On August 23, 2024, Professor José Paulo Esperança, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Business at City University of Macau, was invited by Secretary Qi Mingyu of the Hengqin New Community Cross-Border Party Branch to lead a group of students to participate in the Red Journey for Youth, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Visit for Young People in Hengqin and Macao event.
The event was supervised by the CCP Working Committee of Hengqin Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone, organized by the Hengqin New Community Cross-Border Party Branch. Over forty guests attended the event. The event was structured into several sessions, including a martyr memorial hall visit, keynote speeches, and project pitching.
In his speech, Associate Dean Esperança highlighted that innovation and entrepreneurship are pivotal drivers of global economic growth. They not only invigorate the economy, and foster industrial advancement and structural optimization, but also generate new employment opportunities, enhancing the overall productivity and competitiveness of society. In the era of global economic integration, the fruits of innovation and entrepreneurship can swiftly transcend borders, facilitating global technological exchanges and knowledge sharing, and accelerating the dissemination of new concepts, products, and services.
Associate Dean Esperança emphasized that over the past four decades, China has made remarkable strides in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship. The country has shown exceptional vitality and potential in technological innovation and business incubation. In sectors such as artificial intelligence, 5G communications, high-speed rail, live commerce, and mobile payments, China has transitioned from a follower to a pacesetter, and in some areas, a leader. As an educator with 43 years of experience in higher education, he expressed his honor in witnessing China's evolution in the realm of innovation and entrepreneurship, from being a learner to becoming a mentor.
Associate Dean Esperança concluded that Hengqin boasts vast natural space and favorable policy conditions, while Macao has a rich history of openness and a diverse cultural landscape. The Faculty of Business has always been committed to the organic integration of these two environments, adhering to the university's philosophy of "running a successful metropolitan university." It actively engages with urban life and cultivates application-oriented, practical, and innovative talents the region needs. Against the backdrop of the integration of higher education in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the Faculty of Business aims to catalyze sustainable business practices, technological progress, and cross-cultural economic integration, empowering the development of Hengqin-Macao youth. Associate Dean Esperança is confident that the fertile ground of Hengqin-Macao integration will nurture Hengqin-Macao youth with an innovative spirit and entrepreneurial skills.
"Luban Smart Grinder" from the Faculty of Business was presented. The "Exploration Guardian," developed by an MBA team from the Faculty of Business, is a walking robot designed for complex terrain mobility, detection of small biological organisms, and wireless control in complex electromagnetic environments. The "Luban Smart Grinder", co-developed by a doctoral team from the CityU and Tsinghua University, is a high-precision grinding and polishing robot workstation with autonomous trajectory planning, compliant constant force positioning control, and process matching. Both projects showcase the students' solid foundation in business management, interdisciplinary academic capabilities, broad knowledge horizons, and agile thinking patterns.