Macao Polytechnic Institute held its grand opening ceremony for the 2016-2017 academic year at the MPI Sports Pavilion in the afternoon of 19th August. This year, MPI has enrolled over 800 local new students and 110 new students from mainland China, together with almost 100 exchange/international students from overseas. During his speech at the ceremony, MPI's president Prof. Lei Heong Iok further underscored the institute’s continued commitments to nurturing local talents, as well as its great efforts to recruit exchange/international students from overseas, all of which reflect MPI’s new chapter of internationalization initiatives.  

During the opening ceremony, Professor Lei Heong Iok expressed his warmest welcome to all the new students. According to Professor Lei, MPI will continue to implement its educational philosophy of "Taking roots in Macao; Serving the community". It is gratifying to see the happy encounters being made between local new students in Macao and their counterparts from across the continents of Asia, Africa, Europe, and America, with exchange students from as far away as Brazil and Cape Verde. All of these encouraging moves are attesting to MPI’s manifesto and its newly launched chapter of internationalization initiatives in alignment with the SAR government’s strategic goal of “Building Macao into an exchange platform between China and the Portuguese-speaking countries” as well as the central government’s great vision of the “One Belt, One Road” Strategy. Professor Lei also graciously acknowledged his thanks to all the new students and their parents for their trust and support to MPI! At the same time, he encouraged all new students to actively engage in classroom learning tasks, in extra-curricular activities and in career planning, and to achieve great success in their own specialized field of study.

Meanwhile, Professor Lei has also expressed his great expectations, hoping that all teachers and students alike will, during their bilateral interactions of teaching and learning,come to discover the truth, the goodness, and the beauty therein, so as to gradually develop in themselves such excellent qualities as proper behavior and love of world peace.The president emphazised that MPI will continue to invite other world-leading educational accreditation authorities to conduct rigorous reviews for all remainingacademic programmes following the successful reviews of its many academic programmes,to greatly ensure and further enhance MPI’s overall teaching quality.

Tam Nga Ian, a lecturer from the BA in Design Programme of the School of Arts spoke as a teacher representative. She encouraged all new students to: learn from their practice and to discover their true identity and real self; to live with others harmoniously and to respect the advice and opinions from others; to cultivate their positive thinking in studies, so as to grow healthily, both mentally and emotionally. Miss Tam wished all students to have an enjoyable 4-year experience at MPI and to become a successful MPI graduate with a global vision.    

Lei Lok Si, a freshman from the School of Physical Education spoke on behalf of all new students. She shared with the audience her journey of feelings and emotions that had led to her final decision to enter MPI. It had all started with her initial interest in PE lessons and in the track field training team, as well as the great excitement of becoming a coach in sports. Then, after getting to know the faculty profile of MPI's School of Physical Education and learning more about its professional and practical teaching, she came to the conclusion that MPI has the best choice to offer. As such, she is looking forward to a wonderful university life with all her fellow classmates, and a close relationship with all teachers and friends who are ready to show their care and their support to help her face any new challenges at this new stage of her life at MPI. 

During the opening ceremony, over 200 students received scholarships from the Macao Foundation, Henry Fok Foundation, Macao Public Administration and Civil Services Bureau, Macao Health Bureau, Macao Cultural Affairs Bureau, Macao Government Tourist Office, Sports Bureau, Macao Social Welfare Bureau, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Macao Productivity and Technology Transfer Center, Association for Adult Education of Macao, Companhia de Electricidade de Macau – CEM, S.A., Companhia de Telecomunicações de Macau S.A.R.L. – CTM , China Telecom (Macao) Co., Ltd, Sociedade de Jogos de Macau, S.A, The Venetian Cotai Limited, Galaxy Entertainment Group, Galaxy Entertainment Group Foundation, Wynn Resorts (Macao) S.A., MGM China, Bank of China Macao Branch, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Macao), Tai Fung Bank Limited, Nam Kwong (Group) Company Limited, Seng San Enterprises Ltd., Inspirational Youth Association, Macao Polytechnic Institute Alumni Association, CPA Australia, The Institution of Engineering and Technology, LT Game Limited, Macao Gaming Equipment Manufacturers Association, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Macao Polytechnic Institute. The opening ceremony ended with a most touching scene when all the new students were taking their solemn oath " MPI's heart, our new start" to become a new member of the MPI family, witnessed by over 1000 distinguished guests, teachers and parents. Following the ceremony, MPI immediately kicked off its well-planned orientation programs to prepare new students for their exciting campus life ahead.