activities and course content to enable action learning that has impact on the community and students’ learning experience.
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string(3738) "The USJ Sports Day 2021 held throughout the month of March was successfully concluded with the efforts from the USJ Student Association (USJSA) and leaders of the USJ Sports team.
More than 70 students participate in competitions including basketball, badminton, volleyball and soccer. Medals and trophies were awarded to winning teams and individuals of all sports.
Congratulations to the winners of the USJ Sports Day 2021 and a special thanks to all students who came to support their classmates and friends. See you again next year!
Basketball Games:Champion: Happy Basketball (快樂籃球)
1st Runner-up: Mercy (慈悲)
2nd Runner-up: The Killer League (實力派殺手聯盟)
Top Scorer: Wong Hoi (BCM Year 4)
King of Rebound: Lei Leong Kim (BCM Year 2)
King of 3 Points: Wong Hoi (BCM Year 4)
Queen of Free Throw: Pang Wing Yan (BED Year 1)Badminton Games:
Single Female:
Champion: Natalie Fu (MHHS Year 1)
1st Runner-up: Audrey Zabayle Villaneva (BPY Year 1)
2nd Runner-up: Vicky Cheong (Alumni)
Single Male:
Champion: Miguel Ng (Alumni)
1st Runner-up: Tommy Pun (Alumni)
2nd Runner-up: Lei Man Kit (BSW Year 1)Double:Champion: Miguel Ng / Jan Eli Doctor Soltes
1st Runner-up: Tommy Pun / Natalie Fu
2nd Runner-up: Lei Man Kit / Law JoshuaTeam:Champion: Miguel Ng / Tommy Pun / Natalie Fu
1st Runner-up: Lei Man Kit / Law Joshua / Vicky CheongVolleyball Games:Champion: 愷王
1st Runner-up: Want Some Money (想要錢)
2nd Runner-up: Pang Ka Wing (彭嘉詠)
MVP: Chu Ka HouSoccer Games:Champion: Veritas ft
1st Runner-up: CPLP community usj
2nd Runner-up: Attitude F.C.
MVP: Gabriel"
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The activity was a part of the "40th Macao Green Week" programme, organised by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) in collaboration with other local groups, in efforts to promote environmental awareness in the local community.
Mangrove forests expert and researcher of ISE/USJ, Prof. Karen Tagulao, expressed that "Community participation in this activity is important to enhance awareness and ensure that mangroves are valued in Macao, now and in the future. We are grateful to IAM, not only for their effort in promoting these activities, but also for allowing us reguar access to the sites for our research related to mangroves"
The hands-on participation saw more than 400 Kandelia obovata 秋茄樹 seedlings and several young Aegiceras corniculatum 桐花樹 andAvicennia marina 海欖雌 planted.
The Chaplaincy of the University of Saint Joseph organised a two-day Lenten retreat to better prepare the faithful's hearts for Lord Jesus Christ's resurrection and deepen the faith of the participants. The retreat was opened to all students and staff members of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), as well as the general public and more than a dozen of attendees joined.
The retreat, led by Reverend Father Stan Pławecki, SCJ, started on the 26th of March, 2021, with a Mass at the Holy Cross Chapel, followed by an introduction session and the Via Crucis, which was celebrated in the campus.
Based on the Message of His Holiness Pope Francis for Lent 2021, the participants had an opportunity to reflect on the theme of Lent, as a time to renew three theological virtues: faith, hope and love.
Ms. Terry Kuok In Peng, one of the committee members of Mother’s Meal Macau, was invited to share her experience on the project that aids the most needy in Macao. Participants were inspired on how to love others concretely in their daily lives and in small deeds.
The end of the retreat successfully expressed "the connection between the celebration of the memorial of the Lord's Sacrifice and his continued presence in the Sacrament of the Altar" (164, Directory of Popular Piety and the Liturgy: Principles and Guidelines), an Exposition for the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was held in the vigil of Palm Sunday.
With the aim of promoting fitness and a healthy lifestyle, the Office for Student and Alumni Affairs (OSAA) organised its first edition of Indoor Rowing Challenge in the USJ Gymnasium, in February 2021.
Below are the top 10 participants with the fastest rowing times:
1. Choi Tat Long (BSWP, Year 3) 1334m
2. Wong Ka Weng (PGDE, Year 1) 1325m
3. Luis Sonco (BBA, Year 1) 1291m
4. Tam Sio Teng (BBA, Year 1) 1211m
5. Leong Man Kit (BSWP, Year 3) 1196m
6. Morto Camara (BCM, Year 3) 1169m
7. Pang Wing Yan (BED, Year 1) 1140m
8. Ip Chin Wang (BDSP, Year 2) 1128m
9. Leong Seng Chou (BED, Year 1) 1094m
10. Leong Chi Man (BSWP, Year 3) 1057m
Congratulations to all the winners and participants!"
