The Faculty of Innovation Engineering at MUST held the “A New Beginning: Excellence and the Future of Engineering Education” forum on May 7, 2026. The event celebrated the successful granting of a full five-year accreditation by the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers (HKIE) to its Bachelor of Science programs in Computer Science and Software Engineering. This achievement makes MUST the youngest higher education institution in Macao to receive this prestigious international accreditation. The forum brought together representatives from the Macao SAR Government, academic pioneers, industry leaders, faculty, and students to witness this milestone and look ahead to new directions in engineering education.
Celebration Ceremony
During the opening ceremony, Chair Professor Paul Kwong Hang TAM, Vice-President of MUST, delivered the welcome address on behalf of the university. He congratulated the FIE on the successful five-year HKIE accreditation of two its programs. He emphasized that this accreditation not only confirms that the programs have reached the highest international standards but also validates the relentless efforts of faculty and students as well as the university’s firm commitment to teaching quality. The university will take this achievement as a new starting point to continue cultivating engineering talents with innovation capabilities and global competitiveness, contributing to the sustainable development of Macao and the Greater Bay Area.
Welcome Address by Vice-President Paul TAM
Mr. Chapman WONG, Member of the SCSE External Advisory Committee at MUST stated that this accreditation has greatly boosted industry confidence in the professional capabilities of the students. The programs’ training direction aligns precisely with the core needs of the industry. He expressed the industry’s strong desire to deepen collaboration with the university in areas such as co-construction of programs, internships and practical training, joint research project, and talent cultivation. He also praised the forum for providing an excellent platform for industry-academia dialogue to cultivate engineering talents that meet future industry demands.
Remarks by Mr. Chapman WONG
In her speech, professor Qiao SUN, Dean of the Faculty of Innovation Engineering at MUST, expressed sincere gratitude to university leadership and administrative units across campus, members of the SCSE External Advisory Committee, industry partners, universities in Hong Kong, alumni for their strong support, and faculty, staff, and students for their commitment and hard work throughout the accreditation process. Dean Sun emphasized that this accreditation represents authoritative recognition of the Faculty’s curriculum system, faculty strength, learning environment, and quality of our graduates. Students are equipped with solid theoretical foundations, strong technical capabilities, innovative thinking, problem-solving skills, and professional literacy. The programs also incorporate ethical awareness, teamwork, and communication skills as core elements to prepare students for the service to society. The Faculty will continue to strengthen its curriculum, deepen industry-academia-research integration to enhance students’ competitiveness in both local and global job markets.
Remarks by Dean Qiao SUN
Three keynote speeches were delivered at the forum, offering in-depth insights into the future of engineering education.
Ir Alice CHOW, President of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, focused on “MUST – A New Beginning: Excellent Future Ready Engineering Education”. She introduced the professional standards and international influence of HKIE accreditation, explaining how it opens global career mobility pathways and eligibility for HKIE membership for graduates. This accreditation not only strengthens the Greater Bay Area’s position as an innovation hub but also supplies high-quality talent for emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and digital transformation, ushering in a new chapter of industry-academia collaboration between Hong Kong and Macao.
Keynote Speech by President Alice CHOW
Ir Prof. Yu-Hsing WANG, Director of the Center for Engineering Education Innovation at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, presented “The A-Ha Moment: Rethinking Future Skills for Human–AI Co-Intelligence”. Focusing on the new paradigm of human-AI collaborative intelligence, he proposed that the core of future education lies in cultivating judgment, critical thinking, and systemic understanding. He proposed “AI Fluency” as a core competency, emphasizing that talents must possess the ability to question, evaluate, and responsibly guide AI outputs. He advocated for a shift in educational models from content delivery to co-thinking, and from correct answers to informed judgment.
Keynote Speech by Prof. Yu-Hsing WANG
Professor Qiao SUN, Dean of the Faculty of Innovation Engineering at MUST, delivered a keynote entitled “How to Educate the Engineer the World Needs”. In response to global demands for engineers in the AI era, she pointed out that future engineers must be technically competent, creative, collaborative, ethically grounded, and adaptable. She proposed three pillar framework for cultivating future engineers: solid foundations, interdisciplinary thinking, and community of learners. She also shared the Faculty’s latest development initiatives and extended a sincere invitation to all sectors to collaborate in the effort to explore the future path of engineering education.
Keynote Speech by Professor Qiao SUN
This five-year HKIE accreditation is of great significance. It confirms that our two programs meet the rigorous international standards of the Seoul Accord. Graduates of accredited programs have their qualifications recognized by all signatory countries and economies. This not only opens up international employment opportunities but also provides a clear advantage when applying for internationally recognized professional registration as engineers.
As one of the founding faculties of MUST, the School of Computer Science and Engineering maintains a complete talent cultivation system spanning bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. Both its Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence disciplines rank among the world’s top programs, with continuously growing research strength and international influence. Moving forward, MUST will take this accreditation as a new beginning, uphold the university’s motto of “Dedication to practical studies, Enhancement of knowledge, Ability and Quality,” deepen practical teaching and industry-academia-research integration, and continue to advance internationalization and specialization of engineering education. The university aims to provide strong talent support for technological innovation and industrial upgrading in Macao and the Greater Bay Area.
Group Photo
