The Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao under the Talents Development Committee recently held the first meeting in the year of 2016, chaired by Convener of the Task Force Lao Pun Lap. During the meeting, the committee discussed various ideas of attracting talents to return to Macao.

To enable the public, especially people who want to return to Macao, to learn more comprehensively about livelihood in Macao and about information on talents development, the Task Force’s discussions have generated a plan that follows the examples of neighbouring regions, of building a one-stop information platform on the basis of the Talents Development Committee website. Such a platform can integrate information from various public departments in Macao. Hopefully the public will have easier access to Macao information on this integrated and convenient online platform as per their needs.

On the other hand, The Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao also had discussions on how overseas talents from Macao can provide services in Macao during their short-period returns. There was a preliminary proposal to invite qualified overseas talents from Macao to make short-period returns and serve in functions like teaching, coaching and consulting. Based on this proposal, the Committee Secretariat will contact public colleges and universities in Macao respectively to learn about procedures for recruiting teaching and research staff. The committee members agreed on the direction of this proposal, and suggested integrating recruitment information of the colleges and universities into the committee website as a first step, making information dissemination more consistent and timely.

As an important job of the Talents Development Committee, attracting talents to return requires systematic collection of Macao information talents are interested in and needs the cooperation of various public departments. Besides, the committee welcomes Macao residents’ comments and suggestions for further improving the SAR government’s strategies on talents development. These members in the Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao attended the meeting: Lao Pun Lap, Pang Su Seng, Lao Chi Ngai, Tai Wong Kuai Leng, Ung Choi Kun, Chan Mei Yi Melinda and Sou Chio Fai.

The Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao under the Talents Development Committee held its third meeting for the year 2015 on 8th September, chaired by Convener of the Task Force Lao Pun Lap. During the meeting, the Secretariat of Talents Development Committee reported on the policies of the neighboring regions of Macao, including Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia, on attracting returning talents.

Members of the committee also discussed relevant policies applied in different regions at the meeting and compared them to the current policies of Macao related to people's livelihood (e.g. taxation, healthcare, housing, social security, education, etc.). A member noted that policies regarding attracting talents to return to Macao have not been established in Macao; however, by comparing the policies of the neighboring regions to Macao's current measures, it was found that Macao has enjoyed comparably favorable policies concerning people's livelihood, including taxation and other benefits. In addition, another member suggested following the example of Singapore to establish a service platform for the return of talents and conceived the initial idea of establishing a mechanism for connecting Macao talents living abroad, which will not only make it easier for interested individuals to obtain further information but also help them solve different problems of returning to Macao.

Furthermore, the Secretariat also presented the effectiveness and report on Malaysia's "Returning Expert Programme" conducted by the World Bank. Members of the committee referenced the contents of relevant report and discussed at the meeting the recommendations proposed in the report. Upon discussion, they planed to draft a pilot scheme on the return of teaching and research personnel to Macao in order to enable talents in these areas working abroad to serve the public colleges and universities and government departments of Macao on a short-term basis.

The Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao will make continued efforts to study various plans and polices on attracting talents to return or stay in Macao and collate foreign experiences for analysis of subsequent policies. Members of the Task Force in attendance included: : Lao Pun Lap, Pang Su Seng, Lao Chi Ngai, Tai Wong Kuai Leng, Sou Chio Fai.

The Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao under the Talents Development Committee held the second meeting for the year 2015 on 28th August, chaired by Convener of the Task Force Lao Pun Lap. During the meeting, the Secretariat of Talents Development Committee invited Teng Sio Hong, the head of higher education research and planning from the Tertiary Education Services Office to give a presentation on the "Survey on the choices of furthering studies and occupations of college graduates of Macao in 2015", and "Post-graduation tracking survey of college graduates in Macao".

To better understand the flow and changes among higher education graduates of Macao, in particular their plan to pursue further studies or take up employment, the Tertiary Education Services Office earlier conducted ‘The survey on the choices of furthering studies and occupations of college graduates of Macao in 2015’. The survey indicates that of the graduates who are interested in pursue further studies in a foreign country, 48.3% have the intention to return to Macao to work after graduation, and of the employed college graduates, 91.1% have chosen to work in Macao, followed by Hong Kong, representing 5.4%.

During the meeting, members of the committee carried out discussion on the surveys and believed that specific tracking survey on Macao students studying or working abroad should be carried out on a long-term basis to collect more detailed information. Moreover, a member suggested that an orientation for encouraging talents to return to Macao should be formulated and exchange talks for talents of different areas should be held in the future, which not only helps establish the industry and profession required to attract talents but also guide college students to encourage more people to return to Macao.