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On March 15th 2021, a delegation of the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ), led by Department Head of Student Development, Mr. George Chan Iok Wai, visited the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and was received by the Vice-Rector for Internationalisation and Strategic Development of USJ, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa, and the Director of Office for Student and Alumni Affairs (OSAA), Ms. Teresa Loong.
During the meeting, Prof. Álvaro Barbosa and Mr. George Chan discussed opportunities for USJ students to enhance their development in different aspects, such as internship, exchange tour, overseas training, etc. The delegation introduced the existing and upcoming student programmes, and encouraged students to initiate student-led projects with the support from DSEDJ. Student representatives from the USJ Student Association (USJSA) and OSAA staff members were also invited to join the discussion and shared recent updates on student affairs.
Among the delegation were Head of Student Development Division, Ms. Choi Man Chi, and Senior Technician, Ms. WM Hong and Mr. MK Chan.
The Institute of Science and Environment of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) has been actively running research projects focused on a broad range of environment-related topics, covering the ecology and dynamics of the wetland ecosystems in Macao, light, air, noise, and coastal water pollution levels in Macao, as well as impacts of the various pollutants on aquatic animals.
These projects aim to generate scientific data that may be useful for decision-makers and bring community awareness of the importance of protecting the local environment, ecosystems, and biodiversity. The research projects on wetlands, for example, are important in the establishment of conservation strategies for existing ecosystems in Macao.
In these projects, emphasis is given to current ecological and conservation issues in Macao, encouraging students and community participation as well as cooperation with non-profit organisations and local government institutions.
One of the more recent projects is “Nature-based solutions for a cleaner and safer Macao”, which aims to investigate ways in which nature-based solutions (NBS) can be applied to enhance the water quality and availability of coastal waters in Macao and take advantage of the other ecosystems services that they provide - such as the reduction of water-related risks (e.g., flooding due to impact of storm surge), ecosystems rehabilitation and maintenance as well as enhancement and protection of biodiversity in the local coastal wetland ecosystems. Scientific investigations and public awareness activities are being carried out within the framework of this project.
Related to this is the successful launch of the exhibition titled “Macao’s mangroves: a coastal treasure”, visited by hundreds of school students and local community members. The exhibition showcased the local mangroves' importance through scientific display boards, photographs of the wetland flora and fauna and interactive tank models. Moreover, mangroves artwork pieces submitted by students from various local schools were also displayed. The exhibition, complemented by public educational talks and guided field visits to the local mangroves sites, aimed to raise curiosity and motivate people to be more pro-active in managing and conserving ecosystems.
Field trips to the local wetland ecosystems have been regularly organised by ISE/USJ since 2013, to promote the value of freshwater and brackish/marine ecosystems to USJ students and the community.
These trips are part of a science promotion/community outreach program by the institute. Participants are brought to the local freshwater and brackish/marine wetlands to observe the aquatic plants and animals and experience hands-on measurements of the Physico-chemical to assess water quality conditions in the area/sites.
These trips are complemented by educational talks and lectures for local school students about the local wetlands – what they are, where they are located in Macao, why they are important (for water filtration, fisheries, biodiversity, coastal protection, etc.), and why is there a need for their conservation and protection.
Thousands of students from all levels (graduate, university, high school, primary), teachers, and other local community members have joined these activities since 2013, with around 600 participants in 2020. Participants expressed enthusiasm and interest through their positive feedback after the activities. Pre and post-activity survey evaluation also revealed that the activities effectively increase the knowledge of participants about environmental issues, which hopefully will translate into concrete action.
The institute also organises other environment-related activities like coastal clean-ups, allowing participants to make the connection about their personal consumption and the litter they see on the beach; mangroves restoration to increase awareness and involvement in mangroves conservation within the local community. Public lectures open to the community are also regularly organised to promote environmental literacy, and the preservation and sustainable management of our natural environment.
In order to promote mental health awareness and well-being in the community, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good health and well-being, the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) has been organising a series of activities open to the wider community.
