The 2025 Teacher’s Day Celebration and Commendation Ceremony of Macau Millennium College (“MMC”) was successfully held on 9 September. At the ceremony, MMC solemnly recognised outstanding teams and staff members for their exceptional performance in the past year. The Centre for Continuing Education received the “Outstanding Team Award”; Wang Xin, Yang Yanchao, Wei Qiu, Dong Xumei, and Zheng Xiaoqing received the “Outstanding Performance in Annual Appraisal Award”; Zhou Guoqiang, Yang Xinxin, Yan Kejia, Zou Bai, and Zhou Jiajin received the “Excellence in Teaching Award”; Yang Yanchao received the “Excellence in Research Award”; Cai Zhiming, Wang Xin, and Yan Kejia received the “Excellence in Research Award”; Wang Xin and Dong Xumei received the “Excellence in Administrative Service Award”; and Tan Zehan, Su Limin, and He Qianmei received the “Outstanding Administrative Service Award”. The awards are not only a recognition of individual and team efforts but also a reflection of the collective teamwork and collaboration of all staff members. They have worked diligently in their respective roles, contributing to MMC’s continuous breakthroughs in teaching, research, and administrative services. Behind the honours lie responsibility and mission, as well as expectations for the future. So, how did the award-recipients feel about receiving these honours? What are their outlooks for future work? What message do they want to convey to their colleagues? Now, let’s listen to their voices.

Name: Cai Zhiming

Position: Professor, Supervisor, and Dean of the School of Digital Technology

Acceptance remarks and messages: Looking back on my decades of work in the higher education sector in Macao, I have witnessed the tremendous changes and leaps in the local academic and research environment. I deeply feel that this honour is a recognition belonging to the collective. The path of research is a long run that requires patience and endurance. It is not only the spark of personal wisdom but also the result of teamwork, generational accumulation, and academic inheritance. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to explore, collaborate, and grow with many excellent colleagues and students in MMC, a place that respects academics and encourages innovation. The small progress we have made in scientific innovation ultimately aims to cultivate more talents to serve the development of the Greater Bay Area and the country. This award is a summary of past work and also a motivation for the new journey ahead. I will continue to uphold a rigorous and truth-seeking academic attitude, contributing to the innovative path of MMC.

Name: Wang Xin

Department and position: Professor, Dean of the Centre for Continuing Education, Executive Dean of the School of Business, and Executive Dean of MMC Senile College

Acceptance remarks: I sincerely thank the college for awarding the Centre for Continuing Education the “Outstanding Team Award” and for granting me the “Excellence in Administrative Service Award”, “Outstanding Performance in Annual Appraisal Award”, and “Excellence in Research Award”. This recognition belongs to every colleague who has worked alongside me. It is your wisdom, hard work, and trust that have made administrative services precise and efficient, allowed research innovation to take root and blossom, and turned the team into an unstoppable force. Education is the patient nurturing that awaits flowers to bloom, while innovation is the steady effort that gradually brings results. Honours are recognition and a call to action for the future. In the future, I will continue to work with all colleagues, with pragmatism as our foundation and innovation as our guiding light, to keep cultivating in the educational landscape at the crossroads of East and West, and to move forward together toward the next chapter.

Name: Yang Yanchao

Department: Institute of International Language Services Studies

Position: Associate Professor, Vice Dean of the Institute of International Language Services Studies

Acceptance remarks: I am very honoured and grateful to receive the “Outstanding Performance in Annual Appraisal Award” and the “Excellence in Research Award” for the 2024-2025 academic year at MMC. This honour is not only a recognition of my work in the past year but also an encouragement for me to continue moving forward. In this community full of wisdom and innovation, every classroom interaction, every research discussion, and every team collaboration has been immensely rewarding, constantly reminding me to keep exploring and reflecting. I am thankful for the support and trust of MMC leaders and colleagues. It is your encouragement that enables me to keep breaking through myself. In the future, I will continue to follow our motto, “Integrity and Self-Strengthening; Academic Excellence and Innovation”, maintaining passion and curiosity in teaching and research, and striving to contribute more to the development of MMC. I will cherish this honour and turn it into motivation to continue pursuing excellence and innovation. We must use passion and curiosity as our lights, illuminating every step in teaching and research, living up to the times and our original intentions.

