array(21) { [0]=> object(WP_Post)#3458 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(20402) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "10" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2019-09-13 09:00:22" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-09-13 01:00:22" ["post_content"]=> string(134) "USJ wishes you a happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 聖若瑟大學祝各位中秋節快樂! A USJ deseja-lhe uma feliz Festa do Bolo Lunar!" ["post_title"]=> string(25) "Happy Mid-Autumn Festival" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(19) "mid-autumn-festival" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2019-09-12 16:54:09" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-09-12 08:54:09" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(51) "https://www.usj.edu.mo/?post_type=news&p=20402" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "news" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [1]=> object(WP_Post)#3762 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(20383) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "10" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2019-09-12 10:16:32" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-09-12 02:16:32" ["post_content"]=> string(1407) "

The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) congratulates Universidade Católica Portuguesa (UCP) on becoming the highest-ranked Portuguese university in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2020, published on September 11^th, 2019. UCP is now part of the group of 351-400 best classified worldwide, after participating in the ranking for the first time in 2018 (601-800).

This ranking is also the highest a Portuguese university has ever scored and, amongst the 13 participating Portuguese institutions, UCP is the only that has improved its ranking this year.

THE World University Rankings 2020 involved the ranking of almost 1.400 institutions of 92 countries, based on 13 performance indicators, and is the only university ranking to be independently audited.

Picture: Agência Ecclesia

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On September 6th, 2019, the Public and International Relations Office (PIRO) of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) held the International Orientation Session for all international and exchange students to assist in the adjustment and adaptation to life in USJ and Macao.

During the session, students had the opportunity to learn more about the offices which they will come into close contact with and need-to-know information about USJ and Macao was facilitated. Goodie bags were distributed to all with Macao maps and brochures, the International Exchange Student Guide with information relevant for all international students, a Checklist of 50 things they must do before leaving Macao, USJ souvenirs and more!

Several icebreaking games were organised throughout the session for students to get to know each other better and discuss their expectations for their time at USJ and Macao. The session ended with refreshments and a networking opportunity for all.

The event, kindly sponsored by the Macao Foundation, resulted of a collaboration between PIRO, the Office for Student and Alumni Affairs (OSAA), the Residential Hall Office (RHO) and the Student Association (USJSA).

For more pictures, please click here.

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• SOS - Support of Students (September 10th)
• CPU - Clubs Pair with U (September 17th)
• CEO - Campus Emerging Orientation (September 24th)

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Welcome to the University of Saint Joseph (USJ), new students!

We are so happy that you chose USJ for the next step in your academic journey and cannot wait to welcome all of you! USJ's Office for Student and Alumni Affairs (OSAA) is organising an Orientation Day for all new USJ students (including International and Exchange students) to get to know USJ, its main campus, our Professors and Staff, as well as fellow colleagues!

Orientation Day will be held on September 5th, Thursday, at USJ's Ilha Verde Campus.

Registrations will be open from 1:00PM to 2:00PM, with the event starting at 2:00PM with the Official Welcome by the USJ Rector, Prof. Fr. Peter Stilwell. Next, at 2:30PM, you will have the chance to meet your Faculty/School/Institute. At 3:00PM fun games and orienteering will be held before a welcome dinner, at 6:30PM, for all new USJ students.

If you have any questions about the Orientation Day, please contact OSAA at studentaffairs@usj.edu.mo or drop by the 2/F of the Residential Hall of the Ilha Verde Campus.

The event is kindly sponsored by the Macao Government, Macao Foundation and VitaSoy.

---

If you are an international or exchange student:

There will also be an International Student Orientation Session on September 6th, Friday, at 3:30PM in classroom USJ-203 (2/F of the Academic Building of the Ilha Verde Campus). If you have any queries, please visit the official Facebook event page here or contact the Public and International Relations Office at global@usj.edu.mo or drop by the 4/F of the Academic Building of the Ilha Verde Campus.

---

Other welcome activities:

For more information on the welcome activities, please contact OSAA.

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Researchers from the University of Saint Joseph's Institute of Science and Environment and the Universidade NOVA de Lisboa have published a new study in the Springer Journal "Air Quality, Atmosphere & Health" on "Macao Air Quality Forecast using Statistical Methods".