These activities have included open lectures about perceptions of people with autism spectrum disorders, with presentations in the USJ campus and in the Macao Science Center; a press conference about the prevalence of depression in Macao and strategies to address it; or the participation in an international webinar with a presentation about children use of time, focusing on the increasing time in front of screens and reduction of physical activity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Other activities have targeted specifically helping professionals, with the provision of webinars and translation of resourcesto local languages, providing practical exercises to reduce disaster-related stress and enhance coping skills for parents, adults, and children in the wake of the pandemic.
With these activities USJ hopes to contribute to a more healthy and resilient society. Kindly check out our past and upcoming event in this and other areas in ourevents page.
To celebrate the Year of Saint Joseph which is proclaimed by Pope Francis to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Proclamation of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church and also the 90th anniversary of the foundation of the Colégio Diocesano de S. José (CDSJ), all Saint Joseph educational institutions in the Diocese of Macao came together, in the Saint Joseph the Worker church, in the morning on the 19th of March, 2021, the Solemnity of Saint Joseph.
The Bishop of Macao and University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Chancellor, Dom Stephen Lee Bun Sang, presided the Holy Eucharist in the presence of students and staff from Saint Joseph International Nursery, CDSJ 1-6, and USJ, as well as CDSJ and USJ alumni.
In the Homily, the Bishop of Macao encouraged the congregation to imitate the virtues of silence, patience, and simplicity of the Spouse of Our Lady, by using the metaphors of bamboo and stone. It echoes to the daily fidelity mentioned in a recent Pope Francis' Message.
The choir of the Mass was supported by the student choir of USJ's Faculty of Religious Studies and Philosophy (FRSP) and, among the concelebrants, was the FRSP Dean, Reverend Father Franz Gassner SVD.
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The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) and the United Nations University Institute in Macau (UNUMACAU) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on innovative research projects, capacity building initiatives, knowledge exchange engagements, internship programs and other activities of mutual interest. With a shared commitment to accelerate the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the two parties hope to leverage each other’s strengths and expertise to promote policy and practice-relevant research in the fields of technology, innovation, and sustainable development.
“We believe that academia plays an integral role in shaping a sustainable, peaceful and green future. Through our Environmental Action and Social Outreach programs and research projects, our staff and students have been collectively contributing to the SDGs. We are pleased to partner with UNU Macau to deliver on this commitment and looking forward to this fruitful collaboration,” said Rev. Deacon Stephen Morgan, Rector of the University of Saint Joseph.
“UNU Macau and USJ share similar research interests yet have complementary expertise. USJ is strong in the social sciences such as design, education and communications, while UNU Macau is specialised in digital technologies for international development. We look forward to combining our creative energies to design multidisciplinary projects to support the Macao’s Development Plan and create impactful academic results at the international level", said Dr. Jingbo Huang, Director of the United Nations University Institute in Macau.
Dr. Jingbo Huang, Director of the United Nations University Institute in Macau(left) and Rev. Deacon Stephen Morgan, Rector of the University of Saint Joseph (right) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on initiatives that promote the SDGs
The World Social Work Day is an annual event that provides opportunities for social workers and others in the social service sector to celebrate their achievements and raise awareness and support to advance human well-being. 2021 World Social Work Day was celebrated on the 16th of March, 2021, the third Tuesday of March, with the theme “Ubuntu”, meaning to strengthen social solidarity and global connectedness. This year, the Social Welfare Bureau has authorised the Social Work Professional Committee, coordinating with schools and associations, to organise a symposium with the theme “Macau Social Work under Pandemic”. It was held at the Clementina Leitão Ho Brito Theatre. The two topics discussed in the symposium were “social innovation during the pandemic” and “the pandemic’s effect on mental health”.
Professionals from different fields of local social service agencies shared their experiences and challenges with service innovation during the pandemic, attracted over 200 audiences. As the sudden virus outbreak brought a halt to many of the social services, many service users lost access to the usual services. Covid-19 also severely impacted disadvantaged groups such as the unemployed, foreign workers, and people with disabilities and their families. In response to this situation, many agencies embraced online counselling, workshops, and events to help service users maintain their routine.
The Social Work Department of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is one of the seven co-organisers of the event. The Rector of USJ, Prof. Stephen Morgan, and the Dean of the Faculty of Social Science and Education (FSSE), Prof. Elisa Monteiro, were invited to attend the opening ceremony. The rector was also invited to the stage to announce the topic of the event alongside other distinguished guests from local agencies. The head of the USJ Social Work Department, Prof. Ning Tang, and member of the Macau Professional Council of Social Workers, coordinated the entire event. Social work year 3 students took the main lead in designing and monitoring the opening ceremony, with Mr. Andrew Wong and Mr. Peter Kuan as the group leaders, and Ms. Camille Leong as the English MC.
