UM and CAS’ Institute of Oceanology establish joint lab in marine environment and ocean engineering

The University of Macau (UM) today (24 March) signed a collaborative framework agreement on establishing a joint laboratory in marine environment and ocean engineering with the Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) via video conferencing. Under the agreement, both parties will combine their strengths in marine environment and ocean engineering to promote mutual development in the fields and to bring tangible benefits to technological innovation in Macao and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). This is the first time that UM has signed an agreement via video conferencing.

The CAS Institute of Oceanology is the first national institute of oceanology in China. It is also the largest and one of the leading institutes in the field in the country. Under the institute there are five CAS key laboratories, three national scientific research platforms, two functional laboratories, and seven research support units. The institute has conducted many groundbreaking and pioneering research studies in oceanology.

According to UM Rector Yonghua Song, the agreement aims to meet the increasing demand in Macao and the GBA for scientific research in oceanology, a cutting-edge research field in the world. Through the collaboration, UM and CAS will jointly create a high-quality platform for collaborative research, share resources, promote mutual development, and contribute to the development of marine environment and ocean engineering in Macao, the GBA, and China. Both parties will pursue research in separate but related branches of oceanology such as costal environment and ecology, marine geology, the dynamics of the multiple spheres of the ocean, regulation of regional marine environment, natural disaster prevention in cities, and ocean engineering. The collaboration is expected to promote the training of researchers, exchange of knowledge, commercialisation of research results, and the competitiveness of hi-tech industries. The collaboration will also create opportunities for international collaboration, such as collaboration in oceanology with Portugal.

During the ceremony, Rector Song and Institute of Oceanology Director Wang Fan signed the agreement on behalf of their respective institutions.