In this study, lead by Thomas Lei, a PhD student in cotutelle between the aforementioned institutions, a statistical model was developed that accurately predicts air pollution levels in the territory. The model can be used as an operational air quality forecast for Macao, allowing the population to take precautionary measures and avoid health risks under high pollutant exposure.

Access to the full study here.

More information about ISE’s research here.

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The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) congratulates Dr Ho Iat Seng on his election as Chief Executive-elect of Macao SAR, and looks forward to working closely with Macao's new government for the development of the region and beyond.

聖若瑟大學熱烈恭賀賀一誠先生當選為澳門特別行政區第五任行政長官候任人，期望與澳門新政府為特區發展等能有緊密合作。

A Universidade de São José congratula o Dr Ho Iat Seng pela sua eleição para o cargo de Chefe do Executivo da Região Administrativa Especial de Macau (RAEM), e espera trabalhar em estreita colaboração com o novo governo de Macau no desenvolvimento da região e além.

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From 20^th to 23^rd August, 2019, the Public and International Relations Office (PIRO) Director, Mrs Paula Mota, and Officer, Mr Brian Cheong, participated in the 27th Annual Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) Conference that took place at the Sogang University, in South Korea. Additionally, and on behalf of the USJ Rector, Prof. Fr. Peter Stilwell, Mrs Mota attended the executive board meeting of the association on the 19^th of August.

The Conference included an international programme which involved discussions on the internationalisation and identity of Catholic Universities and the implementation of an internationalisation strategy for the Association. The programme provided opportunities for institutional networking to discuss possibilities of collaboration and fostering of internationalisation initiatives between the ASEACCU member institutions.

The University of Saint Joseph (USJ) is a member of the Association of Southeast and East Asian Catholic Colleges and Universities (ASEACCU) since 2018.

For more pictures, please click here.

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Researchers from the Institute of Science and Environment (ISE) of the University of Saint Joseph have published a study in Frontiers in Zoology on the aggressive behaviour of the Siamese fighting fish Betta splendens.

This species is used for cultural purposes across southeast Asia. Breeders stage paired-fights between matched for size males in a small tank until the contest is resolved. Breeders discard losing batches and reproduce winner batches with the aim of increasing fight performance. This selection process has been going on for centuries, providing an excellent opportunity to study the biological foundations of aggression in this animal model.

In this study, lead by Andreia Ramos, a PhD student from ISE, it was shown that fighter males are indeed more aggressive than wild-type males, which are not selected for fights. Interestingly, the selection process increased aggression also in females, which are not directly targeted by the selection process. This suggests common genetic and physiological mechanisms to male and female aggression in this species. Although female aggression is common in many species, it is still unclear whether female and male aggression share the same proximate mechanisms or if there are male and female-specific physiological modulators of aggression. The study suggests that female aggression in this species is genetically correlated to male aggression.

This work is part of a larger project funded by the Macao Science and Technology Development Fund (FDCT) and coordinated by ISE's Dean, Prof. David Gonçalves, investigating the biological mechanisms of aggression in this species (http://ise.usj.edu.mo/research/projects/fight/).

Access to the full study here.

Journal link here.

More information about ISE's research here.

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Ms. Chan Weng Ieong, Peggy, our Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA) student, represented the University of Saint Joseph Students' Association (USJSA) in the "Summer Holiday – Carnival for Associations of Higher Education Students" programme, organised by the Higher Education Bureau of the Macau SAR Government.

The participation of our student was supported by USJ, which provided the setup fee for her booth in order to assist her in promoting her start-up store of handmade products. The objectives of this event are to encourage exchange and collaboration between different student associations, and their engagement in entrepreneurship activities.

By participating in this event USJ aims to promote the development of entrepreneurship in the areas of sustainable lifestyles, and cultural and creative and industries in Macao.

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Two University of Saint Joseph (USJ) students, Kuok Hoi Man, Carman, and Hoi Wan Ieng, Sora, recently attended the 10th University Scholars Leadership Symposium (USLS) 2019 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In total, 873 delegates from 57 countries attended the event. The programme consisted of a week of networking, with the aim of helping communities in need, and hearing from humanitarian speakers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The electrifying atmosphere at the USLS ignited their passion for humanity and, at the same time, the delegates were encouraged to step out of their comfort zone, and set their hearts on greater causes. It challenged people to live a life as a servant leader with passion, persistence, patience and purpose.