Members of the Task Force in attendance included: : Lao Pun Lap, Pang Su Seng, Lao Chi Ngai, Tai Wong Kuai Leng, Liang Baijin, Ung Choi Kun, Chan Melinda Mei Yi and Sou Chio Fai. Committee members in observation include: Yu Wing Yat, Fong Ka Chio, Ip Sio Kai, Lo Tak Wah, Vong Chuk Kwan.

Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao under Talents Development Committee analyses relevant policies in neighbouring areas

Convened by group leader Lao Pun Lap, the first meeting in 2015 for the Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao under the Talents Development Committee has concluded. At the meeting, the Secretariat of Talents Development Committee introduced the relevant talents returning policies in Mainland China, Malaysia and Singapore, and the details of the ‘Celebrating 15th Anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region – Talents Group Investigation Plan’.

The Celebrating 15th Anniversary of the Macao SAR – Talents Group Investigation Plan ended in February when 18 overseas Macao talents visited 13 places including government offices, higher education institutions and large corporations in Macao to understand the future plans of Macao. Committee members believed that the investigation plan has increased the awareness of talents living abroad about the development of Macao SAR. Participants of the plan actively shared their experiences and offered suggestions to the formulation of talents policies. Talents Development Committee will maintain close communications with the participants of the plan.

The Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao also analyses application criteria and effectiveness of the Recruitment Program of Global Experts of Mainland China, the Returning Expert Programme of Malaysia, as well as the R&D Talents Framework of Singapore. Committee members noticed that some areas would allow industry-wide associations to certify qualifications through mutually signed reciprocal agreements on recognition of qualifications. Professionals will thus be facilitated to work locally. Committee members agreed that the next stage is to collect more information about talents returning policies in other countries/areas and to collect some data about Macao students studying abroad. Relevant Macao authorities will also be invited to present on the demand for specialized talents and the corresponding recruitment status, to serve as references in policy formulation.

Members of the Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao include: Lao Pun Lap, Pang Su Seng, Lao Chi Ngai, Tai Wong Kuai Leng, Sou Chio Fai.

Caption: Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao reported on the outcome of the ‘Celebrating 15th Anniversary of Macao SAR – Talents Investigation Plan’ and determines the follow up work.

The ‘Celebrating 15^th Anniversary of the Macao SAR - Talents Group Investigation Plan’ hosted by the Talents Development Committee was held from 1 to 5 February. During the five days event, 19 candidates who are Macao residents either working or started businesses in areas/regions outside Macao, visited government departments, tertiary institutions, Macao’s large-scale business facilities and the historic centre of Macao. They subsequently attended conversaziones to exchange thoughts with people from different sectors of Macao. The participants expressed that Macao has significant economic and infrastructural development over the 15 years since the establishment of the SAR Government. This investigation visit has allowed them to understand more about future plans of Macao, and it is hoped that the societal growth will bring along more opportunities.

Participants of the investigation plan visited several public services departments and organisations, including the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Committee of Cultural Industries, Supporting Office to the Secretariat of China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries Economic Cooperation Forum (Macao), Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre, Infrastructure Development Office, Tourism Development Committee, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Transportation and Infrastructure Office, Health Bureau, and Science and Technology Development Fund. With the opportunities to exchange thoughts with different heads of departments, participants of the plan gained a deeper understanding of the SAR Government’s future plans and talents needs in areas such as culture and the arts, medical healthcare, trade and economics, and infrastructures. In addition, the participants also visited higher education institutions such as the Hengqin Campus of the University of Macau, Institute for Tourism Studies and Macao Polytechnic Institute, to understand more about talents nurturing in higher institutes.

In the afternoon of 5 February, the Talents Development Committee organised two conversaziones at Conference Hall One & Two of the Wui Chi Building of Macao Polytechnic Institute, where 11 of participants shared their career paths and delivered speeches on industries closely related to Macao, such as information technology, medical and healthcare, convention and exhibition. Conversaziones attracted more than 100 spectators who have engaged discussions with the speakers at the questions and answers sessions. After several days of inspection visits and exchange of ideas in Macao, candidates offered their valuable opinions and suggestions to Committee members in drawing in talents to return to Macao. Some participants expressed that this trip have allowed them to have a clear picture of Macao’s development goal and direction towards a diversified economy, and its practical move towards the development plan of building ‘one centre, one platform’ . With the socio-economic growth of Macao, it is hoped that Macao SAR could provide more opportunities for Macao residents living further afield.

