On August 27, a joint interview tour called "Leveraging New Advantages to Align with the 15th Five-Year Plan" visited the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin.
The Cooperation Zone's Talent Development and Social Security Bureau was newly established in June. In an interview, Sun Lin, deputy director of the Bureau, revealed for the first time that two new initiatives are under preparation: mutual recognition of residence duration between Hengqin and Macao and implementation of cross-university course registration for three Macao-based universities in Hengqin.
"Talents choosing to work in Hengqin and Macao can enjoy the international conveniences of Macao's free-port and low-tax regime, as well as Hengqin's exclusive housing support and startup incentives for high-calibre talent," Sun Lin said. Distinguished talent recruited to the Cooperation Zone may receive subsidies of up to 8 million yuan. Selected overseas high-level innovation and entrepreneurship projects can secure grants as high as 10 million yuan.
To enhance the support environment for talent services, Hengqin has rolled out the Hengqin-Macao Talent Card. Cardholders enjoy seamless cross-border services covering customs clearance, professional qualifications, housing and daily living across the two regions. "This card is more than an honor; it symbolizes the alignment of rules between Hengqin and Macao," noted Sun Lin.
This August, 39 postgraduate programs offered by three public universities in Macao, namely the University of Macau, Macao Polytechnic University and Macao University of Tourism, officially began offering classes in Hengqin. Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town has welcomed over 1,400 students and 287 faculty and staff. Under the "one university, two campuses, integrated management" model, students are registered in Macao and their degrees are conferred by Macao institutions, while classes are held and laboratory facilities are available in Hengqin.
Currently, the University Town project is being rolled out in three phases. Upon full completion, it is expected to accommodate more than 20,000 students and faculty. Phase One focuses on postgraduate education, emphasizing cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence and fintech. Phase Two will see the construction of the University of Macau's Hengqin Campus, which will house planned schools such as the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Information Science and Computing. Phase Three will introduce signature programs from Macao Polytechnic University and Macao University of Tourism.
Substantial progress has been achieved in cross-university course enrollment at the Macao-Hengqin International Education (University) Town. Starting from the 2026/2027 academic year, students from the three universities are eligible to take elective courses across institutions.
In terms of facility sharing, teaching spaces, laboratories, student dormitories and sports centers at Dezhi Plaza (Phase One) are jointly used by the three universities. In Phase Three, the campuses of Macao Polytechnic University and Macao University of Tourism are designed with interconnected spaces, and public facilities such as sports grounds and libraries are open for cross-university access.
Authors | He Zhen (intern), Huang Qini, Wei Shen