Name: Tan Zehan

Department: Research Office, School of Digital Technology Position: Associate Professor, Director of the Research Office

Acceptance remarks and messages: I am very honoured to receive the “Outstanding Administrative Service Award” at the 2025 Teacher’s Day Celebration and Commendation Ceremony. I feel deeply honoured and motivated. This award not only recognises my efforts but also acknowledges the collective collaboration of all faculty members. As Associate Professor of the School of Digital Technology and Director of the Research Office, I am aware that administrative work requires finding a balance between teaching, research, and management coordination. Especially in the area of research, I know I need to work harder. Over the past year, under the strategic guidance of the MMC leadership, we have collectively witnessed MMC’s leap-forward development in areas such as quality certification, new campus construction, and research innovation. Every achievement is the result of the collective wisdom and hard work of all colleagues. Looking ahead, I will continue to uphold a sense of responsibility, mission, and honour, set higher standards for myself, contribute to MMC’s development and research quality improvement, and work hand in hand with my colleagues to create a brighter future for MMC.

Name: Yang Xinxin

Department: School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Position: Assistant Professor, Assistant Dean, Director of the Centre for Chinese and Western Cultural and Arts Exchange

Acceptance remarks and messages: Holding the trophy, my heart is filled with gratitude and responsibility. If the “Excellence in Teaching Award” is a shining light, then that glow comes from the curiosity sparkling in the eyes of students, from the warmth of mutual support among colleagues, and from the college’s relentless nurturing of both teachers and students. For me, education is not just a profession; it is a call to mission; not just a task, but an extraordinary journey where one life impacts another. I will continue with my original intention and passion, injecting innovation and sincerity into teaching, growing together with students, moving forward hand in hand with the college, and joining the rhythm of our times to help write this chapter of Macao’s story, crafted by MMC. I wish for MMC to continue improving and growing! I hope that students will work hard to create their own unique university life!

Name: Yan Kejia

Department: School of Business Position: Assistant Professor

Acceptance remarks: I am very honoured to receive the “Excellence in Teaching Award” and the “Excellence in Research Award” on Teacher’s Day. I feel very proud and deeply grateful. I thank the college for providing us with an excellent teaching and research environment, thank the leaders and colleagues for their care and support in my work, and thank the students for their enthusiasm and efforts in the classroom. It is your company and encouragement that have allowed me to grow continuously on the path of education. As a teacher, I am keenly aware of the responsibility I carry. Education is not just about the transmission of knowledge, but also about guiding values and ideals. In the future, I will continue to stay true to my original intention, closely combining personal growth with the development of MMC, and linking the responsibility of being a teacher with the needs of society. May we work together to build an even better campus.

Name: Zhou Jiajin

Position: Assistant Professor

Acceptance remarks and messages: I am very honoured to receive the “Excellence in Teaching Award” at the Teacher’s Day Celebration. This honour not only belongs to me personally but also to MMC colleagues and every student who has trusted me. In teaching and research, I always adhere to the philosophy of “learning for application, applying to enhance learning”, aiming to combine academic theory with business practice to inspire students’ innovative and critical thinking. I thank MMC for providing an open and inclusive platform that has allowed me to grow alongside an excellent team. In the future, I will continue to strive to live up to expectations and contribute more to business education. I also wish all educators a happy holiday and hope we can stay true to our original intentions and work together to cultivate more outstanding talents.