Reflection from Carman:

The USLS was an incredible experience that I will never forget. The unique opportunity to exchange internationally and meet like-minded individuals from diverse cultures, languages and backgrounds, and to serve the community together, it was a fantastic way to appreciate the innate humanity which connects us all.

In the USLS I learnt more than what is mentioned. It reminds me of the power of individuals. Instead of thinking "can I help you?", I would replace this question by "How can I help at least?". The speakers of the USLS inspired me a lot. As an educator, I am ready to serve my community in education field. I am motivated to help those in need and develop myself continually in order to help more people.

Reflection from Sora:

It was really a great opportunity to participate in the University Scholars Leadership Symposium, which inspired me a lot.

The speakers brought up three questions which lead me to thinking about how I can be better in the position of a leader. “Where can I help”, “How can I help” and “What can I do to help”. The three questions maybe just normal questions but, to be a leader, you should keep on thinking those questions.

The University Scholars Leadership Symposium gave me a chance to think, to ask and to apply. The talks never tell you how you could become better in leadership, instead of giving answers, they shared stories or, I must say, the real facts of what is happening in the world today, to give you the inspiration of thinking.

What I remember the most about the trip is the Service Day for the refugees. The organisers asked us to serve the refugees by playing, having fun and sharing happy moments with them. After that, I am really sorry to say, I might have been the happiest one in my group. It was a great pleasure to meet and get to know my group mates, having such fun and communicating with everyone. People have their own personalities and characteristics and, despite our differences, we still can be friends with each other. Just bear in mind that we need to respect each other.

Refugees could not choose their lives and they are not criminals, they are just little ones who, like us, look for safety and security. They just seek comfort and peace and nothing else. But criminals are the ones who force others.

Everyone has the power to change, and the power to influence someone else. Why do not we make the world a better place, make life better for us all?

In conclusion, I want to use a quote from Katie Couric, “Changing the world doesn't happen all at once. It isn't a big bang. It's an evolution, the sum of a billion tiny sparks.”

Therefore, just go and find something that you care about enough to act and take the first step.

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Due to Typhoon Wipha, the Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 8 will be hoisted at 2:00PM on July 31st 2019.

All USJ Campuses (Ilha Verde, NAPE and Seminary) will be closed after 12:00PM on July 31st 2019.

Normal functioning hours will resume on August 1st 2019, unless otherwise informed.

Thank you for your understanding.

For updated information on the typhoon, please click here.

---

因颱風韋帕將於七月三十一日下午二時改發八號東北風球，聖若瑟大學三個校園：青州校舍、皇朝校舍及修院將於中午十二時後關閉。

聖大校園將於八月一日正常運作。

謝謝。

---

Devido ao Tufão Wipha, o Sinal 8 de Tempestade Tropical será içado às 14:00 do dia 31 de Julho de 2019.

Todos os Campus da USJ (Ilha Verde, NAPE e Seminário) estarão fechados depois das 12:00 do dia 31 de Julho de 2019.

Salvo indicação contrária, o horário normal de abertura será resumido no dia 1 de Agosto de 2019.

Obrigada pela compreensão.

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The International Comparative Literature Association (ICLA), "an association that offers a home to all comparatists in the world and encourages exchange and cooperation among comparatists"*, will hold the XXII Congress of The ICLA in Macao, from July 29th to August 2nd, 2019. The event, with the theme "Literature of the World and the Future of Comparative Literature", will take place at the University of Macao. For the official website of the event, please click here.

As part of the event, the University of Saint Joseph's Faculty of Religious Studies and the Renmin University of China's School of Liberal Arts are co-organising the W7 - Comparative Literature and Religious Studies Round table: "The Sacred and the Everyday", kindly sponsored by the Diocese of Macao and the Shanghai Jiao Tong University's School of Humanities.

The Round table will be divided into two days - July 30th and July 31st - and will take place in the Library near the Treasure of Sacred Art of Saint Joseph's Seminary, right beside the Saint Joseph Church and Seminary Campus.

All are welcome to attend!​

Programme W7 - Comparative Literature and Religious Studies Round Table "The Sacred and the Everyday" ← Click the programme!