The event offered a unique opportunity for social work students to gain insight into the contemporary challenges of local social work and were also able to obtain practical experiences in working with local agencies, strengthening their understanding and connection to the social work profession.
Another part of the event: Social work students' gathering in the evening at USJ green campus. Social work students from the Macau Polytechnic Institute organised the gathering, around 80 social work students from USJ, MPI, and City University of Macau participated.
Mr. Sou Chio Fai, Former Director of the Macau Youth and Education Bureau, Higher Education Bureau and Secretary General of Talent Development Commission of Macau SAR gave a public lecture at the University of Saint Joseph on March 15th 2021. The Faculty of Business and Law of the university of Sant Joseph hosted the event to stimulate a discussion on the Human Resource Planning in Public Services amongst students of government studies and public administration in Macao. This is a topic of particular importance after recent announcements to expedite public administration reform and nurture and develop talent within the ranks of the public service by the Chief Executive of Macau SAR, Mr. Ho Iat Seng during his policy address for 2021.
According to Mr. Sou, Macao’s human resources were greatly enhanced with the establishment of the educational sector with the setting up of primary, secondary and tertiary educational institutions in Macao by the government. The cultural and structural influence of the Portuguese administration can be characterised by expansion and localisation which commenced in the 1980’s and continued onwards after the transition period after 1999. The establishment of specialised tertiary educational institutions specialising in areas of Law, Public administration, Education and Tourism were set up to meet the demands of the growing public administration needs of the ever growing population of Macao before and after 1999. These strategic enhancements were measures taken to plan for the demands in the growing sectors within the public administration and other supporting sectors. Therefore, human resource planning is, in essence, to ensuring an adequate level of quality human resource to meet the challenges brought about by the demands of residents of Macau and goals set out by our Chief Executive. These challenges include the reduction in quality human resources in the public sector due to an ageing population and questions of regional integration of Macao society and the Guangdong, Hong Kong, Macao Greater Bay Area.
The event was well participated with students from the University of Saint Joseph Masters in Government Studies Programme, Post Graduate Diploma of Education Programme and Public Administration Programme of the Macao Polytechnic Institute. University of Saint Joseph is committed to providing a platform for discussion and addressing relevant and up-to-date issues for learning across disciplines.
If you’d like to learn more about our programme please click below for more information:
https://www.usj.edu.mo/en/courses/ma-government-studies/View all photos here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmUT8m8M"
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On March 9, 2021, a group of students from the Communication and Media Bachelor programme at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) participated in a workshop co-organised by Dr. Sheyla S. Zandonai, Visiting Professor at USJ, and the UNU-MACAU Cyber Resilience team, headed by Dr. Mamello Thinyane.
The workshop was designed to offer the students an opportunity to put their public relations strategic planning skills into practice.
Held at the UNU-MACAU building, the activity began with the Cyber Resilience team introducing the research project and project stakeholders, i.e. local government/policymakers, media, local civil society organisations, and the academic sector. A brainstorming session followed with students divided into groups to discuss and draft communication strategies that could aid the Cyber Resilience team to effectively engage with each of the identified stakeholder groups.
Students then presented their recommendations to the team and received feedback about the efficacy and feasibility of the communication strategies and tactics proposed for the project.
During the workshop, students were also invited to test and provide feedback about a mobile application that the team is currently developing to help users become more cyber aware and resilient in the face of adverse cyber incidents.
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On March 10, 2021, students from year 3 Bachelor of Social Work Programme, accompanied by Prof. Helen Liu and Prof. Michael Lai from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE), were honoured to have participated in a forum at the United Nations in Macao (the UNU in Macao). Discovering that the yellow elegant building in the Estrada do Engenheiro Trigo is the UNU in Macao, entirely intrigued the students to be strongly involved in the discussion.
Professionals from different fields in the UN shared their current research projects. Dr. Jingbo Huang, the director of the UNU in Macao, introduced their Institute. Research team in the UNU in Macao gave a presentation about their research, including Dr. Hannah Thinyane and Mikael Gallo, Migrant Technology research; Dr. Mamello Thinyane, Cyber-resilience research; and Dr. Serge Stinckwich, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Members of the UNU research team emphasised the role of social workers in contributing to solving forced labour and human trafficking problems in Macao and around the world. They explained that social workers could serve as a front line of the professionals who can identify the victims of the human trafficking, as well as being service providers for victims.