Candidates of the Investigation Plan and the Talents Development Committee members

In October last year, the Talents Development Committee organised the “Celebrating 15th Anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region - Talents Group Investigation Plan” with the aim of attracting Macao talents working or starting a business abroad to return to serve Macao. Since its initiation, the plan has received active response from around 100 applicants, and upon screening and selection, a total of 19 candidates are eligible to participate in the five-day observation and exchange activity scheduled to take place in Macao on 1st February 2015.

Since Macao's handover to its Motherland, the SAR Government has laid great emphasis on the cultivation of talents and therefore established the Talents Development Committee responsible for formulating, planning and coordinating long-term development strategies of talents cultivation, designing and implementing relevant short, medium and long-term measures. Under the auspice of the Committee, the Task Force of Encouraging Talents to Return to Macao has specially launched the “Celebrating 15th Anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region - Talents Group Investigation Plan” on this special occasion of the 15th anniversary of the establishment of the MSAR and selected 19 Macao talents who are working in the industries closely relevant to Macao's development, e.g. arts, healthcare, information and technology, etc., in Hong Kong, Mainland, Taiwan, Singapore, Australia, and the United States to participate in the observation and exchange activity. Under the arrangement of the Committee, participants will be guided to visit the public departments closely related to Macao's development, including the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Cultural & Creative Industry Committee, Supporting Office to the Secretariat of China and Portuguese - Speaking Countries Economic Cooperation Forum (Macao), Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Centre, Infrastructure Development Office, Tourism Development Committee, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Transportation Infrastructure Office, Health Bureau, Science and Technology Development Fund, etc. Furthermore, they also carried out site visits to Hengqin, some large-scale infrastructures in Macao and attended forums to exchange views with members of the Talents Development Committee, local chambers of commerce, enterprises, associations, academic institutions and organisations, etc.

Through this Investigation Plan, the Talents Development Committee seeks to strengthen relations between Macao outstanding talents living abroad and local departments, enterprises and organisations and enhance their understanding of the developments of Macao over the past fifteen years and the opportunities brought by future planning, thereby increasing their confidence in returning to Macao to develop their career.

The Task Force of Talents Training Program under the Talents Development Committee held its third meeting of the year in December 2014, where the Subgroup of Elites Nurturing Plan, the Subgroup of Incentive Plan for the Qualified Professionals, and the Subgroup of Skilled Talents Acquiring Plan presented their progress reports and results respectively. Committee members held discussions over the various planned tasks including cooperation with academic and research institutes on elites formation, subsidy plans for talents to take international examinations to be qualified, and the construction of an information platform for training programs of the skilled.

At the meeting hosted by Dr Wu Chi Liang, the Convener of the Task Force of Talents Training Program, subgroups reported on their work progress. Enrolment has been started for the subsidy scheme for Global Leaders Master Course of University of Cambridge. The Secretariat of the Talents Development Committee also presented the cooperation plan with the higher institutes of Portugal. Members of the Committee agreed that on the basis of the current cooperation with the Cambridge University, more academic and research institutes should be approached for cooperation. Suggestions are welcomed for the list of educational institutes and academic disciplines for future cooperation.

To encourage continuous improvement and acquisition of professional, advanced and other qualifications and licenses, members actively discussed over set tasks such as the subsidy plan for acquiring international qualifications for the professionals, cooperation between government departments and enterprises in training of the skilled and encourage accreditation of the skills acquired, as well as building a one-stop information platform for courses in training the skilled talents. Committee members also mentioned that emotional quotient (EQ) is equally important when advancing to higher level skills in talents development.

Members present at the meeting are: Wu Zhi Liang, Van Iat Kio, Ma Chi Ngai Frederico, Ung Choi Kun, Yeung Tsun Man Eric, So Ying Suen, Liu Liang, Pang Su Seng, Yu Wing Yat, Chan Chi Fong, Tai Wa Hou, José Manuel de Oliveira Rodrigues, Tai Wong Kuai Leng, Leong Heng Kao, Sou Chio Fai.

Please kindly note that the “Celebrating 15th Anniversary of the Macao Special Administrative Region - Talents Group Investigation Plan” is currently under selection process. Final results will be published on this website in early December, 2014. Thank you for your attention.