UM Department of Arts and Design Launches Master’s and Doctoral Programmes in Visual Communication Design and Holds Orientation for New Students

The Department of Arts and Design (DAD) of the University of Macau (UM) held the opening ceremony for its Doctor of Design in Visual Communication Design and Master of Design in Visual Communication Design programmes on 12 August 2025, alongside the orientation for new students of the 2025/2026 academic year.

The ceremony was graced by the presence of Prof. Wei GE, Vice Rector (Research) of UM; Prof. Defeng LI and Prof. Jian ZHANG, Associate Deans of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities; Prof. Yan ZHANG, Director of the Centre for Chinese History and Culture; and Prof. Lampo LEONG, Director of the Centre for Arts and Design. All professors of DAD also attended the event.

In his address, Prof. Wei GE congratulated the incoming students and highlighted the vital role of art and design in contemporary cultural development. He commended DAD’s achievements in teaching, research, and creative practice, noting that the establishment of UM’s first doctoral and master’s programmes in design marks a new stage in the university’s cultivation of high-level talent and disciplinary advancement. He added that the programmes will strengthen Macau’s creative industries and contribute to the cultural development of the Greater Bay Area.
Prof. Jun LI, Head of DAD, delivered a speech entitled An Ideal Beginning. He remarked that with the establishment of both art and design disciplines, the department has, for the first time, become a true “Department of Arts and Design.” Drawing from Macau’s long tradition of higher education since the College of St. Paul in 1594, he underscored the department’s mission of “based on great creation,” aiming to foster academic research and creative work that integrates Eastern and Western traditions, past and present.

Subsequently, Prof. Fan LI, Coordinator of the Master’s and Doctoral Programmes, introduced the department’s vision, curriculum, and academic requirements. Prof. Xun CHI (Michael) presented the future development of the visual communication design discipline, while Associate Professors Xiaofeng WANG and Xu YANG introduced the courses of the new semester.

The ceremony not only welcomed new students to the department but also marked the beginning of a new academic chapter for DAD. Professors and students will continue to work together to advance artistic innovation and contribute to the growth of art and design in Macau and beyond.

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