Disclaimer: Lunch will be provided to speakers and invited guests only.

*ICLA, 2019

For more information on the event, please contact USJ's Faculty of Religious Studies, at frs@usj.edu.mo.

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The Faculty of Religious Studies of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) was joined by the Renmin University of China's School of Liberal Arts in hosting the Comparative Literature and Religious Studies round table of the XXII Congress of the International Comparative Literature Association (ICLA) on the 30th and 31st of July, 2019. The event, titled "The Sacred and the Everyday", is being held at the Library near the Treasure of Sacred Art of Saint Joseph's Seminary, built in 1728 and part of the UNESCO World Heritage site of Macao, which now holds one of the three USJ campuses.

Welcoming over 20 academics from across the world for two very full days of academic discussion on the theme “The Sacred and the Everyday”, which was divided into eight sessions, the Rector of USJ, Prof. Fr. Peter STILWELL, said that it was a great privilege to have the opportunity to work with scholars of such stature and from such differing cultures and backgrounds to explore how literature can express and analyse the human experience of the encounter between the transcendent and the mundane.

Papers were presented by, amongst others, Prof. Huilin YANG (Renmin University of China) on Between “the Sacred / the Everyday” and “Being / Non-being”, Prof. William FRANKE, (Vanderbilt University, USA) on Technological Transformation and Postmodern Re-enchantment of the Everyday and Prof. Pan-chiu LAI (Chinese University of Hong Kong) on “The Secular as Sacred” or “the Sacred as Secular”? - The Problem of “Immanence vs. Transcendence” in Christian-Confucian Comparison. A number of Macao-based academics, including the Dean of USJ's Faculty of Religious Studies, Prof. Stephen MORGAN, and Fr. Cyril LAW also presented papers at the round table.

The round table is generously sponsored by the Shanghai Jiao Tong University's School of Humanities and the Diocese of Macao, whose Bishop, the Most Reverend Stephen Lee Bun-sang, will host a welcome dinner for the participants. The dinner will count with the presence of distinguished guests, such as representatives from the Liaison Office of the People’s Republic of China and the Higher Education Bureau of the Macao SAR Government.

XXX

For more pictures, please click here.

For pictures of the Courtesy Visit to the University of Saint Joseph's Ilha Verde Campus, that took place on August 1st, 2019, please click here.

To read the Welcome Speech of the Rector of the University of Saint Joseph, Prof. Fr. Peter Stilwell, please click here.

More information about the Round table here.

More information about the XXII ICLA Congress here.

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The 1st University of Saint Joseph (USJ) Snooker (American Pool) Competition and Party was held by the Office for Student and Alumni Affairs (OSAA) and Residential Hall Office (RHO) on Friday, July 26th 2019, at the USJ Recreational Corner on the 4/F of the Residential Hall.

The competition attracted many students. The USJ Rector, Prof. Fr. Peter Stilwell, the Dean of the School of Business and Law, Prof. Jenny Lao Phillips, and the OSAA Director, Ms Teresa Loong, held the kick-off for the competition.

Morto Camará (BCM) won the competition, while Pedro Cachapa Vieira (DSC) and Henri Racelis Goh (BAS) got the 1st and 2nd runner-up places, respectively. After the competition, the participants enjoyed a catered party.

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The Alumni Association of the University of Saint Joseph (AAUSJ) was invited by the Rector, Prof. Fr. Peter Stilwell, for a gathering at the Rector's Residence, located at the Residential Hall of the Ilha Verde Campus, on July 23rd, 2019.

Ms. Cen Jiayi, Deputy Director of the Department of Education and Youth Affairs of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao Special Administrative Region, was present as a USJ friend. Prof. Barbosa, Vice-Rector of the University, and Ms Teresa Loong, Director of the Office for Student and Alumni Affairs also participated in the occasion.

It was a happy gathering with lots of fun and exchange of ideas!

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Working together with the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ), USJ held a five-day teacher training programme for 100 secondary English teachers in Congjiang County, Guizhou Province on July 15-19, 2019. Prof. Romulo Alegre, Mr. Harlan Ramirez, Ms. Rosanna Wong, Ms. Sharon Chen (English Department, Humanities) and Prof. Elisa Monteiro (School of Education) facilitated the training with the help of Ms. Marissa Lam (LLO). A two-fold program, the training focused on helping the teachers navigate articulation and speaking proficiency, and sharing teaching strategies and best practices. This project was made possible through the collaboration of Dean Prof. Ana Correia (Education) and Dean Prof. Alan Baxter (Humanities).