Next, the topic of cyber protection brought interest to our students and boost willingness of USJ students to be a part of research and designing process of appropriate cyber resilience platform in Macao. Another talk that created a discussion among the students and the project was Artificial Intelligence (AI). Students showed interest in this area of research and discussed how AI can be helpful for the vulnerable population of children and elderly.
This visit was a stepping stone to building strong collaboration between the Department of Social Work and the UNU in Macao. Through the discussion with the UNU in Macao, USJ students got a better understand about the process of working together in promoting the 17 SDGs, where some share a common mission with the social work professions and how this partnership can encourage data-driven and evidence-based actions and policies to achieve theSDGs.
On March 4, 2021, Prof. Rochelle Ge from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education (FSSE) and Year 1 students of Bachelor of Education visited theChu Kwong Center.
Established in April 1995, Chu Kwong Center is affiliated with the Association of Parents of the People with Intellectual Disabilities of Macau. It offers daycare and professional therapies (i.e., occupational, speech and physical therapy) to children with special educational needs (SEN). For more than two decades, the Center played an important role in supporting families with children with SEN in Macao, and devoted to the collaboration between family, school and community.
As future teachers, students from FSSE have shown great interest in services and training that are related with inclusive education. This visit taught them how associations in Macao are involved in supporting the development of children with SEN.
During the visit, staff of the Centre introduced their services and shared their experience and practical skills, including the functions of various facilities. Students were able to have a better understanding of the daily life needs of children with SEN and their families. They also expressed their willingness to participate in related volunteering activities and services.
In 2020, the pandemic’s reach extends past physical health impacts. Coping with the new normal has been a major task for everyone, though the psychological aspect has been understated as most of the attention is directed toward material helping.
In light of these risks, Prof. Ning Tang, Head of the Department of Social Work and Programme Coordinator for the Master of Social Work and Bachelor of Social Work of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), was quick to respond by providing psychological first aid training alongside various webinars to professionals in early 2020.
Prof. Ning Tang came across a book titled "Disastershock", which provides practical exercises to reduce disaster-related stress and enhance coping skills for parents, adults, and children. Identifying the book as an important resource, Prof. Ning Tang partnered with Dawning Consulting and Macao Caritas to produce Mandarin and Cantonese translations in during April and May, 2020.
The e-book "Disastershock" can be downloaded for free here.
Author: BSW Year 2 Student, Cater Chon"
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NEWS AND EVENTS
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.
On March 19, 2021, the year 1 students of the Bachelor of Social Work Programme concluded their two-week, six-session charity sale in USJ, raising over MOP 4,600 for the Caritas Macau WelAnser Centre.
On April 9, 2021, Prof. Vitor Teixeira participated in the XXXI Internation Scientific Conference organised by ACISE and affiliated of the IFCU to present the study made with Prof. Michael Lai on “The use of robotics in the intervention with children with ASD: A pilot study with Milo”.
On April 8, 2021, the Department of Social Work of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) organised a career sharing experience with Social Work Alumni for the year 4 Social Work students.
The USJ Sports Day 2021 held throughout the month of March was successfully concluded with the efforts from the USJ Student Association and leaders of the USJ Sports team.
Academic and administrative members from the USJ Green Committee and the Institute of Science and Environment, along with students from the University of Saint Joseph, joined a mangrove planting activity along the Taipa shoreline on Saturday, 27th of March, 2021.
The Chaplaincy of the University of Saint Joseph organised a two-day Lenten retreat to better prepare the faithful’s hearts for Lord Jesus Christ’s resurrection and deepen the faith of the participants.
On March 15, USJ and DSEDJ discussed existing and upcoming student programmes and opportunities for students to enhance their development in different aspects.
In order to promote mental health awareness and well-being in the community, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good health and well-being, USJ has been organising a series of activities open to the wider community.
USJ and UNUMACAU signed a MOU to collaborate on innovative research projects, capacity building initiatives, knowledge exchange engagements, internship programs and other activities of mutual interest.
The Faculty of Business and Law of USJ hosted a public lecture on Human Resource Planning in Public Services by Mr. Sou Chio Fai, for students of government studies and public administration in Macao.
On March 9, 2021, a group of students from the Communication and Media Bachelor programme at the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) participated in a workshop held at the UNU-MACAU.
Prof. Rochelle Ge from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Education and Year 1 students of Bachelor of Education visited the Chu Kwong Center to learn how associations in Macao are involved in supporting the development of children with Special Educational Needs.
In the early months of 2020, Prof. Ning Tang, Head of the Department of Social Work, provided psychological first aid training alongside various webinars to professionals to help cope with the new normal in the midst of the pandemic.
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.