Name: Wei Qiu

Department: Rector’s Office

Position: General Affairs Director, Director of the Rector’s Office

Acceptance remarks and messages: This honour not only belongs to me but also to my colleagues who have worked together. As a middle-level staff member in the college, I am keenly aware that we play the role of a “bridge”—we must accurately understand the strategic direction of MMC, coordinate departments efficiently, and transform concepts into specific implementation plans. In the past year, together with my office colleagues, I have actively worked on system optimisation and process improvement, efficiently coordinated resources such as partner universities and social media, meticulously handled specific tasks such as the new campus construction and the China-Malaysia Forum, fully supported MMC’s quality certification, new course applications, and admissions, and provided multi-dimensional and multi-level extension services to ensure the implementation and advancement of various college tasks. This recognition is the greatest encouragement to our team spirit and professional dedication. I would especially like to thank the MMC leadership for their trust and guidance, and thank my colleagues from all departments for their strong support and cooperation. Without everyone’s joint efforts, none of this would have been possible. In the future, I will continue to work alongside the team to support MMC in pursuing excellence in teaching, research, and management.

Name: Dong Xumei

Department: Academic Affairs Office

Position: Director

Acceptance remarks and messages: I am deeply honoured and filled with gratitude to receive the “Outstanding Performance in Annual Appraisal Award” and the “Excellence in Administrative Service Award”. This honour not only belongs to me but also to every colleague who has worked diligently in their roles. I thank MMC for recognising my work, thank the leaders for their thoughtful guidance, and thank all my colleagues for their continuous support! In the future, I will turn this honour into even stronger motivation, continue to improve and advance all my tasks, and pass on the spirit of “Excellency” to more young colleagues, contributing more to enhancing teaching quality, curriculum development, and MMC’s holistic growth and development! I wish MMC continued success and growth with everyone’s collective effort!

Name: Su Limin

Department: Admissions Office

Position: Senior Supervisor

Acceptance remarks and messages: I am very honoured and grateful to receive the “Outstanding Administrative Service Award”. This honour is not just a recognition of my own efforts, but also an acknowledgment of the dedication of the entire admissions team. In my work in admissions, I have merely done my part; the real achievements come from everyone’s teamwork and relentless effort. I thank MMC for providing me with opportunities for growth and learning, and thank every colleague for their support and understanding. In the future, I will continue to work with enthusiasm and professionalism, learning and improving constantly, hoping to attract more outstanding students to MMC and further promote the educational mission. May we all make extraordinary contributions in our ordinary roles.

Name: He Qianmei

Department: Human Resources Office

Position: Supervisor

Acceptance remarks and messages: I am very honoured and encouraged to receive the “Outstanding Administrative Service Award” at the 2025 Teacher’s Day Celebration and Commendation Ceremony. I would like to take this opportunity to thank MMC for recognising, trusting, and supporting my work. I will continue to strive, maintaining the core spirit of sharing, co-creation, and inclusion, and aim to provide more effective service quality in administrative management. Under the leadership of our administrators, I have witnessed MMC’s multifaceted project development over just two short years. As a member of MMC, I feel incredibly proud and honoured. I wish MMC’s continued success and growth, and may we all work together with an innovative spirit to achieve our goals.

Name: Zheng Xiaoqing

Department: Rector’s Office

Position: Clerk

Acceptance remarks and messages: As a newcomer who has been with MMC for nearly two years, receiving the “Outstanding Performance in Annual Appraisal Award” is a great encouragement to me. First of all, I sincerely thank the leadership and colleagues for their thoughtful guidance and trust, and for providing me with many valuable learning and practical opportunities, which have allowed me to grow quickly. Every kind colleague, you are both teachers and friends, creating a fulfilling and warm work environment that allows me to focus on my work without worries. From a fresh graduate to gradually becoming familiar with my role, the college has witnessed every step of my growth. This award is recognition of my past efforts and an expectation for my future work. It proves the MMC’s emphasis on and nurturing of young talent—if you are willing to put in the effort, there will be rewards. As a fresh addition to MMC, I will take this as a new starting point, continue to maintain my passion for learning, constantly improve myself, and contribute my youthful energy to the efficient operation of the Rector’s Office and the development of MMC with both enthusiasm and professionalism.