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The Director of the Office for Student and Alumni Affairs (OSAA), Ms. Teresa Loong, participated, as a member of the organising committee, in the 8th Psychological Counselling and Advising Summit in the Cross-Straits, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan regions. The event was held at the Guizhou University from the 18th to the 21st of July, 2019.

The summit, held biennially, provides a platform for exchange and learning opportunities for experts and practitioners in the field of counselling. The summit was a success and counted with the presence of 339 practitioners in 6 forums where more than 40 papers were presented and 15 workshops were held.

Organising Committee of 8th Psychological Counselling and Advising Summit in the Cross-Straits, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan Regions

Counselling Centre of Guizhou University

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On 19th to 22nd July 2019, 7 students and an OSAA colleague, Ms. Lydia Tong, participated in the International Youth Conference on Social Innovation in Hong Kong. The students were inspired by the sharing of industry professionals and the good practices and experiences of existing social innovation projects. In the Conference, they had visited the local community centres and the homes of their service recipients, allowing them to generate creative ideas to fill the gaps of existing social services in home countries and the global village as a whole.    Sharing of the students: ''I would like to thank our university for this wonderful opportunity for me to participate in the conference in Hong Kong. I enjoyed a lot and it gave me an opportunity to understand that academic’s life is not only, between four walls but outside as well. I have made a lot of friendships and USJ team was nice to me, they supported me a lot in the journey.'' From Jack Bonte Có

''We have got wonderful teammates from all around the world and felt so happy during the conference. We had a lot of teamwork to do and taught our foreign teammates the proper use of chopsticks in our first dinner.'' From Peggy Chan " ["post_title"]=> string(69) "Hong Kong International Youth Conference on Social Innovation 2019" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(63) "hong-kong-international-youth-conference-social-innovation-2019" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2019-09-26 17:38:06" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-09-26 09:38:06" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(51) "https://www.usj.edu.mo/?post_type=news&p=20061" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "news" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [20]=> object(WP_Post)#5787 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(20046) ["post_author"]=> string(2) "10" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2019-07-19 18:28:05" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-07-19 10:28:05" ["post_content"]=> string(5690) "

During 11-18 July 2019, three graduate students, Prof. Carrie Ho and Prof. Susannah Sun participated in the DSES sponsored academic exchange. Two PhD students Annie Choi and Nair Cardoso presented in the Pacific Early Childhood Education and Research Association (PECERA) Conference 2019 with their graduate studies on Reggio Emilia inspired documentation method and Sensory-based approach. Prof. Carrie Ho and Prof. Susannah Sun also presented at the Conference on the topics of Student Teachers’ perspectives on Sensory-based approach and Chinese Literacy in Early Childhood context. Together with Master student Carman Kuok, the team also visited Keelung Yoyo Kindergarten, Hsin Yi Parent & Child Education Centre, New Taipei City Special Education Resource Centre, and Wenshan School of Special Education. The group also visited the well-known Puppetry Art Center of Taipei for learning the history of Chinese puppetry and its usage in infant education. The academic tour allowed the graduate students to exchange their research studies with international professionals in the field and enrich their understanding on implementation of SEN supports, early interventions, and STEM curriculum development.

PhD student Annie Choi presented her doctoral study topic “Finding a better way to assess young children in a kindergarten classroom”.

PhD students Nair Cardoso presented her master study result topic “Determining the effectiveness of sensory play and exploration in early childhood - A Quasi-experimental study”.

Master student Carman Kuok connected with an Indonesia kindergarten principal.

Prof. Carrie Ho presented “In search of aesthetic education: Student teachers’ perspective and practice with sensory-based approach in Infant Education”.

Prof. Susannah Sun presented “Kindergarten teachers’ beliefs about Chinese early literacy instruction”.

New Taipei City Special Education Resource Centre introduced their latest governmental supports to school, parents, and children with disabilities.

The principal and teachers of Wenshan School of Special Education explained how governmental policy implemented as school practices in curriculum, IEPs, and career development programme design and evaluation.

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