To promote the presentation of cutting-edge research and cross-disciplinary intellectual exchange, and to foster academic innovation and knowledge dialogue, the City University of Macau recently hosted its 2026 Annual Graduate Research Forum. Held under the theme " Boundless Topics, Infinite Exploration," the forum attracted numerous submissions from master's and doctoral students across the university's 11 faculties. Following a rigorous review by a panel of experts, six papers were ultimately selected as "Outstanding Papers" and presented in the main session, while nearly 60 other papers were simultaneously presented across various parallel sessions.
In his address, Vice Rector Ip Kuai Peng noted that the forum adheres to the academic philosophy of openness, inclusivity, and diverse integration, imposing no restrictions on themes, disciplinary boundaries, or research directions. It establishes a broad platform for young scholars dedicated to research and exploration to freely express themselves, showcase their strengths, and engage in exchange and mutual learning. Vice Rector Ye encouraged students to seize this opportunity, build upon their research foundations, boldly share their research ideas, present their findings, and spark intellectual inspiration. He emphasized that through dialogue and discussion, students can enlighten each other and achieve collective progress. CityU Macau fully supports the forum and its subsequent academic activities, striving to build a higher-level academic exchange platform to promote academic prosperity and development.
The presentation session for the outstanding papers in the main venue was highly stimulating, as the six papers spanned diverse fields including urban planning, finance, law, and public health, comprehensively demonstrating the cross-disciplinary research capabilities of CityU Macau students. In detail:
Shen Xinyi from the Faculty of Business, deeply explored the issue of innovation resilience among Chinese listed companies under extreme heat. Zheng Mengqi, also from the Faculty of Business, analyzed the effects of institutional boundaries and local ecological ruptures, using an African industrial park as a case study. Li Mingxuan from the Institute of Urban and Sustainable Development developed a multi-dimensional evaluation system for the spatial quality of high-density, complex urban streets, focusing on Macau as the research subject. Gao Min, Wu Liming from the Faculty of Finance conducted an empirical analysis of the impact of major events on air quality, based on the Macau Grand Prix. Cai Zhouzhou from the School of Law systematically studied the challenges of coordinating criminal and administrative penalties concerning acts that lure, instigate, or deceive others into drug use. Dong Gaozhi, Wen Xihan, Zhong Jiakai, Xin Zhenhuo, from the Faculty of Health and Wellness revealed the internal mechanisms connecting social bonds and the uncontrolled use of short videos, based on the I-PACE model. Each of these studies is tightly focused on academic frontiers and practical needs, possessing both theoretical depth and application value.
In the parallel sessions, students delivered excellent academic presentations on topics such as "Urban and Sustainable Development" and "Frontier Exploration in Interdisciplinary Studies." The presentations were rich in content and distinctive in their arguments, showcasing the rigorous academic attitude and outstanding innovative thinking of these young researchers. The attending expert judges provided detailed feedback, affirming the academic value of the research while offering highly constructive suggestions on methodologies, application prospects, and directions for improvement.
The successful hosting of this forum not only provided a valuable platform for postgraduate students to showcase their research achievements and exchange academic ideas but also effectively promoted academic cooperation and exchange between faculties, injecting renewed vitality into the disciplinary development of City University of Macau.
Shen Xinyi - Faculty of Business
"I am truly honored to participate in the inaugural Postgraduate Academic Forum of City University of Macau. Sharing the stage with the awardees of outstanding papers from various faculties has greatly broadened my academic horizons. I am grateful for Vice Rector Ye Guiping's earnest encouragement and the insightful comments from all the expert judges, from which I benefited immensely and sparked many new ideas for academic innovation. I would also like to thank Associate Dean Huang Jiashun of the Faculty of Business for his thorough planning and meticulous organization in building this high-level academic exchange platform. I look forward to continuing interdisciplinary and cross-field dialogue and discussion with fellow academics in the future, collectively promoting the continuous and deep development of our research."
Li Mingxuan - Institute of Urban and Sustainable Development
"This postgraduate paper presentation has been incredibly rewarding for me. The feedback from the teachers was sincere and profound. Particularly, the teachers from different academic backgrounds offered their unique perspectives, helping me notice many details I had previously overlooked and making me realize that refining a research project often requires a broader vision and more meticulous thought. Furthermore, listening to the presentations of other students also deeply moved me. Their research was solid, each with its own highlights. This kind of exchange not only shows me where I still need to improve but also strengthens my feeling of encouragement and collegial support within academic growth."